Dido enjoyed an amazing 2001

U2, in second place, earned �60m thanks to sales of latest album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, and a high-profile tour.

Dido is a new entry in Heat magazine's annual survey of the rich in rock, in fifth position.

The British star earned �12m in 2001, making her the highest female earner just a year after she first burst onto the scene.

New entry

Her debut album, No Angel, was the biggest selling record in the world last year, shifting 8.6 million copies, according to US chart analysts Billboard.

Another new entry to the list is singer-songwriter David Gray, who has also enjoyed an amazing 18 months.

Bono and U2 toured the world in 2001

Sales of more than 10 million copies of his album White Ladder earned him about �8m in 2001.

Blur singer Damon Albarn is thought to have generated �4m thanks to the success of his other project Gorillaz.

Heat's deputy editor Julian Linley said: "Dido now has the world at her feet, thanks to hard work and talent.

"That she figures alongside stars who are making a living from decades of hits just goes to show how astonishing the past year has been for her."

Heat's rich list top 10:

1 (1) The Beatles �65m
2 (2) U2 �60m
3 (3) Sir Elton John �27.5m
4 (16) Pink Floyd �16m
5 (-) Dido �12m
6 (13) Enya �9m
7 (4) Rolling Stones �8.5m
8 (5) David Bowie �8.3m
9 (-) David Gray �8m
10 (-) Bee Gees �4.7m

Last year's position in brackets.