Taylor Swift named top music money maker with $35.7M

Taylor Swift was the world’s highest earning music star on 2011, making $35.7 million.
The ‘Mine’ hitmaker grossed $88 million in the US - which amounted to a personal fortune of $29.8 million - from her ‘Speak Now’ Tour as well as touring across Asia and Europe, selling over 1.8 million albums and a further 7.8 single track downloads, and gaining income from song writing royalties.
Irish rockers U2 follow closely behind the 22-year-old beauty on the 2012 Billboard Money Makers List, with a fortune of $32.1 million, mainly drawn from their huge 360 Degrees shows, the highest-earning tour of 2011.
The ‘Sweetest Thing’ band grossed more than $293 million from 44 concerts throughout the three-year tour, which was watched by nearly three million people, and saw them beat a record set by The Rolling Stones for highest grossing tour ever, taking $763 million in total.
Kenny Chesney, Lady Gaga and hip-hop star Lil Wayne also made up the top five.
‘Lollipop’ hitmaker Wayne pulled in more than $23.1 million last year, while Sade, Bon Jovi and Adele - who has to curtail her touring commitments in October after suffering problems with her vocal cords - also made up the top 10.

2012 Billboard Money Makers list, Top 10:
1. Taylor Swift, $35,719,902
2. U2, $32,116,315
3. Kenny Chesney, $29,837,103
4. Lady Gaga, $25,353,039
5. Lil Wayne, $23,178,722
6. Sade, $16,382,809
7. Bon Jovi, $15,835,856
8. Celine Dion, $14,261,515
9. Jason Aldean, $13,409,011
10. Adele, $13,081,909
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Beyonce Writes Tina Knowles a Heartwarming Letter for Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2012 (May 13) marks Beyonce's first time celebrating her moment as a new mom to daughter Blue Ivy Carter. Since her birth on Jan. 7, the R&B songstress has relied on the beliefs and values her own mother, Tina Knowles instilled in her to raise Blue Ivy. To show appreciation to her mom, Beyonce penned a letter to her just in time for Mother's Day.

In the letter, which the 30-year-old "Love on Top" singer revealed on her website, Tina Knowles receives heartwarming words from her eldest child. "Everything I am is because of you," Beyonce writes to her mother at the opening of the note.

Read the rest of Beyonce's sentiments towards Tina Knowles below.

 

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Country Music Hall of Fame Welcomes David Nail, Jana Kramer for 'Hot Nights'

One of Nashville's hot spots is getting hotter! The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is gearing up for Hot Nights at the Hall this summer. The popular concert series for museum members returns June 5 with a performance by David Nail. The series, which debuted last summer, will feature live music, food, autograph signings and exclusive access to the museum and Museum Store. Additional performers include Jana Kramer on July 13 and Love and Theft on August 31.

Hot Nights at the Hall begin at 6:00 PM and admission is free to all museum members. Membership at the museum begins at $40 and includes admission to all three concert events as well as a year of free admission to the museum and more. Membership may be purchased at the event, by phone at (615) 291-8419 or by clicking here.

"Our members are a vital part of our museum family, and their contributions directly support our mission," says Museum Director Kyle Young. "We created Hot Nights at the Hall last year as a way to say 'thank you' to the members we have, and to encourage others to join us by providing them with a really great value and yet another benefit to museum membership. We're excited to bring the series back this summer and again offer members old and new a chance to hear some great music, meet the performers, and enjoy our exhibits after hours."

One of the not-to-be missed special exhibits currently at the Museum is "The Bakersfield Sound: Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and California Country." The exhibit spotlights the raw, electric sound that gained tremendous popularity in the 1960s and can still be heard today in the modern country music of acts such as Brad Paisley, Alan Jackson and others.

Also currently at the museum are exhibits dedicated to legendary guitarist and producer Chet Atkins and "Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music." For more information, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's website here.