McGuinness and Oseary to merge in Live Nation

More management news: The managers of U2 and Madonna are close to merging their respective management companies into a new venture that will sit within the Live Nation empire, according to various media reports. Paul McGuinness will merge his Principle Management business with Guy Oseary's Maverick company, with the former becoming Chairman of the new firm and the latter the more hands-on CEO. That would see Oseary become involved in the day-to-day management of U2's affairs, all within the Live Nation family.

Madonna tops Billboard's 2012 tour figures

Madonna has topped the chart for the highest grossing tours, but the Boss actually played to more punters, with Billboard's end-of-year touring top ten featuring these tours:

1. Madonna
Total Gross $228,406,085; Number of Shows 72; Total Attendance 1,635,176; 

2. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Total Gross $199,371,791; Number of Shows 72; Total Attendance 2,165,925; 

3. Roger Waters
Total Gross $186,466,703; Number of Shows 72; Total Attendance 1,680,042;

4. Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour by Cirque Du Soleil
Total Gross $147,310,505; Number of Shows 183; Total Attendance 1,374,482; 

5. Coldplay
Total Gross $147,188,828; Number of Shows 67; Total Attendance 1,811,787; 

6. Lady Gaga
Total Gross $124,879,545; Number of Shows 65; Total Attendance 1,111,099; 

7. Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw
Total Gross $96,458,890; Number of Shows 23; Total Attendance 1,085,382; 

8. Van Halen
Total Gross $54,425,548; Number of Shows 46; Total Attendance 522,296;

9. Jay-Z & Kanye West
Total Gross $46,986,464; Number of Shows 31; Total Attendance 371,777; 

10. Andre Rieu
Total Gross $46,785,717; Number of Shows 99; Total Attendance 490,165; 

Gaga outsells Madge

Reports say that Lady Gaga is substantially outselling Madonna in London as the pair vie to be queens of the London summer. Gaga has now announced a second September show a Twickenham Stadium after a ten minute sell-out of the first show, with a total of 110,000 tickets up for grabs. Madonna's Hyde Park show on July 17th (capacity of 55,000) remains on-sale with a higher pricing structure.

Moshi Monsters Mob Madonna's MDNA

Moshi Montsters, the online social networking game that has already faced the wrath of Lady Gaga for its Lady Goo Goo character, has outstripped presales of Madonna's album MDNA. Monster Rox is described as collection of 'fantastic summer tracks' with the story of making the tracks' in a 'hilarious' chat between the monsters and the producer.

Madonna clears the airwaves

In the USA, Clear Channel and Madonna have partnered across multiple platforms to make it nearly impossible to miss the superstar’s latest single,“Give Me All Your Luvin’" which will air on Clear Channel and partner radio stations and websites, and the music video will run on the company’s 1,600 digital display billboards in nine countries. Additionally, the song and video will be available on demand via iHeartRadio.com (which will also feature 'Madonna Radio), on all Clear Channel Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) and Rhythmic CHR station Facebook pages, as well as the iHeartRadio Facebook and Twitter pages. Outside the US, the single will be featured on Clear Channel radio station websites in Australia and New Zealand, and via Global Radio’s Capital FM Network in the U.K.

Save up for ME says Madge

Madonna has told Newsweek magazine that she refuses to sympathise with fans who grumble about the escalating price of her concert tickets - insisting they should "start saving" their money for a $300 ticket because she's "worth it" and that fans should "work all year, scrape the money together". The tour will promote MDNA, her 12th studio album, which will be released in March. The Queen of Pop will showcase the lead track, Give Me All Your Luvin, at the Super Bowl in America on Sunday.