U2, Bon Jovi + More Among Music’s Top Money Makers in 2012

U2, Bon Jovi, Journey, the Beatles, Bob Seger and Elton John are among those classic rockers who have been named among the highest-grossing acts by Billboard magazine on its 2012 Music’s Top 40 Money Makers list.

The list took into account U.S. income sources and ranked artists based upon how much each of them netted last year from income streams like record sales, touring, publishing royalties and digital services payments.

Taylor Swift topped the chart with total earnings of $35.7 milion, followed by runner-up U2, who raked in an impressive $32.1 million. The band’s 360° tour that wrapped in 2011 grossed an amazing $91.5 million Boxscore for the year, with more cash made from merchandise sales and fan club revenue, as well as record and singles sales.

Bon Jovi also placed in the Top 10 on the list, coming in at No. 7 with $15.8 million. The band’s career is still thriving after 30 years, and their last big trek, the Circle tour, wrapped last summer and tallied up an incredible $265 million — becoming the sixth-largest grossing tour of all time.

Like U2, Bon Jovi’s other earnings throughout the time period included the release of new music and classic tunes, DVDs, new merch, and plenty more that kept their fans forking over their hard-earned money on one of music’s finest bands.

Others from the classic rock world that rounded out the Top 40 list included Journey (#12 with $12.3 million), Elton John (#13 with $11.9 million), Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (#17 with $10 million), the Beatles (#24 with $6.74 million), Paul McCartney (#25 with $6.72 million), Rod Stewart (#29 with $6.3 million), the Foo Fighters (#31 with $6 million), Rush (#32 with $5.8 million), and Motley Crue (#38 with $5.3 million).