Golden oldies: pop and rock veterans still the top earners

"Pop music has long been a young person's game. But when it comes to pocketing the biggest returns, oldsters rule," Forbes was quoted by AFP as saying of the list, adding that while record sales were crucial, touring was the real money spinner.

"The really serious money comes from touring. And no one can pull in the big bucks like an older, established music act," it said.

Helping to drive the big earnings were top-whack ticket prices, with Madonna charging an average of more than 180 dollars during her 2006 North American tour and the Stones taking an average of more than 135 dollars per head.

Most musicians in the list owed some of their income to alternative sources, not just relying on album sales and touring.