Turner's Shows Generate Most Money

Thursday, December 28th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) â€” Proving older musicians still have legs in the marketplace, Tina Turner outpaced teen heartthrobs 'N Sync to generate the most money on the concert circuit in 2000.

Concert ticket prices began to level off after years of rising rapidly, and there were worries of a slowdown, according to an annual survey by the trade publication Pollstar.

Turner, 61, took in $80.2 million in ticket sales for 95 concerts. Her success surprised experts because it's been several years since she's had a hit record.

``She had announced it was going to be her farewell tour,'' said Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni, ``and people took her at her word.''

Maybe that will start a trend, although Kiss had less success on its farewell tour. The costumed rockers' long goodbye raked in $62.7 million for a whopping 128 concerts â€” and more are planned for 2001.

'N Sync received $76.4 million to place second on Pollstar's list of ticket revenue. The boy band sold more tickets than anyone this year, its 1.6 million edging the Dave Matthews Band.

Teen pop is going full steam: 'N Sync, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and the Backstreet Boys together sold 4 million tickets and took in $156 million, the magazine said.

Dixie Chicks and the double bill of married country acts Faith Hill and Tim McGraw did big business too, along with the reunions of veteran rockers Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

While the rock band Creed generated $26.2 million from 79 concerts, Barbra Streisand made more economical use of her time â€” she got $27 million for only four shows. Streisand's average ticket price was $471.27, Pollstar said.

An estimated $1.7 billion in concert tickets were sold in 2000, up from last year's record $1.5 billion, the magazine said.

The average concert ticket price was $43.75 this year, virtually unchanged from last year's $43.63. Between 1998 and 1999, concert ticket prices had jumped 30 percent.

Promoters saw spotty sales during the last few months. Some in the industry worry that ticket prices have increased so much since the last recession that if there's another downturn, a concert will be considered a luxury, Bongiovanni said.

Backstreet Boys, U2 and Pink Floyd are among the artists expected to hit the road in 2001. While they won't have much trouble selling tickets, others might suffer, he said.

``As things tighten up, the more marginal acts will have a much tougher time,'' he said. ``If they go out and sell between $45 and $80 a ticket, they will see oceans of empty seats.''