Dr. Dre performs at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., April 15, 2012.David McNew/Reuters
Artists no longer sell albums in the numbers they used to, but don't tell hip-hop producer Dr. Dre that there's no money to be had. He wouldn't believe you, and, besides, he can't hear you.
Thanks in large part to his Beats headphone line, the very good Doctor, at $110-million (U.S.), is the top earner on the Forbes magazine list of music's biggest moneymakers in 2012.
At No. 2 is Roger Waters, who hasn't released a studio rock album since 1992, and yet pulled in $88-million, thanks to his blockbuster tour of The Wall. (If not numbly, he does live comfortably.)
Next in line is Elton John, followed by U2, who topped last year's list at $195-million, but dropped to $78-million in 2012. Rounding out the Top 5 is British one-time boy band Take That, who took $69-million.
As for Canadians, 10th-ranked Justin Bieber could afford to work the Grey Cup gratis, given his incoming $55-million. Crooner Michael Bublé's $34-million was good enough for 24th place, one spot ahead of another smooth operator: Sade.
Brad Wheeler