Madonna, Stones get one for the record books

Madonna has moved into Cher's place to claim the title for the highest-grossing music tour per concert in the latest edition of the Guinness World Records.

The pop singer's controversial Confessions tour grossed $3.2 million per concert, or almost $203 million in total.

The tour packed concert halls, butdrew protests from religious leaders over a mock crucifixion scene.

Madonna also surpassed Kate Bush's record for most No. 1 albums by a female artist with her ninth album, Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Meanwhile, veteran rockers The Rolling Stones are claiming the title of world's most successful music tour, after earning $437 million US on their A Bigger Bang tour.

The Guinness organization, which tracks a string of offbeat and bizarre records, releases its 2008 edition on Friday.

Its sneak peek at some of the new heights reached in the past year includes several Hollywood records.

Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston share the title of most powerful actress, based on their earnings and PR coverage.

Aniston wasmarried toBrad Pitt before he moved on to Jolie.

But Tom Cruise has taken the crown as most powerful actor, knocking Johnny Depp out of top spot.

Samuel L. Jackson has been named highest-grossing actor at the box office after starring in 75 films that earned more than $8 billion worldwide.

Spiderman 3 won the war of the trilogies, after earning $154 million its first weekend to take the title for highest gross on an opening weekend, beating Pirates of the Caribbean 3.

Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen's Borat film set a new record for mockumentaries, earning $157.5 million.

Among the other celebrity-related records:

• CSI Miami is most popular TV show.
• Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson share the title for highest average box office per movie.
• Richard Branson is richest reality TV host, ahead of Donald Trump.
• Desperate Housewives is the most popular TV drama, smashing a record long held by Baywatch.
• The Sopranos has the highest paid TV cast.