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London (dpa) - US pop queen Madonna has secured herself an entry in the Guinness Book of Records for being the highest-earning female singer in the world, knocking Britney Spears off the top spot.
Madonna, 48, earned a massive 26.6 million pounds (50 million dollars) in 2004, publishers of the Guinness Book of Records said Friday.
Spears had managed to hold onto the record since 2001, when she entered Guinness World Records earning 20.5 million pounds in 2000.
British singer James Blunt, whose album Back to Bedlam sold an unprecedented 2.36 million copies in 2005, scooped a record as did the pop group the Arctic Monkeys for the "fastest selling UK debut album."
Harry Potter author JK Rowling maintains her record for the highest annual earnings for a children's author, while celebrity chef Jamie Oliver enters the 2007 Guinness Book of Records as the world's highest paid cook.
"We have a huge mix of topics this year. That is what amazes me," said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of the book.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
