Madonna beats out Cher

Normally, it takes a lot to wipe the smile off Cher's face - actually, to alter any sort of expression involves three surgeons and several techniques outlawed in seventeen states. But the smile will be fading behind her eyes as Madonna has overtaken her record for highest-grossing ticket sales for a tour by a female artist.

Madonna took USD193.7million, beating Cher's USD192.5million record for her farewell tour; Madonna hit this level far faster than Cher, though, through the simple expedient of gouging ticket prices to obscene levels - the average price paid per punter works out at USD161.

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