Pop icon Madonna and rock bands AC/DC and U2 are among the finalists for the Billboard Touring Awards 2009. The ceremony, which will take place in New York City on 5 November 2009, will honour the top artists and professionals in the live entertainment industry based on the global box-office numbers sent to Billboard Boxscore from 1 October 2008 through 30 September 2009.
The Sticky & Sweet tour of Madonna, the Black Ice tour of AC/DC, and the 360 tour of U2 are up for the awards for Top Draw and Top Tour, which go to top ticket selling and top grossing tours, respectively.
The finalists for the award for Top Package, which goes to the top grossing tour with three or more performing artists on the bill include the following: Nickelback’s Dark Horse tour with Saving Abel, Papa Roach, and Hinder; the Jonas Brothers’ World Tour 2009 with Honor Society, Jordin Sparks, and the Wonder Girls; as well as Kenny Chesney’s Sun City Carnival tour with Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland, Lady Antebellum, and Miranda Lambert.
For the Breakthrough award, which goes to the top grossing artist in his/her first decade as a nationwide headlining act, the finalists are Il Divo, Kings of Leon, Taylor Swift, and Lil Wayne.
The other awards include Top Comedy Tour, Top Boxscore, Top Promoter, and the Top Independent Promoter. There are also awards called Eventful Fans’ Choice and Concert Marketing & Promotion, whose winners will be determined by online results.
In the upcoming ceremony, the Legend of Live award will be presented to Ozzy Osbourne, while the Humanitarian award will be presented to Kevin Lyman, the founder of the Warped Tour.
