Rolling Stones had top grossing tour

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Final North American concert ticket sales figures show Britain's Rolling Stones were this year's top grossing tour act by earning approximately $138.5 million.

Daily Variety reported that with North American tour figures increasing this year by 16 percent from 2005 to a total of $3.1 billion, the more than 1 million tickets sold for Rolling Stones concerts made the group 2006's top grossing act.

Behind the "Satisfaction" rockers was singer Barbara Streisand, whose 2006 tour efforts earned her $92.5 million, in part through inflated ticket prices equal to nearly triple that of the Stones, Variety said.

The price increase by the "People" star was befitting 2006, which saw the average ticket price increase by 8 percent from last year.

Country music's married couple, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, were third on the list with $88.8 million earned, while pop star Madonna was close behind with a 2006 total gross of $85.9 million.

Another notable entry on the list was singer Kenny Chesney, who was 2006's top ticket-seller with 1.13 million sold, but only earned a total gross of $66 million, the paper said.