The list included several icons from the genres.
Billboard has released its annual report on the highest-paid musicians of the past year. The list is based on a study analyzing the "earnings of the 50 highest-paid artists/bands, based on their earnings from concerts in the United States and royalties generated from domestic purchases, streaming, and press appearances in 2017." Although a large part of the list is occupied by pop and hip-hop icons, many heavy metal and hard rock bands also made an appearance.
Metallica, for example, occupies third place. Estimating an impressive $30.7 million in profits from tours alone. Sales brought in $8.7 million, streaming $2.2 million, and press appearances $1.6 million. In Italy, the band ranked 15th in 2016.
Guns N' Roses dropped from second place (in 2016) to eighth place in 2017, with a total of $27.8 million. Red Hot Chili Peppers did not appear on the 2016 list, but secured fourteenth place that year, with $18.5 million earned from tours out of their $21.6 million total.
The rock bands and those associated with the genre that secured the top 50 spots are:
No. 49 Def Leppard – $9.2 million
No. 40 Green Day – $11.6 million
No. 38 Journey – $11.7 million
No. 28 Bon Jovi – $14.5 million
No. 14 Red Hot Chili Peppers – $18.5 million
No. 8 Guns N' Roses – $27.8 million
No. 3 Metallica – $30.7 million