50 Cent is music's top earner

50 Cent has beaten off competition from international superstars Madonna and Beyonce Knowles to top a chart of this year's biggest earning musical performers.

The rapper and entrepreneur brought in an estimated $151m (€117m) from June 2007 to June 2008, according to US magazine Forbes.

British rockers The Police came second on the money list; their reunion tour helped net the band $115.8m (€90m).

50's rap rival Jay-Z came third, bagging $82.6m (€64m), while his pop star wife Knowles was just behind with $80.5m (€62.5m).

And The Beatles proved they are still a big draw almost 40 years since splitting up - the Fab Four made $51.6m (€40m), placing them fifth on the earnings list.