Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are vying with Bon Jovi as to who claims the biggest US tour of 2008.

Currently both acts are tipped to end the year with tickets sales of $70 million – but Springsteen's revenue could climb higher depending on depending on demand for the second leg of his US tour, which gets under way this week.

The figures, published by the trade publication Pollstar, are modest in comparison to previous years, however.

Last year, The Police made $132 million on their reunion tour, while in 2005 the Rolling Stones made a record $162million.

The difficult economic climate has been blamed on the fall, with fuels costs and high ticket prices making it more difficult for fans to see bands live.

"The economy's got to be affecting everything," Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the publication, told Reuters.

As previously reported, last week it was revealed that Bon Jovi had grossed over $100million since their world tour began last year.

(by Jason Gregory)