Most of the touring business news so far this summer has been about cancellations and slumping sales, but a look at the most successful tours of the first half of this year shows that some acts are doing bang-up business. As a sampling of what's working on the road this year, the list is ideal in that it crosses a wide range of demographics and genres. Along with AC/DC, Billy Joel/Elton John and Bon Jovi, the top 25 includes plenty of relatively new headliners and creative concepts, among them Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Michael Bublé, Tiësto and the James Taylor/Carole King and George Strait/Reba packages. The list is compiled from Billboard Boxscore data reported for the issues of Nov. 28, 2009, through June 19, 2010.

Leading the way at midyear is AC/DC, whose Black Ice tour has been a commanding presence around the world in stadiums and arenas worldwide since launching last year. A highlight for the veteran Australian act was a triumphant February run through its native market. For the period covered, AC/DC added $118 million in gross and more than 1 million in attendance to last year's respective totals of $135 million and 1.6 million. Black Ice has clearly tapped into a demand for AC/DC, resulting from the band's eight-year absence from touring, and takes its place as one of the band's most successful tours.

Bon Jovi has emerged as one of the most consistent acts in touring history in the past decade, and the band's current Circle trek is extending its run of blockbuster tours. Just 35 shows in, the tour has rung up $52 million in gross and more than a half-million in attendance. This is the third consecutive Bon Jovi tour promoted internationally by AEG Live and is on track to surpass the band's 2007-08 Lost Highway tour, which at more than $210 million is the ninth-highest-grossing tour of all time.

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Another consistent rock ticket seller is Metallica, which finished fourth among all touring acts in 2009 and extends the run with another $40 million in grosses so far this year. "In 2010, Metallica has been taking their explosive, high-energy show to every corner of the world," says Adam Kornfeld, the band's longtime agent at Artists Group International. "Metallica are clearly demonstrating world dominance on this tour by drawing huge numbers everywhere they play."

The Eagles reported grosses totaling $28,745,635 and 227,525 in attendance, ranking them eighth on the midyear touring chart.

On the other end of the musical spectrum is rising country superstar Taylor Swift, who, on just her second headlining tour, already ranks among the most successful touring artists in North America. Her tour was promoted by TMG/AEG Live president Louis Messina, who calls Swift a "one-of-a-kind" superstar.

Messina cites conservative pricing and Swift's connection with her audience as factors driving her success. "She gives the fans what they want: great artists, great show, great everything," he says.

Messina also fielded the George Strait/Reba tour, which rang up nearly $30 million in gross from just 19 shows. "George is king, Reba is queen, Lee Ann Womack is high princess, all on one show," says Messina, who adds that like his other clients, Kenny Chesney and Swift, the Strait/Reba tour "gives the people what they want and can afford and something they will remember for life."

Another country artist in the top 25 is Carrie Underwood, who, with just 15 shows (and 12 sellouts), reported $15 million in gross and 226,572 tickets sold.

In the pop world, Miley Cyrus continues to solidify her stature as an arena-level touring artist whose career has transcended her Hannah Montana beginnings. Cyrus' $34.7 million gross and nearly 350,000 attendees come from 23 shows with her name on the marquee, not Montana's. The tour ran Sept. 14-Dec. 2, so only the tail end was included in this chart, but that was enough.

"It was all about Miley, and she's a media star, not just a recording star," says Jeff Frasco at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), which handles Cyrus. "It's her persona, her record, the combination of what everybody has done, especially her. The timing was right, it was all there."

Another huge pop act in the top 25 is the Black Eyed Peas, whose E.N.D. of the World tour was promoted by AEG Live, to global success. The Peas reported $34 million in gross and more than half a million attendees from 36 shows. "The most inventive performers in music today just became one of the most commercially successful with the E.N.D. world tour," AEG Live president/CEO Randy Phillips says.

Beyoncé cracks the top 10 for the midyear with just 15 shows, grossing $27.7 million and drawing 331,191. Beyoncé manager Mathew Knowles says the artist's team at Music World Entertainment notes her "consistent excellence, hard work and dedication she puts into every tour. Beyoncé's priority has always been to give worldwide fans a show that will entertain, invoke emotion and motivate her audiences."

Nickelback, touring for the second year under a long-term deal with Live Nation, continues to show the type of consistency that the industry cherishes. On this chart Nickelback comes in with $27 million in gross and almost 400,000 in attendance from 30 shows reported. "I'm proud of the success Nickelback has enjoyed in 2010," says Steve Kaul, the band's agent at the Agency Group. "The band always puts out an amazing show with lots of hit songs, great production, strong support and the results speak for themselves."

Also from Live Nation, Jay-Z's first full-blown tour under the rapper's long-term multirights deal with the promoter pays off big dividends, as he reports $25 million in box office and more than 320,000 in attendance from 27 shows.

Lady Gaga didn't even take her tour to North American shores until June 28, but the mega-hot pop diva's European and Pacific Rim efforts were enough to ring up $24 million and more than 400,000 in attendance from 47 shows. The tour, produced by Live Nation global touring chairman Arthur Fogel, will hit another gear when North American box-office reports start rolling in, and Fogel says Gaga will almost certainly add a second leg of North America early next year to wrap the tour.

John Mayer cracks the top 15 with a strong showing of $23.3 million in grosses and 331,798 in attendance from 38 shows reported. Mayer's success "is a continuation of a love affair between John and his fans that started on a home-grown level back in 2000," says his manager, Michael McDonald. "As an independent touring artist he built, and remains close to, a loyal group of fans. There's always been a sense that 'We're building this together' between John and his audience, and that remains."

Michael Bublé has exhibited steady growth and consistency during the past few years, and his manager, Bruce Allen, says the success comes from having a plan and sticking to it. "We never put money ahead of career," Allen says. "Every we move we've made was career-based. We never went for big money when we thought it would hurt the career." The artist has grossed $21.5 million and had attendance of 263,979 from 22 shows reported during the time period.

Part of the plan is working with independent promoter Don Fox and Beaver Productions to promote shows. "[Fox] is so focused on Michael Bublé, and I know I get 100% of his attention," Allen says. Another factor is ensuring that tickets are priced conservatively. "We can't get away from service charges and all that stuff, but we have to at least start with what we think is a fair price."

One of the sleeper tours of the year has been the James Taylor/Carole King package, which has averaged about 90% capacity and more than $1 million per night in gross.
The Taylor/King tour was booked by Rob Light at CAA and Dan Weiner at Paradigm, "who worked together and were an outstanding part of the team," says Sam Feldman, co-manager of Taylor with Michael Gorfaine. The tour also made use of a wide range of promoters across North America.

The ongoing Billy Joel/Elton John co-headlining Face to Face tour rolls on in 2010, adding another $20 million to the tally from just 11 shows during the period. "Billy Joel and Elton John continue to be the greatest touring package ever," says Dennis Arfa, president of Artists Group International and agent for Joel.

Joel and John are expected to be among the top box-office performers, but a band that few predicted to be among this year's elite is Muse, which rang up $16 million and 326,563 in attendance from 25 shows reported. ICM senior VP of concerts Marsha Vlasic, Muse's agent for the last decade, says the band has made great strides in North America. The last time it toured significantly in North America it played smaller-capacity configurations in arenas, and the band was prepared to do the same this time.

"I anticipated they would do bigger business this time, but they outperformed any of our expectations," Vlasic says. "We were going to set some buildings up in smaller configurations, and [instead] in some buildings we went 360."

One of the more noteworthy members of the midyear top 25 list is Dutch DJ Tiësto, who has been touring extensively in support of his October 2009 release, "Kaleidoscope." Tiësto reports grosses totaling nearly $16 million from 64 shows that drew nearly 300,000 in attendance.

"His world tour launched in New York City in September 2009, with a brand-new, state-of-the-art production and visual package," says Paul Morris, Tiësto's agent at AM Only. The tour will run through December 2010, by which time it will have touched down in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Next: Midyear Top 25 Tours Chart