Top 10 Highest Paid Musicians in 2010

What does it take to become one of the highest-paid musicians of the 2010s? A career that peaked in the 1980s. Nearly half of the artists that make up this year’s list of the top-earning music acts have been around long enough that they could have appeared on the soundtrack to Back to the Future. Here are top ten earning musicians of 2010.

10. Black Eyed Peas - $48 million

Since crossing over to the mainstream in the early 2000s, the Black Eyed Peas have been everywhere from the Super Bowl pre-game show to discussing politics on CNN. A worldwide tour that took them from Switzerland to Mexico brought in $800,000 a night, while the band’s openness to endorsement deals led them to ink commitments with Target, Honda, Bacardi and Apple...More after the break...

9. Kenny Chesney - $50 million

Chesney continued his reign atop the country music industry by out-touring everyone else. His 2009 tour grossed $71 million and brought in an average of $1.6 million every night, nearly doubling the box office receipts of his closest competitor, Keith Urban. Prominent sponsorships with companies like Corona and MasterCard keep tour costs down, making the tours even more profitable.

8. Madonna - $58 million

The Material Girl isn’t quite ready to cede her spot in pop music’s hierarchy to Lady Gaga or Britney Spears just yet. The 52-year-old singer had the fourth highest-grossing tour of 2009, bringing in $6 million a night and $138 million overall. An episode of the Fox hit sitcom Glee, which featured cast members singing several of her songs, added to her already high profile and cushioned her significant earnings from publishing royalties.

7. Lady Gaga - $62 million

A newcomer to the Celebrity 100, Lady Gaga broke down the door to fame with outlandish outfits and quirky videos, including one that featured her and Beyonce poisoning an unappreciative boyfriend. With a 106-date tour that grossed $95 million, Lady Gaga is also a marketer’s dream, teaming up with Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Monster Cable and Viva Glam.

6. Jay-Z - $63 million

Jay-Z likes to say he’s not a businessman; he’s a business, man–and it’s not idle boasting. The rapper-turned-mogul retains his crown as hip-hop’s cash king thanks to a new album and investments in the 40/40 nightclub chain, the Broadway show “Fela!” and the New Jersey Nets basketball team. Jay-Z’s biggest boost comes from his Blueprint 3 tour, which grossed over $1 million per concert this year. He still makes less than wife Beyoncé.

5. Britney Spears - $64 million

Not long ago, most of the entertainment world had written Britney Spears off as a celebrity flameout. But over the last year Spears logged the fifth highest-grossing tour in the world, bringing in $130 million in gross box office receipts by playing 98 dates. High-profile endorsement deals with Elizabeth Arden and Candies’ prove that the public expects Spears to stay in the spotlight for good.

4. Bruce Springsteen -$70 million

The poet laureate of New Jersey continues to connect with fans around the world. Backed by the E Street Band, Springsteen sold more than 2 million tickets on his world tour, which grossed $167 million, enough to make it the third highest-grossing tour in the world. Heavy radio play on classic rock stations and a steady-selling backlist adds to his bottom line.

3. Beyonce Knowles -$87 million

One half of the most famous couple in hip-hop (Jay-Z, No. 6, is the other half), Beyoncé continues to expand her business empire beyond music. Endorsement deals with companies ranging from Nintendo to L’Oreal and her growing House of Dereon fashion line bring in millions of dollars per year on top of the $86 million she grossed from a 93-stop world tour.

2. AC/DC - $114 million

This Australian heavy metal group has been shaking audiences all night long since 1973 and shows few signs of stopping. Second only to U2 in band tour earnings, AC/DC grossed a staggering $226 million on a worldwide tour that included 99 dates and brought in more than $2 million a night.

1. U2 - $130 million

The world’s biggest rock band, U2 launched a massive world tour in 2009 that has brought in more than $311 million in gross box office receipts. Each tour stop brings in $10 million in gross ticket sales. Add in lucrative merchandise sales, heavy radio play and a steady-selling back catalog, and you have the highest-earning band on the planet.

Singapore F1 - 2010 Formula 1 Night Race

Formula 1 Driver's standings leader Mark Webber has won four races so far this season followed by McLaren's Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Fernando Alonso with three wins each. Fomula 1 2009 Champion Jenson Button and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel have tasted two victories each.

Ferrari have won a total of 213 races from 807 starts, while McLaren stands the second most successful team with 169 victories. Williams are in third with 113 wins.

Alonso's win at Monza in the Italian Grand Prix helped Ferrari taste its first victory at the Milanese circuit since 2006. This was the Spaniard 24th career win and he is now in level with the late Argentine five times f1 champion Juan Manuel Fangio in the all-time drivers race winning list. Only seven drivers are ahead of him. One more win will take him to sixth place to be shared with Austrian triple F1 champion Niki Lauda and Britain's double world champion Jim Clark. Michael Schumacher leads the table with a record of 91 wins.

Interestingly only 5 of the 14 races have been won by drivers starting on pole. Only 3 drivers have won from pole postion this season. Vettel is chasing for his 8th pole of the season while Red Bull are after their 13th from 15 races. Only two teams have managed to for more than 12 poles in a single season - McLaren with 15 in 1988 & 1989 and Williams with 15 in 1992 & 1993. Williams hold the record for the most successive poles with 24 in a row in 1992/93.

Cristiano Ronaldo inspires Real Madrid

Real Madrid returned to the top of the La Liga table with an incident-packed 3-0 home win over Espanyol. It was soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo who opened the account for the whites on the 29th minute with a disputed penalty. But Madrid were reduced to 10 men in the 60th minute when defender Pepe was dismissed on the hour for his 2nd booking in quick succession. Two minutes later Espanyol's Ernesto Galán was shown a straight red for a challenge on Ronaldo. Gonzalo Higuain converted a beautiful pass from Ronaldo to a goal on the 78th minute. On the finishing stages of the match Karim Benzema scored a goal to make it 3-0. Again Espanyol's Jan Forlin was sent off with a red card on the 89th minute.

With this victory Madrid claimed three points and moved one point clear of Valencia to top the standings. Real Madrid which has won all the 4 matches it played has 10 points. Valencia the only other team to have won all its opening 3 matches can top the table standings if it beats Atletico Madrid at home.

Endhiran Movie - Few facts

My relative is working in CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) in Chennai. He was one of the fortunate few to watch the movie for certification. He did not reveal the story citing professional ethics!. But he answered my biggest question.

I am writing this post to lower your expectations to that all of us can enjoy the thalaivar movie in the most awesome way possible.

1. This is a complete masala movie with comedy, song, dance, romance, fight, sentiment.

2. The story's base is Science Fiction - but it is a science fiction masala.

3. That means, do not expect a complete Sci-Fi genre movie like Terminator. But expect a movie like Avatar. (Indian version of Avatar).

4. It has all the ingredients to make it attractive to children, youngsters, family members, ladies and Rajini's mass audience.

5. The last 45 - 50 minutes will be a celebration for Rajini fans.

6. The animations are never before seen in Indian cinema and takes Indian cinema to next level in terms of visual effects and animations - but it will not be comparable with hollywood animation flicks. So lower your expectations.

7. The stunt sequences are again, the best in Indian cinema, but definitely not up to Hollywood standards.

8. He was sure that the movie will be liked by Hindi audience too.

9. He was absolutely sure that Rajini's performance as the villain will win him a National Award.

10. He was also sure that A.R. Rahman will win next year's National Award for BGM.

11. He said that the climax Symphony based BGM by Rahman is worth even Grammy awards.

12. The one point that the Hindi audience may not like is comedy that is specific to south India. He said, they may cut there scenes in Hindi.

13. The International audience who like song and dance will enjoy the movie. But, the film will not impress international audience in general as this will be a typical Indian masala movie.

14. The movie will definitely break all records for sure.

Top 10 Romantic Hotels Worldwide

La Reserve Ramatuelle, St Tropez, France

On a hill above the Mediterranean and St Tropez, perches La Reserve Ramatuelle, a recently opened hotel with 23 bedrooms that are all about chic simplicity. The floor-to-ceiling windows let the ocean views take centre stage. Order champagne cocktails for two and sink into a beanbag by the heated outdoor pool.

Eagles Nest, Bay of Islands, New Zealand

Five secluded villas, hidden away on a peninsula in northern New Zealand’s Bay of Islands, blend ocean vistas with minimal contemporary furniture, abstract art and glam gadgets, including flatscreen TVs and home cinema systems. Prepare your own meals in the kitchen or arrange for a private chef. Flop in the Jacuzzi, cocktail in hand, and enjoy swimming, sailing and whale-watching.

Capella Singapore, Singapore

The 112-room Capella Singapore on Sentosa Island has lush lawns, peacocks and sculptures surrounding a heritage hotel. Constellation rooms come with an alfresco terrace tub. Visit the award-winning Auriga spa before feasting on fine Chinese fusion dishes at Cassia.

Palazzo Barbarigo, Venice, Italy

Blending modern boudoir glamour with deco chic, all 18 rooms offer a canal view, four-poster beds, and ceiling mirrors to reflect light from the water outside. There’s a velvety lounge bar and small dining room serving light snacks, but venturing out to eat is a joy in this neighbourhood near the Rialto bridge.

Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, Australia

For animal encounters without foregoing creature comforts, head to Kangaroo Island boutique hotel Southern Ocean Lodge, a designer haven just off the coast of South Australia. Stretching along the coastline at Hanson Bay, its 21 contemporary suites, serene spa, bar and restaurant blend into the environment.

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Hop aboard a speedboat from Nha Trang, on the south-central coast of Vietnam, to reach this sanctuary. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay retreat offers 58 villas with a choice of jungle seclusion, hilltop views, beachside or water-edge settings. Amble from your canopied bed to your own private pool or descend a ladder directly to the sea.

St James’s Hotel & Club, London

This London hotel in ritzy Mayfair combines a gent’s club feel with oodles of luxury, starting from the red entrance carpet and rose and white Victorian facade. The 60-room newly-revamped hotel has decor teaming Murano glass chandeliers with artworks and sensuous materials. Velvet, silk, leather and cashmere season the rooms alongside massive tubs, L’Occitane toiletries, heated towels and a built-in LCD TV.

Uma Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

One of Bali’s most romantic retreats, hillside Uma Ubud boasts valley scenery and guided treks around the green paddy fields, daily yoga classes and a main pool surrounded by monkey-inhabited tropical trees. The 29 rooms offer outdoor showers, open-air lounging pavilions, and serene koi ponds.

The Standard NY, New York

The Standard NY created by hip hotelier Andre Balazs is a glassy, minimal high-rise in New York’s western Meatpacking District. Of the 337 rooms, the lofty Standard Suites are the most glam, with three walls of floor-to-ceiling glass giving views from your bath.

Satri House, Luang Prabang, Laos

Satri House was once the childhood home of a Lao prince, and this grand yet intimate 1900s boutique hotel has 25 elegant rooms with four-poster beds and south-east Asian decor. Art and antiques, including gilded Buddhas and Chinese lacquered cabinets, add a touch of gallery chic. The hotel also has two pools, a small spa and a tempting restaurant.

Mahesh Bhupathi, Lara Dutta engaged

Finally it has been announced officially that Chennai born India's ace tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and India's former Miss Universe 2000 Lara Dutta are engaged. The engagement took place at New York during the recently concluded U.S. Open. The pair is expected to tie knots by this year end.

Mahesh Bhupathi, who divorced his wife Shvetha Jaishankar an Indian supermodel last July, was seen with Lara Dutta together in a number of Film award shows including the FilmFare awards and the IIFA weekend at Sri Lanka.

The duo who earlier denied reports of their affair, have come out with an open statement. Mahesh Bhupati has tweeted 'So Lara and I got engaged in New York last week. It’s official now...' Lets wish the couple all the very best!!!

Kimi Raikkonen returns to Formula one with Renault

It looks like it is time for the oldies to return to Formula one. First of all it was the seven time world champion Michael Schumacher who made a re-entry to Formula one with the Mercedes GP Team in the 2010 season. Now Kimi Raikkonen is considering a return to F1. The 2007 Formula One World Champion who left F1 at the end of the 2009 season is currently driving for Citroen in the World Rally Championship. Yesterday it was announced that Raikkonen is planning to return to F1 for the 2011 season and is in talks with Renault team. If things move well, he will be driving for Renault in 2011 season alongside Robert Kubica. He will be replacing Renault's current Russian driver Vitaly Petrov who failed to put a great race this season.

Kimi Raikkonen made his debut in Formula One with Sauber in September 2000. Impressed with his performance McLaren's Boss Ron Dennis gave him a race seat. In 2002, he replaced the vacant seat left by double-world champion and fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen. He spent five seasons with McLaren. At the end of 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that Raikkonen had signed a three-year contract with Ferrari for the 2007–2009 seasons. With the retirement of Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen became the highest paid driver in F1, with a base salary of US $51Million annually.

Even this year with Kimi Raikkonen's pay-off from Ferrari amounts to a £13.1 million. He stands third in the salary list of drivers in F1. Ferrari's Spaniard Fernando Alonso tops the list with £26 million salary followed by Briton Lewis Hamilton with £13.1 million.

Endhiran Theatrical Trailer

Enjoy the official Endhiran Theatrical Trailer

Re-Boost your mobile with Boost Mobile

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.

Boost Mobile one of Sprint’s prepaid brands offers wireless phones and services with no long-term contracts. It's 'Monthly Unlimited' plan, offers an unlimited nationwide talk, Web, email, IM, text and 411 for $50/month. With its 'BlackBerry Monthly Unlimited' plan you can get an unlimited nationwide talk, Web, email, text, IM and 411 for just $60/month. This is much pretty low compared to other phones which charges you $130/month for a single plan!

It’s Re-Boost program offers you three flexible modes of payment namely pay on-line, pay in person and pay by phone. Pay on-line and pay by phone is quite simple as you can make use of your credit or debit cards to set up a worry-free automatic payment. Just make a one-time payment and register your card for future payments. You can make use of their customer care help service to find a Boost Mobile location in your locality and make a payment in person. You can even have your family member or friend make the payment for you.
Boost Mobile phones are pretty social in nature. Since I am a blogger I used to update my Facebook, Twitter accounts often a day. I use Boost Mobile phones which offer an unlimited connectivity to Facebook every month at a fixed low price. Boost Mobile also offers cool phones including big names like Blackberry and Motorola.

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Ride with F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton in Chennai

Telecom major Vodafone-Essar limited is all set to bring World's youngest Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton to Chennai, India. The British Formula 1 driver will be in Madharasapattinam (Chennai) on September 17 for a promotional event organized by Vodafone for its pre-paid and post-paid customers.

Vodafone has announced a sms based quiz competition 'Hot Laps with Lewis Hamilton' for its subscribers which will enable a few lucky winners to go for a spin with Hamilton on an SL 63 AMG Mercedes. The sms quiz comprises 5 objective based formula 1 questions. Participants will also have to complete a slogan 'I want to ride with Lewis because...’ Vodafone customers can participate in this contest by sending a toll free sms "LEWIS" to 56565. The competition will be live from September 2 to 13 (both days inclusive).

One winner will be selected from major cities in India which includes Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Apart from getting a zip around with Hamilton, winners will also be gifted with Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes merchandise.

Master of Arts in Teaching degree Online from USC

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of USC. All opinions are 100% mine.

Technology has made life even more easier today. Earning an online degree from an internationally renowned university is no different.

The USC Rossier School of Education which ranks no.22 in the United States, and no.9 among all private universities by US News and World Report offers current educators and those aspiring teachers the privilege of earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from an elite research university with the convenience and flexibility of studying online.

This accelerated program can be completed in a very short span of just 12 months. The program includes a highly interactive online learning methodology combined with field-based experiences. For those who look for scholarships, there is a groundbreaking tuition reimbursement program designed exclusively for MAT@USC graduates.

Learn from renowned USC faculties who were recognized for their contributions to modern education. You get a full USC student status and can participate in commencement ceremonies. You will be eligible to get a free lifetime Alumni Association membership too. It gives you an opportunity to be a part of the elite USC Trojan Family. Thus this program makes you to take your degree anytime, anywhere!

If you feel interested in this, please click here for a lot more on the program information

Stanislas Wawrinka beats Andy Murray

British tennis icon Andy Murray's hopes of winning US Open title faded when he was ousted by 25th seeded Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka. The fourth-seeded Murray was widely expected to become the first British man to win a Grand Slam tournament since 1936. But he was made a shocking third round exit at the US Open losing 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-3.

This is Murray's second consecutive earlier than expected exit at the US open. Last season he lost to Croatia’s Marin Cilic because of a wrist injury. Murray who won the first set failed to capture the second and there started his struggling. Wawrinka won the third set, and opened up a 2-1 lead. Wawrinka had never played so well at the Grand slams.

It was a high-quality match with some excellent points. Wawrinka came within two points of winning the first set, when he was serving at 5-3, 30-0. Still Wawrinka dropped a serve, and Murray proved he is a better tiebreaker. The second set was the exact opposite of the first set. Murray was broken as he served for it at 5-3, and it was Wawrinka who produced a best tennis in the shoot out.

A break to Wawrinka in the sixth game and that’s it, Murray had no chance of advancing to the next round. In the end, it was a 5-2 game with six aces and 20 winners. As the defeated Murray left the court, victorious Wawrinka kept signing autographs for his fans. 20th seeded America's Sam Querrey is Wawrinka's next opponent.

World's Highest Paid Tennis Players

Male and female sports person play typically for different sums of money in their respective sports. Here is a list of some of the highly paid tennis players in the world past 12 months. The amount includes prize money, endorsements, exhibitions & appearance fees over the past one year without taxes.

History's most successful tennis player Roger Federer leads the pack with as much as $43 million. The ace Swiss tennis player's dominance on the court helped him earn ten of the most lucrative sponsorship deals. The world's No. 2 ranked player deals include Nike, Rolex, Wilson, Gillette and Auto major Mercedes-Benz.

Second in the list is Russian glam girl Maria Sharapova. Sharapova may have lost her game over the past few years. But she is still the reigning champion when it comes to money. Her rich sponsors with Nike, Tiffany, and Prince, made her the second highest paid tennis player and female athlete in the world with $24.5 million over the 12 months. She has penned an eight year contract with Nike which is said be worth $70 million. She also has a sponsorship deal with Cole-Haan, a subsidiary of Nike.

Next in the pack is the current world's No. 1 ranked tennis player, Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard who overtook Federer this year on the court with some stunning performances is way down to Federer financially. His earning amounts to only half as that of his rival Federer's earnings. The top ranked player earned $21 million over the past 12 months. But his recent 10 year contract with Nike could fetch him $80 million. Nadal has also got Babolat, Kia Motor, and various Spanish companies as sponsors.

The next two positions were occupied by the Williams sisters. Women world's No. 1 ranked tennis player Serena Williams ranks No. 4 with $20 million and her elder sister Venus Williams stands good at No. 5 with $15 million over the past year. Venus has sponsorship deal with Puma, Reebok, Nike, and her own brand Eleven. She has recently inked a deal with Polo Ralph.

Bar Refaeli, Serena Williams, Nadal and Federer at Nike's Primetime Knockout

Every year leading sportswear and equipment supplier Nike conducts Primetime Knockout, an exhibition tennis match between iconic tennis professionals and celebrities. This year event saw some of the World top tennis players like Swiss Roger Federer, fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal, America's Serena Williams and John McEnroe, Russia's Maria Sharapova, and Belarus Victoria Azarenka.

Despite of a gloomy weather die hard tennis fans gathered by the New York City’s Hudson River to watch the event at the famous Pier 54. All their patience paid off handsomely when the first star studded match started. Fans cheered when world no.1 men’s tennis player Rafael Nadal teamed up with Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli. Hence they were named Team Rafa Refa. They played against world no.10 tennis player Victoria Azarenka and New york Giants football player Justin Tuck.

This was followed by a match where Russia's Tennis icon Maria Sharapova paired with Hollywood actor Bradley Cooper to play against World no.2 Roger Federer teamed up with a local teenage tennis player. Both the matches had lots of fun admonishments from John McEnroe who was the chair umpire. Serena Williams who missed this year's U.S. Open due to an off court injury, joined the festivities and provided some fun filled colorful commentary. She kept on requesting Rafeal Nadal to show his abs. But Nadal bashfully declined Serena's cute romantic & lovely request.

Ricardo Quaresma replaces Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese Football Federation has called up former Chelsea winger Ricardo Quaresma to replace the injured National team captain Cristiano Ronaldo in the Portugal squad ahead of UEFA EURO 2012 qualification matches. Portugal will be facing Southern Cyprus in their first match (at home) for the qualification of Euro 2012. They will be playing against Norway (away) in their second match. Portugal will be missing their captain Ronaldo in both these matches. Ronlado, who injured his ankle last Sunday in a goalless draw Spanish League match against Mallorca, is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks. Based on the assessment from the medical staff, Portuguese Football Federation will decide on his role in qualification matches. If in case he withdraws the squad, central midfielder, Paulo Machado is most likely to be his replacement.

Quaresma emerged from Sporting's famed academy which gave soccer stars like Joao Moutinho, Nani, and Cristiano Ronaldo. He began his career with Sporting CP. He has played for some of the top teams including Barcelona, Porto, Internazionale and Chelsea. He won the Portuguese Footballer of the Year in 2005 and 2006. He was also awarded Portuguese Golden Ball in the year 2007. But unfortunately he was not a part of the recently concluded Portugal's 2010 World Cup campaign.