30 of the top-grossing music tours of all time
A record-setting $10.4 billion was spent in 2018 on concert tickets around the world. Thanks to streaming services and the preference of audiences for singles, album sales are down overall , but it's clear fans are still willing to pay to see their favorite artists in person. And their proximity to the artist doesn’t seem to matter, as ticket sales are up in every venue from intimate clubs to massive stadiums.
Stacker has rounded up 30 of the top-grossing music tours of all time. These tours were largely played in stadiums, but a few included smaller venues. The data have been pulled from a compiled list of sources, and concerts have been ranked by the tour’s gross (adjusted for inflation). While this is not a comprehensive list of all concert tours, it’s the most accurate representation as of January 2019.
Two of the tours on the list are still announcing new dates, so if you want to be part of concert tour history, consider snagging tickets now while you have the chance.
ALSO: Highest-paid musicians in 2018
#30. Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $272,863,087 Total tour attendance: 5.50 million Shows played: 197 Year(s): 1987–89
The English rock band Pink Floyd formed in 1965. Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright were students when they met and began playing together, but their famous "A Momentary Lapse of Reason” tour didn’t come until much later, toward the end of their time as a group. In fact, Waters had left the band by the time this Pink Floyd tour took place and was replaced by David Gilmour .
#29. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Magic Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $273,464,451 Total tour attendance: 2.20 million Shows played: 100
Year(s): 2007–08
For many an instrumentalist, landing a job with the E Street Band would be a dream come true. The band has backed Bruce Springsteen from his debut album, "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” in 1973, but, contrary to popular belief, they weren’t always Springsteen’s band. They were merely a group of local musicians who came together for a paid gig (the album recording) and then ended up getting enough paid gigs after that (for both Springsteen and other musicians) that it made sense to become a band. From 2007-2008, the band joined Springsteen for a 23-songs-per-set tour that was called "euphoric” and "profound.”
#28. Bon Jovi: Because We Can
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $279,110,786 Total tour attendance: 2.66 million Shows played: 102 Year(s): 2013
New Jersey band Bon Jovi appeared on the scene in 1980 with big hair and electric smiles. Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, Alec John Such, and Richie Sambora made up the original band, which had hits like "Livin’ on a Prayer” and "You Give Love a Bad Name.” Their "Because We Can” tour was wildly successful, with the group hitting multiple continents , but it was also full of drama, as Sambora quit the band in the middle night, hours before their fourth show.
#27. The Eagles: Long Road Out of Eden Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $288,513,488 Total tour attendance: 2.0 million Shows played: 155 Year(s): 2008–11
One of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s , The Eagles (originally composed of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner) set out on their "Long Road Out of Eden” tour in 2008. The tour coincided with the release of their new album of the same name and featured other artists like The Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban.
#26. Paul McCartney: Out There!
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $291,414,474 Total tour attendance: 1.96 million Shows played: 84 Year(s): 2013–15
Ever since his days as a Beatle, Paul McCartney has been wildly popular. In 2013, he embarked on his solo "Out There!” tour , during which he played 91 gigs, sang a total of 3,631 songs (an average of 40 a show)—including 13 that he’d never performed before—and drank zero glasses of water while on stage.
#25. Billy Joel: Billy Joel in Concert
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $301,000,000 Total tour attendance: 2.07 million Shows played: 120 Year(s): 2014–present
One of two tours on the list that is still announcing new dates, Billy Joel’s "Billy Joel in Concert” tour so far has booked 16 dates for 2019. While on this tour, Joel has created a sort of residency for himself at Madison Square Garden, playing one show there a month, as long as ticket sales stay high (already six dates at MSG have been announced for 2019). The first artist to do that, Joel also broke the record for solo performances at The Garden, previously held by Sir Elton John, when he played his 65th concert on July 1, 2015 .
#24. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: The Rising Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $301,677,551 Total tour attendance: 3.23 million Shows played: 120 Year(s): 2002–03
Another wildly popular Bruce Springsteen tour, "The Rising Tour” began a week after the release of Springsteen’s 12th studio album, "The Rising." The album won critical acclaim for how well it captured the feelings and aftermath of 9/11. However, the tour didn’t get off to an equally great start—Rolling Stone called the tour’s opening nights "inhibited," pointing to tech and tonal issues. Eventually, the tour hit its stride, bringing in $300 million over its 14-month run.
#23. One Direction: Where We Are Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $307,106,208 Total tour attendance: 3.44 million Shows played: 69 Year(s): 2014
After finishing third on "The X Factor” in 2003, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Liam Payne found almost unprecedented levels of success with One Direction. Winning comparisons to The Beatles for both their popularity and their British origins, their "Where We Are Tour” was the group’s fourth and final tour as a complete band. ( Malik left in the spring of 2015 .)
#22. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: The River Tour 2016
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $319,972,060 Total tour attendance: 2.67 million Shows played: 89 Year(s): 2016–17
Bruce Springsteen went on tour with the E Street Band in 2016 to mark the 35th anniversary of his 1980 EP "The River.” There are a whopping 20 songs on the album, and Springsteen performed it in its entirety at all North American tour stops. That set list, combined with a collection of his classic hits like "Born to Run” and "Thunder Road” meant that many of the shows lasted upwards of three hours . His longest concert ever took place during this tour, clocking in at just over four hours.
#21. Cher: Living Proof: The Farewell Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $320,710,513 Total tour attendance: 3.50 million Shows played: 326 Year(s): 2002–05
Cher is known for her extravagant concerts, with multiple costume changes, elaborate sets, dancers, and video montages. "The Farewell Tour” was no exception . When the tour was announced in 2002, Cher claimed that it would be her last (spoiler alert: it wasn’t), and planned a massive, glittery farewell for herself with an incredible 326 stops. While 3.5 million fans were lucky enough to attend the concerts, millions more were able to watch a televised special that won three Emmy Awards .
#20. Celine Dion: Taking Chances World Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $326,058,136 Total tour attendance: 2.60 million Shows played: 132 Year(s): 2008–09
Celine Dion’s "Taking Chances World Tour” marked her return to the touring circuit after taking an extended break for her first Las Vegas residency, " A New Day... ” The tour was directed by Jamie King , who also directed Madonna’s "Confessions World Tour,” and included lots of new material from Dion’s album "Taking Chances,” as well as several of her classics like "My Heart Will Go On” and "The Prayer.”
#19. U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $329,889,628 Total tour attendance: 2.71 million Shows played: 51 Year(s): 2017
On a crisp fall afternoon in Dublin in 1976, Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. gathered in Mullen’s kitchen and decided to form a band : U2. A half-dozen albums later, U2 released "The Joshua Tree” in 1987, which won them the Grammy for Album of the Year and spawned two of their most classic tracks, "With or Without You” and "I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” In 2017, marking the 30th anniversary of their landmark album, the group embarked on their " Joshua Tree Tour ,” in which they played the entire song list in order every night.
#18. Madonna: The MDNA Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $333,024,687 Total tour attendance: 2.21 million Shows played: 88 Year(s): 2012
In 2012, Madonna’s "MDNA Tour,” which followed the release of her 12th studio album of the same name, was the highest-grossing tour of the year. It didn't come without controversy , though. The tour opened on a cathedral backdrop with biblical scriptures booming from the speakers and men dressed as monks filling the stage, before quickly shifting into Madonna’s #1 hits "Girl Gone Wild” and "Material Girl.” Later in the show, Madonna pulled out a fake gun and "shot” multiple people, a move that didn’t go over well with some audience members.
#17. Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $345,700,000 Total tour attendance: 2.89 million Shows played: 53 Year(s): 2018
Taylor Swift began her career as a country artist; her self-titled debut hit shelves in 2006 and was full of twangy guitar and fiddle interludes. These days, she’s very much a pop artist, and her sixth studio album, "Reputation,” proves it. The accompanying tour , which lasted for a large portion of 2018, also proved that she has a massive fan base whose members go to great lengths to support her. Swift's sets primarily came from the "Reputation,” album with only one or two classics mixed in.
#16. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood: World Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $364,300,000 Total tour attendance: 4.74 million Shows played: 390 Year(s): 2014–17
Unlike Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks is a huge believer in playing the old stuff . The "Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood: World Tour” is a perfect example of that. Married in 2005, the country music powerhouses teamed up for this three-year-long party, singing hits from both of their solo repertoires, as well as some of their fan-favorite duets like "In Another’s Eyes.”
#15. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Wrecking Ball World Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $415,280,347 Total tour attendance: 3.65 million Shows played: 136 Year(s): 2012–13
The final Bruce Springsteen tour on this list, the "Wrecking Ball World Tour” has been Springsteen’s most successful tour to date. Grossing over $400 million, the tour was his first in three years (a long break for the Boss) and his most heavily attended of all time.
#14. The Rolling Stones: Bridges to Babylon Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,181,298 Total tour attendance: N/A Shows played: 108 Year(s): 1997–98
Closing in on six decades of being " the greatest rock & roll band in the world ,” the Rolling Stones are one of the oldest bands still performing today . Announced at a news conference held under the Brooklyn Bridge , the Stones’ "Bridges to Babylon” tour supported their album of the same name—their 23rd U.S. studio album.
#13. The Police: Reunion Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,251,623 Total tour attendance: 3.30 million Shows played: 156 Year(s): 2007–08
Proving that we often don’t know a good thing ‘til it’s gone, The Police’s reunion tour grossed more than any of their heyday tours. The band reunited for 156 shows, playing their final show at Madison Square Garden . Most nights of the tour opened with their classic hit "Message in a Bottle,” but the August 2008 show began with Cream’s "Sunshine of Your Love”—a moving tribute to the band who had played their own final show at MSG years prior. The last song the band played live together? "Next to You.” That was the first song on their 1978 debut LP.
#12. Pink Floyd: The Division Bell Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $422,597,665 Total tour attendance: 6.0 million Shows played: 110 Year(s): 1994
When Pink Floyd played their final tour in 1994 , only two of the band’s founding members (Nick Mason and Richard Wright) took the stage. They were joined by David Gilmour, who became an official member in the late 1980s, and eight other musicians who filled the holes left by Syd Barrett and Roger Waters. This final tour was run in conjunction with the release of the group’s final album, "The Division Bell.”
#11. The Rolling Stones: Licks Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $423,574,349 Total tour attendance: 3.47 million Shows played: 115 Year(s): 2002–03
To mark their 40th anniversary , the Rolling Stones released their first compilation album, "Forty Licks,” which featured 40 of their most popular and beloved songs. They also went on a year-long tour, primarily playing the songs on the compilation , but sprinkling in a handful of other band favorites.
#10. Madonna: Sticky & Sweet Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $476,474,639 Total tour attendance: 3.55 million Shows played: 85 Year(s): 2008–09
Her eighth tour supporting her 11th album "Hard Candy,” the "Sticky & Sweet” tour was Madonna’s least controversial tour . Known for gimmicks like hanging from a cross, the "Sticky & Sweet” tour had none of that. It did include an impressive array of the pop diva’s most famous hits from her 30-year career, as well as some iconic dance moves, but it was perhaps the pop star’s most family-friendly tour ever.
#9. U2: Vertigo Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $483,515,954 Total tour attendance: 4.62 million Shows played: 131 Year(s): 2005–06
Concert films have become a major trend over the last several decades, and U2’s "Vertigo” tour was no exception. The tour, whose set list leaned heavily on the band’s most recent release "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” spurred three concert films: " Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago ,” " Vertigo: Live from Milan ,” and " U2 3D .”
#8. Roger Waters: The Wall Live
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $493,336,432 Total tour attendance: 4.13 million Shows played: 219 Year(s): 2010–13
Roger Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, embarked on a solo career in the mid-1980s. His tour "The Wall Live” has been called "one of the most ambitious and complex rock shows ever staged.” It also marked the first time that "The Wall” had been played in its entirety since a one-off performance beside the (fallen) Berlin Wall in 1990.
#7. AC/DC: Black Ice World Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $506,821,305 Total tour attendance: 4.85 million Shows played: 167 Year(s): 2008–10
In 1973, Australian brothers Malcolm and Angus Young founded AC/DC . They didn’t stay a duo for long, swiftly being joined, and left, by a variety of other musicians. Their biggest album, "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You,” topped charts in 1983, but in 2008 they were still going strong. Their "Black Ice World Tour” was significant for being the last full tour of longtime vocalist Brian Johnson.
#6. The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $526,158,550 Total tour attendance: 6.34 million Shows played: 124 Year(s): 1994–95
For close to a decade, and through several of their other tours, the "Voodoo Lounge” tour was the Rolling Stones’ top-grossing tour. It’s a particularly impressive feat when you consider that the band, which by this time had been performing together for 30 years, had just lost a member . Bill Wyman walked away from the band, saying that he was tired of touring and would no longer continue playing with the group. Beginning with the "Voodoo” tour, Wyman was replaced with the group’s current bassist, Darryl Jones .
#5. Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $546,023,369 Total tour attendance: 5.39 million Shows played: 114 Year(s): 2016–17
No matter your personal taste in music, it’s highly probable that you know Coldplay’s breakthrough single, "Yellow,” which climbed the charts in 2000. The British pop-rock band, fronted by Chris Martin, has had a series of wildly successful albums over the past two decades. In 2016–2017, their tour "A Head Full of Dreams” became one of the top-grossing tours of all time, showing just how big an influence the group has had on the music scene. The tour also spawned the group’s only live album "Live in Buenos Aires,” recorded at the final show.
#4. Ed Sheeran: '÷' Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $556,500,000 Total tour attendance: 6.39 million Shows played: 205 Year(s): 2017– present
British-born pop singer Ed Sheeran released his debut album "+” in 2011, and it instantly won him millions of fans. In a genius move, he signed with Elton John’s management team the same year, and the rest, as they say, is history. His third album "÷” was released in 2017, and the album’s tour began the same year. The tour has been far and away Sheeran’s best. So many fans are still demanding to see him that there are regular shows scheduled until August 2019, with the possibility of adding even more dates.
#3. Guns N' Roses: Not in This Lifetime... Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $563,300,000 Total tour attendance: 4.38 million Shows played: 159 Year(s): 2016–18
By the mid-1980s, the rock and roll scene had begun to feel a little stale. Nothing new, or exciting, or experimental had popped up in a number of years. But in 1985, that all changed when Guns N’ Roses hit the stage. Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Steven Adler mixed elements of classic rock with metal undertones and slasher influences and brought something totally new to the industry. However, in 1993, the band began to splinter. Their "Not in This Lifetime…” tour marked the first time in over two decades that Rose, Slash, and McKagan shared a stage—something fans were clearly excited to see.
#2. The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $674,547,559
Total tour attendance: 4.68 million
Shows played: 144
Year(s): 2005–07
For a few years, the Rolling Stones held the title for the top-grossing tour of all time thanks to their "A Bigger Bang” tour. Avid Stones fans claim that this is the group’s best tour, but it’s also one that almost didn’t happen. Midway through the tour, the Stones took a month-long break. While on vacation with his wife in Fiji, Keith Richards took a hard fall out of a coconut tree and suffered a major concussion. Richards said he only "spent a couple of days” in the hospital; it later came out that he’d actually had brain surgery to remove a blood clot resulting from the fall.
#1. U2: 360º Tour
Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $820,194,986
Total tour attendance: 7.27 million
Shows played: 110
Year(s): 2009–11
The honor for top-grossing music tour of all time is held by U2. And this tour was big. Not only did the tour break the record for the highest-grossing tour, but the band’s Oct. 25, 2009 date at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also holds the record for the highest attendance at a single concert with over 97,000 people. In addition, U2 had a stage set that was 164 feet high that accompanied them to every venue—twice the height of the previous stage set record.
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Highest-grossing Concert Tours of All Time
Who has hauled the highest-grossing tour total of all time? From Elton John to Harry Styles, find out who made the top 10 of all time.
These days, scoring a ticket to see your favorite music artist has proven to be a Herculean task. With bots replacing scalpers, superfans are struggling more than ever to get a ticket to the show. However, someway, somehow, people are showing up in record numbers.
Looking back on the top 10 highest-grossing tours, the list may surprise you. Harry Styles ‘ most recent marathon Love on Tour propelled him to become the first of his contemporaries to crack the list. However, these numbers are all under fire as Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are expected to shatter tour totals and breaking the billion mark.
As T Swift takes over for Elton John, The Rolling Stones logged the largest sum per show. The British sensations took in an average of $9.4 million per show with 58 performances between 2017 and 2019.
Let’s dive in with the top 10 highest-grossing tours of all time.
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
Highest-grossing Tours of All Time: The Top 10
1. taylor swift — eras tour (2023-2024).
- Total Gross: $1.04 billion (via Pollstar )
- Tickets Sold: 4.35 million
- Average Gross per Show: $1.67 million
2. Elton John — Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour (2018-2023)
- Total Gross: $939.1 million
- Tickets Sold: 6 million
- Average Gross per Show: $2.84 million
3. Ed Sheeran — The ÷ (Divide) Tour (2017-2019)
- Total Gross: $776 million
- Tickets Sold: 8.9 million
- Average Gross per Show: $3 million
4. U2 — U2 360° Tour (2009-2011)
- Total Gross: $736 million
- Tickets Sold: 7.3 million
- Average Gross per Show: $6.69 million
5. Coldplay — Music of the Spheres World Tour ( 2022-2023 )
- Total Gross: $617.8 million
- Tickets Sold: 6.3 million
- Average Gross per Show: $5.77 million
6. Harry Styles — Love on Tour (2021-2023)
- Total Gross: $617.3 million
- Tickets Sold: 5 million
- Average Gross per Show: $3.65 million
7. Guns N’ Roses — Not in This Lifetime… Tour (2016-2019)
- Total Gross: $584 million
- Tickets Sold: 5.4 million
- Average Gross per Show: $3.69 million
8. Beyoncé — Renaissance Tour (2023)
- Total Gross: $579 million (via Forbes )
- Tickets Sold: TBD
- Average Gross per Show: $10.34 million
9. The Rolling Stones — A Bigger Bang Tour (2005-2007)
- Total Gross: $558 million
- Tickets Sold: 3.5 million
- Average Gross per Show: $5.02 million
10. The Rolling Stones — No Filter Tour (2017-2019)
- Total Gross: $547 million
- Tickets Sold: 2.9 million
- Average Gross per Show: $9.4 million
10. Coldplay — A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2015-2017)
- Total Gross: $524 million
- Average Gross per Show: $4.56 million
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These Are the 15 Highest Grossing Tours Ever
For those familiar with the landscape of the music business , you are likely familiar with the notion that touring is the biggest money-maker for artists, especially those signed to major labels. Well, it's true. Today, we'll be covering the highest grossing tours in the history of music.
RELATED: The Best Concert Merch from Recent History
While this list is sure to change in the future, as of right now, these are currently the fifteen highest grossing tours ever. You might not guess who found their way to the number one spot.
15. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic World Tour
Tour Profit: $367.7M
Years Active: 2017 - 2018
Bruno Mars' 24K Magic World Tour had a very impressive run in the late 2010's. It boasted over three million attendees total, and averaged over $1.8M in gross revenue per show. Anderson .Paak opened for his future Silk Sonic partner on the European leg of this world tour.
14. U2 - Vertigo Tour
Tour Profit: $389M
Years Active: 2005 - 2006
U2's Vertigo Tour was built out to further push their album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb , and it succeeded, to say the least. The legendary Irish band averaged nearly three million dollars per show across 131 appearances.
13. U2 - The Joshua Tree Tours
Tour Profit: $390.7M
Years Active: 2017, 2019
Next up on our list is U2's The Joshua Tree Tours, which ran in 2017 and 2019, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their 1987 album, The Joshua Tree . They averaged almost $6M in gross revenue per show across 66 shows, not to mention over three million total attendees.
12. Pink - Beautiful Trauma World Tour
Tour Profit: $397.3M
Years Active: 2018 - 2019
The Beautiful Trauma World Tour was Pink's seventh tour, which was in support of her seventh studio album, Beautiful Trauma . Across 155 shows, Pink averaged $2.5M per show in front of three million total fans.
11. Madonna - Sticky & Sweet Tour
Tour Profit: $411M
Years Active: 2008 - 2009
In 2008 and 2009, Madonna toured the world with her Sticky & Sweet Tour. This was her 11th time leading a tour, which promoted her 8th studio album, Hard Candy . In 85 shows, Madonna averaged almost $5M per show in gross revenue and played in front of 3.5 million total fans.
10. Metallica - WorldWired Tour
Tour Profit: $416.9M
Years Active: 2016 - 2019
Metallica's WorldWired Tour ran for three years from 2016-2019, and put up some impressive numbers: 128 shows, over $3M per show on average, and over 4,000,000t total attendance.
9. AC/DC - Black Ice World Tour
Tour Profit: $441.1
Years Active: 2008 - 2010
AC/DC has made a huge impact on rock since their start in Australia, and their Black Ice Tour is nothing short of legendary: almost 5 million total attendees across 167 shows, averaging nearly $3M in gross revenue per event.
8. Roger Waters - The Wall Live
Tour Profit: $458.6M
Years Active: 2010 - 2013
Roger Waters and his The Wall Live tour had a great three-year run starting in 2010. $2M per show on average for 219 shows, with over 4 million total attendees. This one has gone down in the books for good reason.
7. Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams Tour
Tour Profit: $523M
Years Active: 2016 - 2017
In 2016, Coldplay kicked off their A Head Full of Dreams Tour, which would prove to be a massive success. Over 5 million fans showed up throughout the tour, scoring the band a gross revenue of roughly $4.5M per show across 114 different shows worldwide.
6. The Rolling Stones - No Filter Tour
Tour Profit: $546.5M
Years Active: 2017 - 2021
In 2017, The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter Tour: 58 shows across the globe in front of nearly 3 million fans total. This tour helped the legendary rockers score very big - roughly $10M per show big. That's the highest average gross revenue per show that you'll find on this list. It took a lot to get to this point.
5. The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang Tour
Tour Profit: $558.2M
Years Active: 2005 - 2007
Before the Stones could pull in the historic numbers we mentioned in the previous spot on our list. Over a decade prior, they kicked off their A Bigger Bang Tour, which thanks to their hard work across 147 shows, pulled in over $550 million in total gross revenue.
4. Guns N' Roses - Not In This Lifetime Tour
Tour Profit: $584.2M
In 2016, Guns N' Roses began what would become the fourth-highest grossing tour of all time. 158 shows in front of over five million people for a three-year span netted them over $580 million dollars - $3.7 million per show on average.
3. U2 - U2 360 Tour
Tour Profit: $736.4M
Years Active: 2009 - 2011
With this being their third appearance on our list today, it's truly unfathomable to think about just how much revenue U2 has brought in over the course of their iconic career. In 2009, they started what would be the third-highest grossing tour ever, U2 360. In 110 shows, they drew over 7 million fans to attend, who'd end up putting nearly $7 million in the band's pocket per show.
2. Elton John - Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour
Tour Profit: $750M
Years Active: 2018 - Present
Since 2018, Elton John has been touring the world on his appropriately named final tour, The Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. Though it's still ongoing, he's pulled in roughly $75o million in gross revenue so far in 278 shows around the world. 5 million fans per show helped score the legend almost $3 million per show.
1. Ed Sheeran - ÷ Tour
Tour Profit: $776.2M
Years Active: 2017 - 2019
At number one on our list is Ed Sheeran for his ÷ Tour. This set the record for the highest grossing tour ever, at almost $780 million in gross revenue. It brought in almost 9 million fans total, who helped Ed Sheeran bring in over $3 million per show across 255 events.
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28 of the Highest-Grossing Concert Tours of All Time
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In the time of digital streaming services, live performances have become an increasingly lucrative space for musicians — especially as ticket prices continue to rise. But even before concert tickets went for hundreds of dollars a pop, some of the most popular groups and solo acts raked in multimillions with their world tours.
Take a look at the bands that have had multiple high-grossing tours — and which solo singer was the highest grossing of them all.
Last updated: Oct. 21, 2021
David Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour: $86 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $198 million
Although David Bowie’s Glass Spider Tour was poorly received at the time — it spanned from May to November in 1987 — it was one of the highest-grossing tours when adjusted to today’s dollars. The centerpiece of the tour set was a giant spider that required 43 trucks to transport it between stops, IQ reported.
Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveShow Tour: $126.8 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $160 million
Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveShow Tour grossed $126.8 million and was attended by more than 1.6 million people worldwide, Billboard reported. The tour kicked off in January 2007 in San Diego and featured Pink — who had a high-grossing tour of her own — as a special guest.
Genesis’ Turn It on Again World Tour: $129 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $162.7 million
Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford reunited in June 2007 to tour around the world as Genesis. The Turn It on Again Tour grossed in excess of $129 million over 46 performances, Ultimate Classic Rock reported. The group announced on March 4 that they would be reuniting again for a 2020 tour.
Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love Tour: $133 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $208.8 million
Celine Dion’s Let’s Talk About Love Tour took the Canadian crooner to 11 different countries across 97 shows and grossed $133 million, according to CelineDionCharts.com. The tour kicked off in Boston in August 1998 to promote Dion’s album of the same name. The 1997 album featured the immensely popular hit single “My Heart Will Go On.”
Bon Jovi’s Lost Highway Tour: $210 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $255.1 million
Bon Jovi’s Lost Highway Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2008, Reuters reported. The world tour started in October 2007 with 10 sold-out shows in the band’s home state of New Jersey and continued into 2008 with stops in Canada, Japan, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland and Austria, according to an AEG Live press release.
The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over Tour: $253 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $434.3 million
After performing together in 1980 in what they assumed would be their last show, The Eagles’ Don Henley said that the band would perform together again “when hell freezes over.” Fourteen years later, the band reunited and in a nod to Henley’s comment, recorded the live album “Hell Freezes Over” and embarked on a corresponding tour, originally planned as a six-week trek, Pollstar reported. The tour ended up lasting for two years — from July 2013 to 2015 — and grossed $253 million, with over 2 million tickets sold across 147 shows.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s On the Run II Tour: $253.5 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $264.1 million
Hip-hop power couple Beyonc é and Jay-Z kicked off their joint On the Run II Tour in June 2018 in Cardiff, Wales, and performed a total of 48 stadium dates; the tour ended in October 2018 in Seattle. By the end of the tour, it had grossed $253.5 million, Billboard reported.
One Direction’s Where We Are Tour: $282.2 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $311.8 million
One Direction’s Where We Are Tour became the first tour to break the $200 million ticket sales barrier in 2014, Billboard reported. It went on to be the highest-grossing tour of the year with a gross of $282.2 million, which was 6 1/2 times more than what One Direction’s previous year tour had grossed, the New York Post reported. The tour kicked off in April 2014, and the band was joined by 5 Seconds of Summer during the North American dates.
The Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge Tour: $300 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $514.9 million
When the Rolling Stones’ Voodoo Lounge Tour wrapped, it was the most successful in North American history, Rolling Stone reported. The tour — which started in August 1994 in support of the band’s album of the same name — included 117 dates on six continents, and it grossed $300 million from a combination of ticket sales, T-shirts and television rights.
The Rolling Stones’ Licks Tour: $311 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $442.1 million
The Rolling Stones topped their own concert gross record with their 2002-2003 Licks Tour, which grossed $311 million, according to Billboard. The tour kicked off in September 2002 and boasted an impressive roster of supporting acts that included No Doubt, The Strokes, Jonny Lang, Sheryl Crow and The Pretenders.
U2’s Joshua Tree Tour (2017): $316 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $337.2 million
U2 embarked on the Joshua Tree Tour in 2017 in honor of the 30th anniversary of their No. 1 album of the same name. The tour included 50 shows in over a dozen countries, kicking off in May 2017 and wrapping up in October 2017. The tour sold more than 2.7 million tickets and grossed $316 million, Billboard reported.
Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour: $345.7 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $360.1 million
Taylor Swift’s Reputation Stadium Tour broke records when it became the highest-grossing U.S. tour of all time in November 2018, with a gross of $266.1 million and over 2 million tickets sold domestically, Billboard reported. The tour — which spanned from May to November 2018 — grossed $345.7 million in total.
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s Wrecking Ball Tour: $355.6 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $399.3 million
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band’s Wrecking Ball World Tour reached fans in more countries than any previous Springsteen tour, Shore Fire Media reported. It started in March 2012 in New York City and included 133 shows in 26 countries across North America, South America, Europe and Australia. The tour ended in September 2013 in Brazil.
The Police’s Reunion Tour: $362 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $439.8 million
The Police reunited for a 2007-2008 tour that spanned 151 shows and earned the band a $362 million gross, Rolling Stone reported. Their May 28, 2007, performance in Vancouver, Canada, was the first time they played together in 23 years, NME reported — and their final show in New York in August 2008 marked the last time The Police ever played together.
Garth Brooks’ Garth Brooks World Tour With Trisha Yearwood: $364 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $388.4 million
Garth Brooks had been semi-retired for 14 years when he launched his world tour with his wife and fellow country superstar Trisha Yearwood in 2014. He opened his tour in Chicago in June of that year, and it stretched into 2017, with 390 shows played and 6.4 million tickets sold, USA Today reported.
Bruno Mars’ 24K Magic Tour: $367 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $382.3 million
In support of his 2016 Grammy-winning album “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars embarked on a 200-date world tour that started in March 2017 and ended in November 2018. The tour grossed more than $367 million, Pollstar reported.
U2’s Vertigo Tour: $389 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $504.7 million
U2 embarked on the Vertigo Tour in March 2005 with a U.S. leg. Throughout the year, the band toured in Europe and North America and wrapped the tour with a fourth leg in 2006 that took them around the world. This is one of three U2 tours that have the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.
Pink’s Beautiful Trauma World Tour: $397.3 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $406.5 million
Pink’s March 2018 to November 2019 tour made history as the highest-grossing tour for a woman in over a decade, Billboard reported.
Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour: $408 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $497.5 million
Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour spanned three continents and ran from August 2008 to September 2009. At the time the show wrapped, it was the top-grossing tour by a solo artist of all time, Billboard reported.
The Rolling Stones’ No Filter Tour: $415.6 Million (So Far)
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $425.2 million
The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter Tour in September 2017 in Europe. The second leg of the tour, which took place in the summer of 2018, included dates throughout the U.K., Ireland and Europe. The third leg of the tour took the legendary rock band throughout North America during the summer of 2019. By the end of this leg, the band had grossed $415.6 million, Billboard reported. But the tour isn’t over, so millions more will most certainly roll in. The fourth leg of the tour — which will take place in North America — was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Metallica’s WorldWired Tour: $430 MIllion (So Far)
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $440 million
Metallica kicked off its WorldWired Tour in October 2016 in support of their album “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct.” The tour was slated to continue into 2020, but came to a halt due to COVID-19, as the band was forced to cancel or reschedule all performances. The tour had grossed $430 million as of September 2019, Consequence of Sound reported.
AC/DC’s Black Ice Tour: $441 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $529 million
AC/DC’s Black Ice World Tour followed the band’s album of the same name and was the group’s biggest tour ever with 169 dates and over 5 million attendees, AC-DC.net reported. The tour kicked off in October 2008 in the U.S. and ended in June 2010 in Spain.
Roger Waters’ The Wall Live Tour: $460 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $516.5 million
Pink Floyd fans flocked in droves to Roger Waters’ The Wall Live Tour, which ran from September 2010 to September 2013. The tour marked the first time the 1979 album of the same name had been performed live in its entirety by the band or any of its former members in two decades, Pollstar reported. The Wall Live Tour grossed $460 million across 220 performances, with 4.1 million tickets sold.
Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams Tour: $523 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $558.1 million
Shortly after Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime show, the band kicked off their A Head Full of Dreams Tour in March 2016. The tour, which wrapped in November 2017, included 114 shows in 76 cities and 31 countries. At the time the tour ended, it was the third-highest-grossing global tour of all time with $523 million in ticket sales, Live Nation reported.
The Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang Tour: $558 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $704 million
It remains to be seen if The Stones’ No Filter Tour can beat the band’s high-grossing A Bigger Bang World Tour, which kicked off in August 2005 and ended two years later. Mick Jagger and the rest of the band held the distinction of having the highest-grossing tour of all time until U2 took over that title in 2011.
Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime… Tour: $584.2 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $597.7 million
Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime… Tour lasted over three years and included 158 concert dates across six continents. It grossed $584.2 million with nearly 5.4 million tickets sold, Billboard reported. The tour — which kicked off in April 2016 and was extended through November 2019 — featured a reunion of classic-era members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.
U2’s U2 360 Degrees Tour: $736.4 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $856.4 million
U2’s U2 360 Degrees Tour had three legs that spanned from June 2009 to July 2011. Guests on the epic tour included Lenny Kravitz, Muse and Arcade Fire. When the tour wrapped, it had broken records to become the highest-grossing tour of all time — and held that title until it was dethroned in 2019. However, when adjusted for inflation, it still holds the top title.
Ed Sheeran’s Divide Tour: $775.6 Million
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $793.6 million
Ed Sheeran holds the record for the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. His Divide Tour started in March 2017 and ended in August 2019, and took him around the world, with 246 shows across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America. The concert sold over 8.5 million tickets, Billboard reported.
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Jennifer Taylor contributed to the reporting for this article.
All data was calculated using the last year of each tour, for those still ongoing, GOBankingRates calculated figures from 2019. All inflation data was calculated using a CPI inflation calculator. All data was collected and is up to date as of March 8, 2021.
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Highest-Grossing Concert Tours of All Time
Old hippies love to brag about the time they paid a mere $6.50 to see Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in 1973. How times have changed. Today, when your favorite marquee act comes to town, you'll plunk down the equivalent of a new car payment (plus those fun processing fees) for a pair of seats you hope are in the same zip code as the concert stage.
Now more than ever, major concert tours translate to megabucks for superstar artists who otherwise earn only fractions of a cent per digital song download or stream. To help ensure arena and stadium sellouts, today's stage sets and audio-visual razzle-dazzle must go bigger than ever, which means obscenely high production costs that are passed on to ticket buyers.
The result is box-office numbers that routinely reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. To give you an idea of how much scratch there is to be made from playing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" for the thousandth time, we've rounded up the highest-grossing concert tours ever.
47. Depeche Mode 'Global Spirit Tour'
Years: 2017-18
Number of shows: 130
Gross: $202 million
Note: The numbers are from Pollstar and Billboard . Each gross amount is in the original U.S. dollars and hasn't been adjusted for inflation.
Bottom Line: Depeche Mode 'Global Spirit Tour'
Fans just couldn't get enough of this Depeche Mode tour that spanned the globe and mined their back catalog for '80s New Wave gems like "Black Celebration" and "Everything Counts."
The Mode made a mint and in 2020 were welcomed to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
46. Bon Jovi 'Lost Highway Tour'
Years: 2007-08
Number of shows: 99
Gross: $210.7 million
Bottom Line: Bon Jovi 'Lost Highway Tour'
The final full Bon Jovi tour to feature lead guitarist Richie Sambora was originally intended as a greatest hits outing. But the surprise success of the band's "Lost Highway" LP turned it into an album-support affair.
Among the band's faithful, it's remembered as the tour when an over-excited female fan jumped Jon Bon Jovi onstage at a concert in Ireland, smothered him with hugs and kisses, and had to be dragged off stage by security.
45. Metallica 'World Magnetic Tour'
Years: 2008-10
Number of shows: 187
Gross: $217.2 million
Bottom Line: Metallica 'World Magnetic Tour'
Headbangers celebrated the 2008 release of Metallica's "Death Magnetic."
After years of subpar albums and radio-friendly hits like "Enter Sandman," the LP signaled a return to the band's bone-crunching, thrash-tastic roots.
On the record's supporting tour, arenas packed with longhairs wearing faded "Kill 'Em All" T-shirts helped make this the 12th highest-grossing endeavor of the 2000s.
44. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'The Rising Tour'
Years: 2002-03
Number of shows: 120
Gross: $221 million
Bottom Line: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'The Rising Tour'
In the aftermath of 9/11 and hot off the first new album recorded with the E Street Band since "Born in the U.S.A.," Bruce and company hit the road for a cathartic world tour that had fans in Boss-induced bliss.
Notable gigs included the first concerts held at Boston's Fenway Park since 1973, plus a 10-night stand at New Jersey's Giants Stadium that grossed $38.8 million alone.
43. Justin Timberlake 'The Man of the Woods'
Years: 2018-19
Number of shows: 115
Gross: $226.3 million
Bottom Line: Justin Timberlake 'The Man of the Woods'
The pop superstar's tunes aren't everyone's cup of tea, but like his hero Michael Jackson (Justin Timberlake has called him "untouchable"), there's no question the man puts on one of helluva an entertaining show.
This tour for the 2018 album "Man of the Woods" played to more than 1.75 million fans and won raves from even the snobbiest of music critics.
42. Lady Gaga 'The Monster Ball Tour'
Years: 2009-11
Number of shows: 203
Gross: $227.4 million
Bottom Line: Lady Gaga 'The Monster Ball Tour'
Lady Gaga's "Little Monsters" (as her fans are known) came out of the woodwork for this extensive worldwide arena tour the diva described as "the first-ever pop electro opera."
The high-concept show, with its over-the-top costumes and stage sets, sold so many tickets it set a record for the highest-grossing ever by an artist making their tour-headlining debut.
41. Justin Timberlake 'The 20/20 Experience World Tour'
Years: 2013-15
Number of shows: 134
Gross: $231.6 million
Bottom Line: Justin Timberlake 'The 20/20 Experience World Tour'
Bottom line: Smooth as silk, Justin Timberlake knocked 'em dead on this tour that's his biggest moneymaker to date.
If you missed it in person, the final show in Las Vegas was captured by director Jonathan Demme for the highly entertaining concert film "Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee Kids" — available for streaming on Netflix.
40. Bon Jovi 'This House Is Not for Sale Tour'
Years: 2017-19
Number of shows: 95
Gross: $232.1 million
Bottom Line: Bon Jovi 'This House Is Not for Sale Tour'
No Bon Jovi devotee will ever rank the band's 14th studio album "This House Is Not for Sale" up there with the likes of "Slippery When Wet."
Yet that didn't stop the '80s hair-metal stalwarts from selling some 2.26 million tickets on this trek that traveled the globe from Las Vegas to Lima, Peru.
39. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'Magic Tour'
Number of shows: 100
Gross: $235 million
Bottom Line: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'Magic Tour'
The Boss blew away audiences in North America and Europe on this outing that would sadly be the last for founding E Street Band member and organist Danny Federici, who passed away in spring 2008.
Though the shows clocked in at just over two hours (shorter than usual for Springsteen), the band brought it with a mix of greatest hits, tunes from the underappreciated "Magic" album, and covers of rock 'n' roll oldies like "Gloria" and "Wooly Bully."
38. The Eagles 'An Evening With The Eagles'
Number of shows: 87
Gross: $248.6 million
Bottom Line: The Eagles 'An Evening With The Eagles'
Following the 2016 passing of founding band member Glenn Frey, the Eagles' touring juggernaut seemed done for.
"I did say that I thought that was the end of the band," Don Henley told the Los Angeles Times in 2017, "But I reserve the right to change my mind."
Don never met a dollar he didn't covet, and later that year, the group hit the road with a revamped lineup, including Frey's son Deacon and country star Vince Gill.
36. Pink Floyd 'The Division Bell Tour' (Tie)
Number of shows: 110
Gross: $250 million
Bottom Line: Pink Floyd 'The Division Bell Tour'
The last-ever tour under the Pink Floyd banner saw sold-out stadium crowds spacing out to early psychedelic jams like "Astronomy Domine" and, on occasion, "The Dark Side of the Moon" album played in its entirety.
Though chief songwriter and bassist Roger Waters had quit the band nearly a decade earlier, that didn't deter some 6 million fans from turning up to hear guitarist/vocalist David Gilmour play "Comfortably Numb" through a 232,000-watt quadraphonic sound system, blowing their minds — and eardrums.
36. Cher 'Living Proof: The Farewell Tour' (Tie)
Years: 2002-05
Number of shows: 326
Bottom Line: Cher 'Living Proof: The Farewell Tour'
For this marathon retirement tour, the self-dubbed "Cher-est show on earth," the diva pulled out all the stops.
She made a flamboyant, grand entrance atop a giant crystal chandelier; rode a paper-mâché pachyderm on stage; and in her late 50s, wore her infamous fishnet/thong outfit for " If I Could Turn Back Time ."
In 2008, those who believed they'd already seen "Believe" performed for the last time were ecstatic when Cher re-emerged to launch a lengthy Las Vegas residency and, in 2014, embark on yet another farewell tour.
35. Taylor Swift 'The 1989 World Tour'
Number of shows: 85
Gross: $250.7 million
Bottom Line: Taylor Swift 'The 1989 World Tour'
You doubted Tay-Tay's drawing power? Shame! Form a heart with your hands and show love for the country-turned-pop superstar's mega-grossing tour in support of her mega-selling album "1989."
How could your average "Swiftie" afford an average $380-per-ticket price for the tour's North American legs? Only the Visa and Mastercard collections departments know for sure. But no doubt the selfies were worth it.
34. Eagles 'Long Road Out of Eden Tour'
Years: 2008-11
Number of shows: 161
Gross: $251.1 million
Bottom Line: Eagles 'Long Road Out of Eden Tour'
Like your local classic rock radio station still getting mileage out of spinning "Life in the Fast Lane" for the millionth time, this aptly named Eagles tour had legs for four long years.
Just two years prior, the band had completed its third wildly successful reunion tour and certainly wasn't strapped for cash.
But if fans were willing to pony up for "Desperado" one ... more ... time, Don Henley and the gang were happy to oblige.
33. The Eagles 'History of the Eagles — Live in Concert'
Number of shows: 147
Gross: $253 million
Bottom Line: The Eagles 'History of the Eagles — Live in Concert'
Bottom line: The last tour to feature guitarist/vocalist Glenn Frey before his death in 2016, this lucrative Eagles' flight was launched not to promote a new album, but rather a DVD documentary chronicling the band's history.
It paid off big-time with more than 2 million fans turning out to hear a nightly setlist of hits and early rarities like "Train Leaves Here This Morning."
32. Beyonce and Jay-Z (aka The Carters) 'On The Run II Tour'
Number of shows: 48
Gross: $253.6 million
Bottom Line: Beyonce and Jay-Z (aka The Carters) 'On The Run II Tour'
The hip-hop/pop power couple — known as The Carters when performing as a duo — played to packed stadiums on this European and North American trek, ringing up one of 2018's most lucrative tours.
Forbes estimates Bey and Jay have a combined worth of $1.255 billion. "My great-great-grandchildren already rich," Beyoncé sings on the track "Boss" from The Carters' latest album "Everything Is Love," adding, "That's a lot of brown children on your Forbes list."
31. Beyoncé 'The Formation World Tour'
Number of shows: 49
Gross: $256.1 million
Bottom Line: Beyoncé 'The Formation World Tour'
Only time will tell, but in the eyes of many Beyonce fans, known as "The Beyhive," this stadium-tour extravaganza to promote the acclaimed "Lemonade" album will go down as her most iconic and visually stunning.
Not only did Queen Bey serve up "Lemonade" songs and greatest hits with intensity, but she did so on a massive stage set featuring a revolving, 60-foot-high video-screen cube nicknamed the "Monolith."
Just as impressive was the conveyor-belt catwalk extending into the audience, where Bey and her dancers stomped and splashed in a pool of water for the encore numbers.
30. Justin Bieber 'Purpose World Tour'
Years: 2016-17
Number of shows: 162
Gross: $256.5 million
Bottom Line: Justin Bieber 'Purpose World Tour'
Doing his part to crush the spirits of true musical artists everywhere, this two-year Bieb parade proves there's a boatload of bucks to be made from reportedly lip-synching at least half the setlist and pouting like a spoiled teen through every other dance routine.
"Beliebers" were prepared to shovel even more cash into the pop star's coffers, but he canceled the final 14 shows, citing physical and mental exhaustion.
29. Bon Jovi 'Because We Can'
Number of shows: 102
Gross: $259.5 million
Bottom Line: Bon Jovi 'Because We Can'
This list's only 1980s hair metal band, Bon Jovi raked it in on a busy 11-month tour that'd technically be the last for lead guitarist Richie Sambora, who called it quits after a single show — the tour opener in Washington, D.C.
Jon Bon Jovi and the band pressed on, playing "Livin' on a Prayer" to some 2.65 million ticket buyers and winding up with the No. 1 grossing tour of 2013.
Perhaps the tour should've been renamed "Because We Can ... Still Make a Fortune Sans Sambora"?
28. The Rolling Stones 'Bridges to Babylon Tour'
Years: 1997-98
Number of shows: 97
Gross: $274 million
Bottom Line: The Rolling Stones 'Bridges to Babylon Tour'
Fans forever remember this stadium tour for the surprise spectacle of the Stones sprinting over a 150-foot-long telescoping bridge that extended from the main stage to a smaller "B stage' where they'd rock a three-song set of rarities.
Mechanical catwalks are common now, but in the 1990s, it was a fairly new gimmick dreamt up by Mick Jagger, drummer Charlie Watts and the late great stage designer Mark Fisher , who spent his long career creating elaborate concert backdrops for everyone from Madonna to Metallica.
27. Paul McCartney 'Out There! Tour'
Number of shows: 91
Gross: $275.7 million
Bottom line: In support of the album "New," Sir Paul traveled a long and winding tour road that featured his first-ever performances in Poland, Costa Rica and South Korea.
Another memorable first happened on stage in Goiânia, Brazil, where Macca was swarmed by grasshoppers , one of which he introduced to the audience as "Harold."
Bottom Line: Paul McCartney 'Out There! Tour'
In support of the album "New," Sir Paul traveled a long and winding tour road that featured his first-ever performances in Poland, Costa Rica and South Korea.
26. Celine Dion 'Taking Chances World Tour'
Years: 2008-09
Number of shows: 132
Gross: $279.2 million
Bottom Line: Celine Dion 'Taking Chances World Tour'
Celine Dion temporarily left the comfy confines of her Caesars Palace Las Vegas residency for this worldwide jaunt that hit the box-office jackpot.
Like her Sin City shows, the production razzle-dazzle and chest-thumping vocal thrills were off the charts.
And as sure as the Titanic sits at the bottom of the Atlantic, every performance climaxed with a soaring "My Heart Will Go On."
25. One Direction 'Where We Are Tour'
Number of shows: 69
Gross: $290.1 million
Bottom Line: One Direction 'Where We Are Tour'
The English boy band made serious bank on this stadium tour that incredibly managed to fill massive venues like London's Wembley Stadium; Foxborough, Massachusetts's Gillette Stadium; and Pasadena's Rose Bowl for three nights each.
Take that, 'N Sync!
24. Madonna 'The MDNA Tour'
Number of shows: 88
Gross: $305.1 million
Bottom Line: Madonna 'The MDNA Tour'
When fans griped that ticket prices for this tour were too high, Madge famously told Newsweek, "So work all year, scrape the money together and come to my show. I'm worth it." Hmm. Has someone forgotten their starving-artist days, working at a New York City Dunkin' Donuts to pay the rent?
Those who saved their pennies saw the Material Girl stage a series of provocative, big-budget production numbers that were at turns violent, campy, political and, of course, sexual.
Fans and critics ate it up. Every date sold out. Madonna was in box-office ecstasy.
23. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'The River Tour'
Number of shows: 89
Gross: $306 million
Bottom Line: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'The River Tour'
For most (if not all) of the tour's U.S. leg, after opening with an outtake from the "The River" LP, Bruce and cohorts played the much-loved 1980 double album in its entirety — fulfilling the wildest dreams of so-called "Bruce Tramps," as hardcore fans are known.
Along with rarely played gems "Stolen Car" and "Wreck on the Highway," the faithful also rocked out to old faves like "Hungry Heart" and "Out in the Street."
Many gigs ran more than 3-1/2 hours, offering lots of bang for your Bruce bucks.
22. The Rolling Stones 'Licks Tour'
Gross: $311 million
Bottom Line: The Rolling Stones 'Licks Tour'
This hit parade in support of the Stones' 40th anniversary "Forty Licks" compilation album found "The World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band" rocking a mix of small theaters, indoor arenas and stadiums. Yet no matter the venue's size, then as now, Mick and the gang charged among the steepest ticket prices in the biz.
A treat for Stones freaks, the setlists occasionally featured deep cuts like "Loving Cup" and "Neighbours." And lucky fans at a handful of gigs saw AC/DC's Malcolm and Angus Young join the band for a cover of the blues classic " Rock Me Baby ."
21. The Rolling Stones 'Voodoo Lounge Tour'
Years: 1994-95
Number of shows: 124
Gross: $320 million
Bottom Line: The Rolling Stones 'Voodoo Lounge Tour'
Following the release of "Voodoo Lounge" — the Stones' first album sans original bassist Bill Wyman — the band embarked on a global trek that would become the highest-grossing tour of the 1990s.
Replacement bassist Darryl Jones (still playing with the Stones to this day) joined drummer Charlie Watts in laying down the beat as Keith Richards riffed and Mick Jagger aerobicized across stages in 31 countries.
Also earning nice tour paychecks were the variety of opening acts (Blind Melon, Spin Doctors, Stone Temple Pilots), now buried in a mid-'90s time capsule.
20. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'Wrecking Ball World Tour'
Years: 2012-13
Number of shows: 133
Gross: $340.6 million
Bottom Line: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 'Wrecking Ball World Tour'
This was the first outing after the death of Bruce Springsteen's legendary saxophonist Clarence "The Big Man" Clemons, and the tour was a cathartic experience for the band and fans alike.
With Clemons' nephew Jake taking over sax duties, and backed by a larger-than-usual ensemble — including backup singers and a horn section — The Boss showcased several tracks from 2012's "Wrecking Ball" album, which featured some of his rawest songwriting in years.
During the encore, fans heard classics like " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out ," performed as a tribute to the late Clemons.
19. Taylor Swift 'Reputation Stadium Tour'
Number of shows: 53
Gross: $345.7 million
Bottom Line: Taylor Swift 'Reputation Stadium Tour'
In the process of topping the take from her own 2015 tour (see this list's No. 35), Tay-Tay traveled to seven countries, averaged an eye-popping $6.5-million gross per show, and solidified her reputation as one of the most bankable acts in the biz.
18. Elton John 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road'
Years: 2018-present (in progress, on hiatus)
Number of shows: 272 (scheduled)
Gross: $358.6 million (and counting)
Bottom Line: Elton John 'Farewell Yellow Brick Road'
After more than half a century on the road, in 2018 Sir Elton announced he'd be hanging it up, but not before a marathon retirement tour to let fans sing along to "Tiny Dancer" one last time.
Though John shelved his Donald Duck costume back in the '80s, the show is still packed with enough production bombast and greatest hits to ensure his yellow brick tour road is paved with box-office gold.
17. The Police 'Reunion Tour'
Number of shows: 151
Gross: $362 million
Bottom Line: The Police 'Reunion Tour'
After enduring the band's 21-year hiatus, not to mention Sting's string of snoozer solo albums, Police devotees were ultimately rewarded with a reunion tour that revisited all the hits — from "Roxanne" to "Every Breath You Take."
Early in the tour, it seemed as if old rivals Sting and drummer Stewart Copeland might soon be back at each other's throats, but there's nothing like big box-office bucks to help smooth troubled waters.
16. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood 'World Tour'
Years: 2014-17
Number of shows: 390
Gross: $364.3 million
Bottom Line: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood 'World Tour'
After the country superstar's 13-year "retirement," fans again got the chance to hoist a $14 cup of Bud Light and sing along to " Friends in Low Places " on this extensive North American tour co-headlined by Brooks' wife, Trisha Yearwood.
If you're wondering why it took four years of gigs for this tour to gross what others earn in a year or two, it's largely due to Brooks' longstanding policy to charge the same price for every ticket in a given venue, regardless of seat location.
15. Bruno Mars '24K Magic World Tour'
Number of shows: 215
Gross: $367.7 million
Bottom Line: Bruno Mars '24K Magic World Tour'
Channeling the likes of Prince and James Brown, Mars' uber-slick stage show pumped a pretty penny into his treasure chest as it circled the planet, including a penultimate string of stadium concerts in his hometown of Honolulu, Hawaii.
14. U2 'Vertigo Tour'
Years: 2005-06
Number of shows: 131
Gross: $389 million
Bottom Line: U2 'Vertigo Tour'
Bono counting off " Uno, dos, tres, catorce! " kicks off this hugely successful tour's title song, "Vertigo." Want more numbers? The tour sold some 4.6-million tickets across five continents. During Vertigo's Latin American leg, more than 700 hours of footage were shot for the concert film "U2 3D."
Throughout the endeavor, the band played 60 different songs, including rare tracks from their 1980 debut album "Boy." And for concertgoers who arrived early, the tour featured 17 different opening acts, including The Killers, Kanye West and Arcade Fire, who at the time were arguably a hotter band than U2.
13. U2 'The Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019'
Year: 2017 and 2019
Number of shows: 66
Gross: $390.8 million
U2 'The Joshua Tree Tours 2017 and 2019'
In the aftermath of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, U2 realized the themes of their signature 1987 album, "The Joshua Tree," were as relevant as ever. So the band embarked on a five-month string of stadium concerts that featured the platter played in its entirety, plus some of their early hits.
Snooty critics charged U2 had become a nostalgia act, but those who missed the album's original tour clearly weren't concerned — snapping up more than 2.7-million tickets for a joyous journey through the past.
In 2019, the tour was revived for 15 dates in Oceania and Asia.
12. Pink 'Beautiful Trauma World Tour'
Number of shows: 159
Gross: $397.3 million
Bottom Line: Pink 'Beautiful Trauma World Tour'
The pop diva took her powerhouse vocals and Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics to arenas for this wildly successful jaunt that did notably huge business Down Under — where Pink's rabid Aussie fan base cheered an impressive run of 27 shows.
11. Madonna 'Sticky and Sweet Tour'
Gross: $408 million
Bottom Line: Madonna 'Sticky and Sweet Tour'
While M maniacs generally agree nothing can ever touch the controversial, legendary heights of 1990's "Blond Ambition Tour," this worldwide jaunt in support of the underrated "Hard Candy" album was no slouch.
Performing in front of more than 3.5 million fans in 32 countries, Madge underwent countless costume changes and worked a monster stage backed by dazzling video screens and a platoon of dancers.
A sweet treat for longtime fans, the stripped-down "Old School" segment of the show featured Miss Ciccone strapping on an electric guitar for a head-banging version of " Borderline ."
10. Rolling Stones 'No Filter Tour'
Years: 2017-present (in progress, on hiatus)
Number of shows: 60 (scheduled)
Gross: $415.6 million (and counting)
Bottom line: The Stones keep rolling — rocking stadiums from Dublin to Detroit. In 2019, Mick Jagger underwent a heart-valve surgery that sidelined the tour for months.
But the band made good on the postponed dates, culminating in a Miami show where "Gimme Shelter" was played right on cue as rain began to pour with Hurricane Dorian knocking on Florida's door.
Bottom Line: Rolling Stones 'No Filter Tour'
The Stones keep rolling — rocking stadiums from Dublin to Detroit. In 2019, Mick Jagger underwent a heart-valve surgery that sidelined the tour for months.
9. Metallica 'WorldWired Tour'
Years: 2016-present (in progress, on hiatus)
Number of shows: 178 (scheduled)
Gross: $416.9 million (and counting)
Bottom Line: Metallica 'WorldWired Tour'
The thrash metal legends have come a long way since their live debut in 1982 at a small club in Anaheim, California. The cover charge was $15. Attendance numbered around 200 (mostly the band's friends). And the only Metallica originals played were "Hit The Lights" and "Jump in the Fire."
Flash forward to this monster tour in support of 2016's "Hardwired ... to Self-Destruct" album. The average ticket price is nearly $100, and you're more likely to be sitting in a football stadium's nosebleed seats than crackin' ribs in a mosh pit.
8. AC/DC 'Black Ice World Tour'
Number of shows: 168
Gross: $441.6 million
Bottom line: AC/DC may do dirty deeds done dirt cheap, but when it comes to concert tickets, you'll pay through the nose.
The Aussie rockers averaged a $2.6 million per-show gross on this tour, which would be the last for founding rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young (he passed in 2017) and longtime drummer Phil Rudd. It was also the last full tour for lead singer Brian Johnson, forced to quit the subsequent "Rock or Bust Tour" due to serious hearing damage.
The band's future is up in the air. So consider yourself lucky if you attended, no matter the cost, and played air guitar to "T.N.T." and "Hells Bells" for what may have been the last time.
Bottom Line: AC/DC 'Black Ice World Tour'
AC/DC may do dirty deeds done dirt cheap, but when it comes to concert tickets, you'll pay through the nose.
7. Billy Joel 'Billy Joel in Concert'
Years: 2014-21 (in progress)
Number of shows: 182 (scheduled)
Gross: $448.2 million (and counting)
Bottom line: Joel hasn't released an album of new pop/rock material in more than 25 years, and hasn't needed to. Not when he continually packs arenas with boomers belting out "Piano Man" in karaoke mass.
This current tour, scheduled to wrap in 2021, birthed Joel's NYC Madison Square Garden residency, in which he plays his hometown venue at least once a month. Since his first MSG gig in 1978, he's headlined the arena more than 100 times. That's a lot of "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."
Note: Joel's inclusion on this list is subject to debate. This tour is not in support of a specific album and has been extended every year in seeming perpetuity since it began. However Pollstar and Billboard consider it a single tour, hence its inclusion.
Bottom Line: Billy Joel 'Billy Joel in Concert'
Joel hasn't released an album of new pop/rock material in more than 25 years, and hasn't needed to. Not when he continually packs arenas with boomers belting out "Piano Man" in karaoke mass.
6. Roger Waters 'The Wall Live'
Years: 2010-13
Number of shows: 219
Gross: $458.6 million
Bottom Line: Roger Waters 'The Wall Live'
A politically charged concert spectacle showcasing Pink Floyd's landmark 1979 concept album "The Wall," the tour found the band's chief lyricist and bassist traveling to four continents and playing before some 4 million fans to the tune of nearly half a billion dollars in ticket sales.
While that's an unfathomable fortune to the layman, all in all, it's just another brick in Waters' behemoth financial wall.
5. Coldplay 'A Head Full of Dreams Tour'
Number of shows: 122
Gross: $523 million
Bottom Line: Coldplay 'A Head Full of Dreams Tour'
If you gambled this slot would belong to yet another Cher or KISS "retirement tour," you lose.
The winners are Chris Martin and company, who put on a massive laser/pyro extravaganza that sold over half a billion tickets worldwide, including four sellouts at London's 90,000-capacity Wembley Stadium.
4. The Rolling Stones 'A Bigger Bang Tour
Years: 2005-07
Number of shows: 144
Gross: $558.3 million
Bottom Line: The Rolling Stones 'A Bigger Bang Tour
This Stones tour was so hot, even then-California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was scalping tickets — charging his political donors $100,000 to join "The Terminator" in his VIP box for the opening concert at Boston's Fenway Park.
Mick and Keith were not happy, but by journey's end, it was all smiles as a "Bigger Bang" busted all box-office records and became the top-grossing tour of all time. Until ...
3. Guns N' Roses 'Not in This Lifetime ... Tour'
Years: 2016-19
Number of shows: 175
Gross: $584.2 million
Bottom Line: Guns N' Roses 'Not in This Lifetime ... Tour'
In the '80s, when up-and-coming GNR was hitchhiking home from their own gigs, they surely never imagined becoming the biggest metal band in the world, let alone splitting up and ultimately regrouping for one of rock history's most lucrative tours.
Sure, Axl Rose has a potbelly, but he's still got the pipes (sort of) to belt out " Welcome To The Jungle ," bringing more than 5 million fans to their sha-na-na-na-na-knees-knees!
2. U2 '360° 'Tour'
Gross: $736.4 million
Bottom Line: U2 '360° 'Tour'
Behold " The Claw "! That's the nickname given to the gargantuan, 165-foot-high arachnid-like structure that towered over U2's stage on this monumentally successful tour.
Loaded with video screens and stacked with an ear-splitting sound system, The Claw cost an estimated $25 to $30 million, and was so massive it took 120 semi-trucks to move it between stadium concerts where seating was in the round — hence the tour's "360°" moniker.
Over three years, more than 7.2-million fans enjoyed a setlist spanning the band's formidable catalog, including Bono donning a laser-light suit for encore numbers like " Ultraviolet ." And if you're wondering whatever became of The Claw, in 2019 it was permanently installed at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium in Draper, Utah .
1. Ed Sheeran '÷ Tour'
Number of shows: 255
Gross: $776.2 million
Bottom line: Step back, Bono. After touring six continents, 2019 saw Ed Sheeran leap over U2's "Claw" and land in the top-grossing slot.
"Sheerios" obsessed with the English singer-songwriter's syrupy-sweet ditties bought an estimated 8.9 million tickets, leading to his crowning as the all-time king of concert cash.
What, you thought number one would be another Rolling Stones tour? You're not alone.
Bottom Line: Ed Sheeran '÷ Tour'
Step back, Bono. After touring six continents, 2019 saw Ed Sheeran leap over U2's "Claw" and land in the top-grossing slot.
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© Getty Images
0 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $250 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $422 million
Year(s): 1994
1 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $274 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $491 million
Year(s): 1997-1998
2 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $279 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $382 million
Year(s): 2008-2009
3 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $305 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $389 million
Year(s): 2012
4 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $311 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $494 million
Year(s): 2002-2003
5 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $320 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $631 million
Shows : 134
Year(s): 1994-1995
6 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $340 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $446 million
Year(s): 2012-2013
7 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $345 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $402 million
Year(s): 2018
8 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $362 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $421 million
Year(s): 2007-2008
9 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $364 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $400 million
Year(s): 2014-2017
10 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $379 million
Year(s): 2023-ongoing
11 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $389 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $564 million
Year(s): 2005-2006
12 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $390 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $466 million
Year(s): 2017-2019
13 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $397 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $454 million
Year(s): 2018-2019
14 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $411 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $560 million
15 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $493 million
Year(s): 2022-ongoing
16 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $430 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $492 million
Year(s): 2016-2019
17 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $441 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $593 million
Year(s): 2008-2010
18 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $459 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $576 million
Year(s): 2010-2013
19 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $523 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $624 million
Year(s): 2016-2017
20 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $546 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $590 million
Year(s): 2017-2021
21 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $558 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $787 million
Year(s): 2005-2007
22 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $579 million
Year(s): 2023
23 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $584 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $668 million
24 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $617 million
Year(s): 2021-2023
25 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $735 million
26 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $736 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $958 million
Year(s): 2009-2011
27 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $776 million
Tour gross adjusted for inflation: $888 million
28 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $939 million
Year(s): 2018-2023
29 / 31 Fotos
Actual tour gross: $1.04 billion
Year(s): 2023-ongoing
Sources: (Billboard) (Stacker)
See also: Concerts that ended in tragedy
30 / 31 Fotos
Getty Images
The highest-grossing concert tours of all time
Did you go to any of these concerts.
28/03/24 | StarsInsider
D ue to streaming services and the preferences for singles, album sales are down overall. But one thing remains clear: fans are still willing to pay to see their favorite artists in person. Touring has also become even more important to musicians in the streaming era, as many musicians earn more from ticket sales than from record sales. On top of that, ticket prices have gone up, which means that many of the highest-grossing tours of all time have taken place in the past decade or two.
From Taylor Swift to the Rolling Stones and Beyoncé, click on for the highest-grossing music tours of all time.
All amounts in USD.
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The Top 10 highest grossing tours of all time
27 May 2023, 12:00
When the rock legends tour, much money changes hands. Radio X looks at the tours that made the most money and how much, exactly.
By Martin O'Gorman
The industry titles Billboard and Pollstar are a goldmine of information for tour grosses and totals, but to make things simpler and more relatable, these figures have been adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars, then converted into British pounds based on the current exchange rate (May 2023).
U2 360° Tour: £711 million
Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton packed their bags and headed to the Camp Npu stadium in Barcelona to kick off their latest tour on 30 June 2009 . The 360° Tour was in support of their album No Line On The Horizon and immediately trumped all previous tours by the band, in that they took the biggest stage set ever constructed across the world with them, allowing the group to be seen "in the round". By the time the tour wound up on 30 July 2011 in Moncton, Canada, they'd performed to 7.2 million people and made $736 million dollars . Add a decade's worth of inflation on top and this is still the highest-grossing tour ever at $887 million .
Elton John: Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour
When SIr Elt said that he was calling time on his touring career, his farewell shows quickly became THE hot ticket and his swansong has shot all the way to No 2 in this chart. It began in Pennsylvania in September 2018 and will end Stockholm at the start of July 2023, just after Elton headlines Glastonbury.
Ed Sheeran ÷ Tour: £660 million
One of Britains' biggest exports of the past decade, this was amazingly, only Sheeran's third trek around the world, in support of his third album ÷. It began in Turin, Italy on 16 March 2017 and the final curtain came down on home turf at Ipswich's Chantry Park on 26 August 2019 .
The Rolling Stones Bigger Bang Tour: £585 million
Mick Jagger and the boys hit the road on 10 August 2005 with a surprise club show in Toronto, before business got underway in earnest at Boston MAs Fenway Park on 21 August . The veteran rockers were still at it two years later when the final show took place at London's O2 on 26 August 2007 .
Guns N'Roses Not In This Lifetime... Tour: £496 million
The long-awaited reunion of the classic GN'R lineup of Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan took place at their old haunt The Troubadour in Hollywood on 1 April 2016 . The tour officially ended on 2 November 2019 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, by which point the band had made $585 million. Along the way, Axl even found time to stand in for the retiring Brian Johnson as singer of AC/DC.
Coldplay Head Full Of Dreams Tour: £474 million
The British band's seventh album spawned this mammoth jaunt around the world, which unusually began in Argentina on 31 March 2016 - their first tour had started at Glasgow University's Queen Margaret's Union by way of a comparison. With a pleasing sense of coming full circle, the tour ended back in Argentina on 15 November 2017 , by which point they'd taken $523 million on the door ( $590 million in today's money).
The Rolling Stones - No Filter Tour: £464 million
Despite the COVID pandemic interrupting it for two years and the death of longtime member Charlie Watts in August 2021, the Stones' latest tour has shot into the Top 10, proving that the veteran rockers can still pull in an audience. The No Filter Tour kicked off in Hamburg on 9th September 2017, paused in August 2019 and resumed, with Steve Jordan in the drum stool on 20th September 2021. The remaining Stones - Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood - show no signs of slowing down and they have only just finished their SIXTIETH anniversary tour.
AC/DC Black Ice World Tour: £440 million
Acca Dacca's last tour with founding member Malcolm Young began in Pennsylvania on 28 October 2008 and the riffs didn't stop until 28 June 2010 in Bilbao, Spain. $441 million was spent on tickets in 2010 money, which adds up to $548 million today.
Roger Waters The Wall Live: £428 million
One of the founding membes ofr Pink Floyd performed the classic 1979 album in full for the first time in 20 years with this epic show that traversed the globe between 15 September 2010 and 21 September 2013 .
U2 Vertigo Tour: £419 million
The Dublin boys make the list again, thanks to their shows to support the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb album. They began the campaign on 28 March 2005 in San Diego and closed the book on 9 December 2006 in Honolulu. Takings in '06 were $389 million , which translates as $522 million in 2023.
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28 of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.
In the time of digital streaming services, live performances have become an increasingly lucrative space for musicians — especially as ticket prices continue to rise. But even before concert tickets went for hundreds of dollars a pop, some of the most popular groups and solo acts raked in multimillions with their world tours.
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Take a look at the bands that have had multiple high-grossing tours — and which solo singer was the highest grossing of them all.
Last updated: Oct. 21, 2021
David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour: $86 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $198 million
Although David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour was poorly received at the time -- it spanned from May to November in 1987 -- it was one of the highest-grossing tours when adjusted to today's dollars. The centerpiece of the tour set was a giant spider that required 43 trucks to transport it between stops, IQ reported.
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Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveShow Tour: $126.8 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $160 million
Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveShow Tour grossed $126.8 million and was attended by more than 1.6 million people worldwide, Billboard reported. The tour kicked off in January 2007 in San Diego and featured Pink -- who had a high-grossing tour of her own -- as a special guest.
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Genesis' Turn It on Again World Tour: $129 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $162.7 million
Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford reunited in June 2007 to tour around the world as Genesis. The Turn It on Again Tour grossed in excess of $129 million over 46 performances, Ultimate Classic Rock reported. The group announced on March 4 that they would be reuniting again for a 2020 tour.
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Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love Tour: $133 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $208.8 million
Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love Tour took the Canadian crooner to 11 different countries across 97 shows and grossed $133 million, according to CelineDionCharts.com. The tour kicked off in Boston in August 1998 to promote Dion's album of the same name. The 1997 album featured the immensely popular hit single "My Heart Will Go On."
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Bon Jovi's Lost Highway Tour: $210 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $255.1 million
Bon Jovi's Lost Highway Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2008, Reuters reported. The world tour started in October 2007 with 10 sold-out shows in the band's home state of New Jersey and continued into 2008 with stops in Canada, Japan, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Holland and Austria, according to an AEG Live press release.
The Eagles' Hell Freezes Over Tour: $253 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $434.3 million
After performing together in 1980 in what they assumed would be their last show, The Eagles' Don Henley said that the band would perform together again "when hell freezes over." Fourteen years later, the band reunited and in a nod to Henley's comment, recorded the live album "Hell Freezes Over" and embarked on a corresponding tour, originally planned as a six-week trek, Pollstar reported. The tour ended up lasting for two years -- from July 2013 to 2015 -- and grossed $253 million, with over 2 million tickets sold across 147 shows.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's On the Run II Tour: $253.5 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $264.1 million
Hip-hop power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z kicked off their joint On the Run II Tour in June 2018 in Cardiff, Wales, and performed a total of 48 stadium dates; the tour ended in October 2018 in Seattle. By the end of the tour, it had grossed $253.5 million, Billboard reported.
One Direction's Where We Are Tour: $282.2 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $311.8 million
One Direction's Where We Are Tour became the first tour to break the $200 million ticket sales barrier in 2014, Billboard reported. It went on to be the highest-grossing tour of the year with a gross of $282.2 million, which was 6 1/2 times more than what One Direction's previous year tour had grossed, the New York Post reported. The tour kicked off in April 2014, and the band was joined by 5 Seconds of Summer during the North American dates.
The Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge Tour: $300 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $514.9 million
When the Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge Tour wrapped, it was the most successful in North American history, Rolling Stone reported. The tour -- which started in August 1994 in support of the band's album of the same name -- included 117 dates on six continents, and it grossed $300 million from a combination of ticket sales, T-shirts and television rights.
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The Rolling Stones' Licks Tour: $311 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $442.1 million
The Rolling Stones topped their own concert gross record with their 2002-2003 Licks Tour, which grossed $311 million, according to Billboard. The tour kicked off in September 2002 and boasted an impressive roster of supporting acts that included No Doubt, The Strokes, Jonny Lang, Sheryl Crow and The Pretenders.
U2's Joshua Tree Tour (2017): $316 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $337.2 million
U2 embarked on the Joshua Tree Tour in 2017 in honor of the 30th anniversary of their No. 1 album of the same name. The tour included 50 shows in over a dozen countries, kicking off in May 2017 and wrapping up in October 2017. The tour sold more than 2.7 million tickets and grossed $316 million, Billboard reported.
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour: $345.7 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $360.1 million
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour broke records when it became the highest-grossing U.S. tour of all time in November 2018, with a gross of $266.1 million and over 2 million tickets sold domestically, Billboard reported. The tour -- which spanned from May to November 2018 -- grossed $345.7 million in total.
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band's Wrecking Ball Tour: $355.6 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $399.3 million
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band's Wrecking Ball World Tour reached fans in more countries than any previous Springsteen tour, Shore Fire Media reported. It started in March 2012 in New York City and included 133 shows in 26 countries across North America, South America, Europe and Australia. The tour ended in September 2013 in Brazil.
The Police's Reunion Tour: $362 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $439.8 million
The Police reunited for a 2007-2008 tour that spanned 151 shows and earned the band a $362 million gross, Rolling Stone reported. Their May 28, 2007, performance in Vancouver, Canada, was the first time they played together in 23 years, NME reported -- and their final show in New York in August 2008 marked the last time The Police ever played together.
Garth Brooks' Garth Brooks World Tour With Trisha Yearwood: $364 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $388.4 million
Garth Brooks had been semi-retired for 14 years when he launched his world tour with his wife and fellow country superstar Trisha Yearwood in 2014. He opened his tour in Chicago in June of that year, and it stretched into 2017, with 390 shows played and 6.4 million tickets sold, USA Today reported.
Bruno Mars' 24K Magic Tour: $367 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $382.3 million
In support of his 2016 Grammy-winning album "24K Magic," Bruno Mars embarked on a 200-date world tour that started in March 2017 and ended in November 2018. The tour grossed more than $367 million, Pollstar reported.
U2's Vertigo Tour: $389 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $504.7 million
U2 embarked on the Vertigo Tour in March 2005 with a U.S. leg. Throughout the year, the band toured in Europe and North America and wrapped the tour with a fourth leg in 2006 that took them around the world. This is one of three U2 tours that have the distinction of being one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time.
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Pink's Beautiful Trauma World Tour: $397.3 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $406.5 million
Pink's March 2018 to November 2019 tour made history as the highest-grossing tour for a woman in over a decade, Billboard reported.
Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour: $408 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $497.5 million
Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour spanned three continents and ran from August 2008 to September 2009. At the time the show wrapped, it was the top-grossing tour by a solo artist of all time, Billboard reported.
The Rolling Stones' No Filter Tour: $415.6 Million (So Far)
Gross adjusted for inflation: $425.2 million
The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter Tour in September 2017 in Europe. The second leg of the tour, which took place in the summer of 2018, included dates throughout the U.K., Ireland and Europe. The third leg of the tour took the legendary rock band throughout North America during the summer of 2019. By the end of this leg, the band had grossed $415.6 million, Billboard reported. But the tour isn't over, so millions more will most certainly roll in. The fourth leg of the tour — which will take place in North America — was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Metallica's WorldWired Tour: $430 MIllion (So Far)
Gross adjusted for inflation: $440 million
Metallica kicked off its WorldWired Tour in October 2016 in support of their album "Hardwired...To Self-Destruct." The tour was slated to continue into 2020, but came to a halt due to COVID-19, as the band was forced to cancel or reschedule all performances. The tour had grossed $430 million as of September 2019, Consequence of Sound reported.
AC/DC's Black Ice Tour: $441 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $529 million
AC/DC's Black Ice World Tour followed the band's album of the same name and was the group's biggest tour ever with 169 dates and over 5 million attendees, AC-DC.net reported. The tour kicked off in October 2008 in the U.S. and ended in June 2010 in Spain.
Roger Waters' The Wall Live Tour: $460 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $516.5 million
Pink Floyd fans flocked in droves to Roger Waters' The Wall Live Tour, which ran from September 2010 to September 2013. The tour marked the first time the 1979 album of the same name had been performed live in its entirety by the band or any of its former members in two decades, Pollstar reported. The Wall Live Tour grossed $460 million across 220 performances, with 4.1 million tickets sold.
Coldplay's A Head Full of Dreams Tour: $523 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $558.1 million
Shortly after Coldplay performed at the Super Bowl 50 Halftime show, the band kicked off their A Head Full of Dreams Tour in March 2016. The tour, which wrapped in November 2017, included 114 shows in 76 cities and 31 countries. At the time the tour ended, it was the third-highest-grossing global tour of all time with $523 million in ticket sales, Live Nation reported.
The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour: $558 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $704 million
It remains to be seen if The Stones' No Filter Tour can beat the band's high-grossing A Bigger Bang World Tour, which kicked off in August 2005 and ended two years later. Mick Jagger and the rest of the band held the distinction of having the highest-grossing tour of all time until U2 took over that title in 2011.
Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime... Tour: $584.2 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $597.7 million
Guns N' Roses' Not in This Lifetime... Tour lasted over three years and included 158 concert dates across six continents. It grossed $584.2 million with nearly 5.4 million tickets sold, Billboard reported. The tour -- which kicked off in April 2016 and was extended through November 2019 -- featured a reunion of classic-era members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.
U2's U2 360 Degrees Tour: $736.4 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $856.4 million
U2's U2 360 Degrees Tour had three legs that spanned from June 2009 to July 2011. Guests on the epic tour included Lenny Kravitz, Muse and Arcade Fire. When the tour wrapped, it had broken records to become the highest-grossing tour of all time -- and held that title until it was dethroned in 2019. However, when adjusted for inflation, it still holds the top title.
Ed Sheeran's Divide Tour: $775.6 Million
Gross adjusted for inflation: $793.6 million
Ed Sheeran holds the record for the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. His Divide Tour started in March 2017 and ended in August 2019, and took him around the world, with 246 shows across Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America. The concert sold over 8.5 million tickets, Billboard reported.
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Laura Woods contributed to the reporting for this article.
All data was calculated using the last year of each tour, for those still ongoing, GOBankingRates calculated figures from 2019. All inflation data was calculated using a CPI inflation calculator. All data was collected and is up to date as of March 8, 2021.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 28 of the Highest-Grossing Concert Tours of All Time
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The World's Highest Grossing Tours of 2023
According to analysts at Pollstar, total grosses for the top 100 tours that year were up 46 percent from $6.28 billion in 2022 to $9.17 billion last year. Attendance figures were also up, rising from 59 million to 70 million - an increase of 18.4 percent.
The following chart is based on data collected by Pollstar on the world’s highest grossing tours of 2023. It reveals that at the top of this list, comes Taylor Swift with her record-breaking “ Eras Tour ” - the first ever to break the $1 billion mark - which visited 60 stadiums in total. It was followed by Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour”, which grossed some $580 million in 56 shows and Bruce Springsteen’s “Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour” which grossed $380 million across 66 venues.
Ticket prices for the top 8 grossing worldwide tours ranged between an average of $105.16 for an Ed Sheeran ticket to more than double that for Taylor Swift - $238.95.
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This chart shows the box office gross of the highest-grossing music tours worldwide in 2023.
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Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Is the Highest-Grossing of All Time and First-Ever to Hit $1 Billion
By Ethan Millman
Ethan Millman
Taylor Swift ‘s Eras Tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, according to data from live music trade publication Pollstar , with the tour becoming the first ever to gross at least $1 billion. Swift dethrones Elton John’s years-long Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour for the top spot.
In a monumental, near-unprecedented year for a pop star, the all-time touring record is just one of the major accomplishments Swift has achieved in 2023, and perhaps her most significant financially as concert tours have become the biggest moneymaker for musicians. The Eras Tour was by far the biggest concert tour in the world this year, earning more than the next two highest-ranked tours (Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen) combined, as Pollstar data reflects.
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By the time the shows actually started, each tour date became a major social media moment, and the cities she played celebrated her with honorary mayorships and temporary city name changes . A world leader even implored Swift to set aside dates in their country.
Swift’s dominance has been evident in every aspect of the music business, from concert gross and merchandise to her album sales and streams, and even in the movie theaters, where her Eras Tour film has become one of the top-grossing concert movies of all time . Spotify crowned Swift the most streamed artist of 2023 last month with over 26.1 billion global streams, which amounts to $100 million in earnings . Those streams don’t take into account the other streaming services like Apple Music and Amazon Music, or her over 5 million traditional album sales just in the U.S.
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Top 10 Highest-Grossing Rock Tours of 2023
Check out our recap of Billboard Boxscore's top 10 rock tours of the year, featuring blink-182, Metallica, and more.
By Eric Frankenberg
Eric Frankenberg
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Last week, Billboard revealed its year-end Boxscore charts , ranking the top tours, venues, and promoters of 2023. That coverage included analysis of the new wave of genre diverse artists crashing stadium stages, and in turn, our charts. This week, we are breaking down the year’s biggest tours, genre by genre . Today, we continue with rock.
Rock music has been at the center of the touring industry for decades, with legendary acts like The Rolling Stones , U2 , and the Eagles controlling stadium calendars and delivering record-breaking grosses. That is still the case, as rock is responsible for more entries in the all-genre top 10, 20, 40 and 100 than any other genre.
But at 32.4% of all top 100 tours’ grosses, rock takes a dramatic hit from last year’s 42.5% figure. Combined with pop, the two central genres have lost a third of their total market share since the pandemic, as pockets of Latin and K-pop acts take up prime Boxscore real estate. And as rock accounts for many of the oldest artists in the top 100, with Latin and K-pop bringing up the chart’s youngest names, the future of rock bands as touring titans is blurrier than it was 5-10 years ago.
But with a new round of legacy tours from ‘90s and ‘00s bands, plus steady arena grosses from 21st century acts like Arctic Monkeys, Greta Van Fleet and Imagine Dragons, there is still plenty of juice for the coming years.
Scroll to check out the top 10 highest-grossing tours by rock artists, with such acts qualifying due to recent performance on Billboard ’s Top Rock Albums and/or Hot Rock Songs charts. Rankings are determined according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. All reported shows worldwide between Nov. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023 are eligible.
$76.8M / 597K tickets / 41 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 24
Phish is among the most consistent touring acts, regardless of genre. From its annual destination event in Mexico to its reliable runs of shows at Madison Square Garden, the jam-band legends continue to one-up themselves, after winding up at No. 31 on last year’s all-genre ranking.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
$77.2M / 657K tickets / 18 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 23
Red Hot Chili Peppers repeat in the year-end rock breakdown with shows in Asia, Europe and North America. Still, the band’s $77.2 million total doesn’t include the $48.2 million from its co-headline shows with Post Malone in Australia.
$92.7M / 1M tickets / 45 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 20
Muse makes its first appearance among the year-end top 10 rock tours since 2013, when the glam-rock band earned $43.2 million while on The 2nd Law World Tour. The European leg did the heaviest lifting, with nine of the top 10 grosses of the year.
$95.7M / 692K tickets / 45 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 19
Blink is back with the biggest tour of its career. The original trio of Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge and Travis Barker reunited for 45 sold-out shows in North America and Europe. Things came to a head with two nights at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium, where blink-182 grossed $8.8 million and sold 43,600 tickets.
Guns N' Roses
$96.2M / 888K tickets / 31 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 18
Guns N’ Roses logs a second year between $90-100 million after being No. 8 on 2022’s genre Boxscore breakout. More shows after the tracking period’s cutoff puts the rock icons on tap for the ’24 ranking with $19.7 million already in the bank.
Dead & Company
$114.7M / 845K tickets / 28 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 15
Dead & Company played its farewell tour between May 19 and July 16, yielding its first $100 million summer since launching as a touring unit in 2015. The peak was a three-night run at San Francisco’s Oracle Park to end the tour, earning $20.4 million from 118,000 tickets sold.
$125.8M / 1.2M tickets / 19 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: 14
Metallica grossed more than $10 million in seven markets between Europe and North America, doubling up in Montreal, Paris and more. The M72 World Tour continues with scheduled dates through Sept. 29, 2024.
Depeche Mode
$175.2M / 1.8M tickets / 47 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 9
The first of three rock acts in the all-genre top 10, Depeche Mode scores the biggest year of its touring career, blowing past 2017’s $123.5 million. Three shows at Mexico City’s Foro Sol on Sept. 21, 23 and 25 delivered the band’s biggest gross ever, at $15.4 million from 195,000 tickets sold.
$210M / 1.3M tickets / 65 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 7
Elton John notches a fifth year on the year-end Boxscore recap with the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, having topped the abridged 2020 report. After all was said and done, set a new record as the highest-grossing tour in Boxscore history, regardless of genre. Over 329 shows, the trek earned $939.1 million and sold six million tickets.
$342.5M / 3.2M tickets / 55 shows
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 2
Switching places with John from last year, Coldplay takes top honors as the highest-grossing rock act of 2023. The band’s spread covers shows in North and South America, as well as Europe, with dates in Asia and Australia in the 2024 tracking window. After kicking off in 2022, the Music of the Spheres Tour has brought in $664.5 million and sold 6.7 million tickets.
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The World's Highest Grossing Tours of 2023
2023 was a serious year for live music . (Although more accurately, it was a huge year for several major headliners. Many smaller acts have faced a different story entirely).
According to analysts at Pollstar, total grosses for the top 100 tours that year were up 46 percent from $6.28 billion in 2022 to $9.17 billion last year. Attendance figures were also up, rising from 59 million to 70 million - an increase of 18.4 percent.
The following chart is based on data collected by Pollstar on the world’s highest grossing tours of 2023. It reveals that at the top of this list, comes Taylor Swift with her record-breaking “ Eras Tour ” - the first ever to break the $1 billion mark - which visited 60 stadiums in total. It was followed by Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour”, which grossed some $579,813,546 in 56 shows and Bruce Springsteen’s “Springsteen and E Street Band 2023 Tour” which grossed $379,496,085 across 66 venues.
Ticket prices for the top 8 grossing worldwide tours ranged between an average of $105.16 for an Ed Sheeran ticket to more than double that for Taylor Swift - $238.95.
This chart shows the box office gross of the highest-grossing music tours worldwide in 2023.
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Bon Jovi docuseries 'Thank You, Goodnight' is an argument for respect
Eric Deggans
Jon Bon Jovi at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., in 2013. David Bergman/Hulu hide caption
Jon Bon Jovi at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., in 2013.
Hulu's docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story , spends a lot of time building up the Bon Jovi legend — exploring the band's almost unbelievable 40-plus-year run from playing hardscrabble rock clubs in New Jersey to earning platinum albums and entry into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
But what moved me most in the four-part series was something more revealing: its close look at the struggle by lead singer Jon Bon Jovi to overcome vocal problems which nearly led him to quit the band.
Footage of the singer croaking through vocal exercises, undergoing laser treatments, enduring acupuncture and finally turning to surgery is sprinkled throughout the series, which toggles back and forth between his problems in 2022 and a chronological story of the band's triumphs and tragedies from its earliest days.
Refusing to be Fat Elvis
Jon Bon Jovi was interviewed for Thank You, Goodnight . Disney/Hulu hide caption
Jon Bon Jovi was interviewed for Thank You, Goodnight .
Through it all, a question hangs: Will Bon Jovi ever recover enough vocal strength to lead a 40th anniversary tour?
"If I can't be the very best I can be, I'm out," he tells the cameras, still looking a bit boyish despite his voluminous gray hair at age 62. "I'm not here to drag down the legacy, I'm not here for the 'Where are they now?' tour ... I'm not ever gonna be the Fat Elvis ... That ain't happening."
Filmmaker Gotham Chopra — who has also directed docuseries about his father, spiritualist Deepak Chopra, and star quarterback Tom Brady — digs deeply into the band's history, aided by boatloads of pictures, video footage and early recordings provided by the group.
Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora in Thank You, Goodnight Disney/Hulu hide caption
Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora in Thank You, Goodnight
Chopra gets folks from the group's tight inner circle to speak up, including former manager Doc McGhee and guitarist Richie Sambora, who quit the band in 2013. ("Are we telling the truth, or are we going to lie, what are we going to do?" Sambora cracks to his offscreen interviewer. "Let's figure it out.")
But anyone expecting gossipy dish will walk away disappointed. Even major scandals in the band's history are handled with care, including the firing of founding bassist Alec John Such in 1994 (and the admission that his replacement, Hugh McDonald, already had been secretly playing bass parts on their albums for years), drummer Tico Torres' stint in addiction treatment and Sambora's decision to quit midway through a tour in 2013, with no notice to bandmates he had performed alongside for 30 years.
Alec John Such, a founding member of Bon Jovi, dies at 70
Sambora's explanation: When issues with substance use and family problems led him to miss recording sessions, Bon Jovi got producer John Shanks to play more guitar on their 2013 record What About Now . And Sambora was hurt.
"[Bon Jovi] had the whole thing kinda planned out," Sambora says, "which basically was telling me, um, 'I can do it without you.'"
Building a band on rock anthems
Jon Bon Jovi with guitarist Phil X. Disney/Hulu hide caption
Jon Bon Jovi with guitarist Phil X.
The docuseries shows how young New Jersey native John Bongiovi turned a job as a gofer at legendary recording studio The Power Station – owned by a cousin — into a recording of his first hit in the early 1980s, Runaway . His song eventually caught the ear of another little-known artist from New Jersey called Bruce Springsteen.
"The first demo I got of Jon's was a good song," says Springsteen, a longtime friend of Bon Jovi. "I mean, Jon's great talent is these big, powerful pop rock choruses that just demand to be sung by, you know, 20,000 people in an arena."
Music Interviews
Rock star jon bon jovi comes full 'circle'.
Thank You, Goodnight shows the band really took off by honing those rock anthems with songwriter Desmond Child, while simultaneously developing videos that showcased their status as a fun, rollicking live band. Hits like You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin' on a Prayer and Wanted: Dead or Alive made them MTV darlings and rock superstars.
Through it all, the singer and bandleader is shown as the group's visionary and spark plug, open about how strategically he pushed the band to write hit songs and positioned them for commercial success.
"It wasn't as though I woke up one morning and was the best singer in the school, or on the block, or in my house," he tells the camera, laughing. "I just had a desire and a work ethic that was always the driving force."
I saw that dynamic up close in the mid-1990s when I worked as a music critic in New Jersey, spending time with Jon Bon Jovi and the band. Back then, his mother ran the group's fan club and was always trying to convince the local rock critic to write about her superstar son – I was fascinated by how the band shrugged off criticisms of being uncool and survived changing musical trends, led by a frontman who worked hard to stay grounded.
Bon Jovi was always gracious and willing to talk; he even introduced me to then-New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman at one of his legendary Christmas charity concerts. (And in a crazy coincidence, the band's backup singer Everett Bradley is an old friend from college.)
I think the docuseries captures Bon Jovi's skill at leading the group through challenges musical and otherwise — from metal's slow fade off the pop charts to the rise of grunge rock — something the singer rarely gets credit for achieving.
Still, much of Thank You, Goodnight feels like an extended celebration of the band and its charismatic frontman, leavened by his earnest effort to regain control of his voice. If you're not a Bon Jovi fan, four episodes of this story may feel like a bit much (I'd recommend at least watching the first and last episodes.)
More than anything, the docuseries feels like an extended argument for something Bon Jovi has struggled to achieve, even amid million selling records and top-grossing concert tours – respect as a legendary rock band.
The audio and digital versions of this story were edited by Jennifer Vanasco .
Porter Robinson Announces “SMILE! :D World Tour” 70+ Dates In 2024-2025
Grammy-nominated artist Porter Robinson announces a 5-continent world tour including stops in 30+ North American cities, Europe, and Asia in support of his highly anticipated third studio album SMILE! 😀 , releasing July 26th via MOM+POP. [Pre-order here ]
Robinson will debut a completely new live production including a full live band during his SMILE! 😀 World Tour, after first experimenting with the band format at his own sold-out Second Sky festival and again in 2023 at Coachella’s main stage. Fans can expect opening acts ericdoa in North America, underscores in Europe and Galileo Galilei in Japan.
The SMILE! 😀 World Tour will kick off on August 29 in Boston and hit notable stops along the way including Forrest Hills in New York on August 31 and Hollywood Bowl on October 11, before heading onto an Asian run which spans 9 cities beginning November 2024. Porter concludes the tour by traversing across 8 countries in Europe throughout February and March 2025, including a stop at London’s prestigious Brixton Academy . Dates in Australia and Latin America will also be announced soon. Full routing is available below.
Pre-sale commences Tuesday, April 30 at 10am local time —fans can register for early access to tickets at porterrobinson.com . Various presales will take place throughout the week including a CITI presale in the U.S. (details below) ahead of the general on sale on Friday, May 3 at 10am local time. For more information on the tour and tickets, visit porterrobinson.com .
The tour will also offer a variety of different VIP packages and experiences for fans. VIP Packages may include premium tickets, exclusive access to the pre-show VIP lounge, access to a VIP bar, early entry into the venue, pre-show merchandise shopping opportunity, specially designed gift item, and more. VIP package contents vary based on offer selected. For more information, visit vipnation.com (N. America) or vipnation.eu (Europe).
CITI is the official card of Porter Robinson presents SMILE! 😀 World Tour. CITI Card Members will have access to presale tickets for the U.S. dates beginning Monday, April 29 at 10AM local time until Thursday, May 2 at 10PM local time through the CITI Entertainment program.
For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com .
For the Hollywood Bowl show, American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Monday, April 29 at 10:00am PST through Thursday, May 2 at 10:00pm PST.
SMILE! 😀 World Tour Dates:
August 29, 2024 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
August 30, 2024 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
August 31, 2024 – New York, NY – Forest Hills Stadium
September 5, 2024 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
September 6, 2024 – Orlando, FL – Addition Financial Arena
September 7, 2024 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park
September 10, 2024 – Nashville, TN – Municipal Auditorium
September 11, 2024 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre
September 13, 2024 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at the Mann
September 14, 2024 – Washington, DC – Merriweather Post Pavilion
September 15, 2024 – Pittsburgh, PA – UPMC Events Center
September 17, 2024 – Montreal, BC – MTELUS
September 19, 2024 – Toronto, BC – HISTORY
September 21, 2024 – Toronto, BC – HISTORY
September 22, 2024 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
September 23, 2024 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheater
September 26, 2024 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee
September 27, 2024 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
September 28, 2024 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
September 30, 2024 – St. Louis, MO – Saint Louis Music Park
October 1, 2024 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Criterion
October 8, 2024 – El Paso, TX – El Paso County Coliseum
October 11, 2024 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
October 12, 2024 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
October 13, 2024 – San Diego, CA – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park
October 15, 2024 – Albuquerque, NM – Revel
October 17, 2024 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
October 18, 2024 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
October 19, 2024 – Las Vegas, NV – BleauLive Theater
October 24, 2024 – Sacramento, CA – Wheatland Toyota Amphitheatre
October 25, 2024 – San Francisco, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
October 29, 2024 – Boise, ID – Revolution Concert House
October 31, 2024 – Portland, OR – Alaska Airlines’ Theater of the Clouds
November 1, 2024 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
November 2, 2024 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
November 25, 2024 – Bangkok – Samyan Mitrtown Hall
November 27, 2024 – Singapore – The Star Performing Arts Centre
December 8, 2024 – Manila – The Podium
December 10, 2024 – Taipei – Zepp New Taipei
December 12, 2024 – Seoul – Myunghwa Live Hall
February 10, 2025 – Tokyo – Tokyo Garden Theater
February 11, 2025 – Osaka – Namba Hatch
February 12, 2025 – Nagoya – Diamond Hall
February 14, 2025 – Fukuoka – UNITEDLAB
February 21, 2025 – Berlin – Huxleys Neue Welt
February 22, 2025 – Hamburg – Fabrik
February 24, 2025 – Oslo – Rockefeller Music Hall
February 25, 2025 – Stockholm – Berns
February 26. 2025 – Copenhagen – Vega
February 28, 2025 – Amsterdam – Melkweg
March 3, 2025 – Cologne – Live Music Hall
March 4, 2025 – Paris – Salle Pleyel
March 6, 2025 – London – O2 Academy Brixton
March 7, 2025 – Manchester – Albert Hall
March 8, 2025 – Glasgow – SWG3 Galvanizers
March 10, 2025 – Dublin – 3Olympia Theatre
About Porter Robinson:
At age 18, the North Carolina-based producer and songwriter burst onto the scene with a complex, bombastic brand of electro-house. Following the major success of his 2014 debut album Worlds , Porter released the RIAA Gold single “Shelter” with Madeon in 2016, followed by a Shelter Live Tour spanning 43 dates and four continents. The following year, Porter began releasing music under a new alias, Virtual Self, which led to his first Grammy nomination for the BBC Radio 1 hit single “Ghost Voices.” In 2019, Porter put on the first Second Sky Festival, which sold out all 30,000 tickets for the two-day festival in a single day. In both 2020 and 2021, Porter Robinson hosted editions of his virtual festival Secret Sky, amassing over 6 million viewers combined, and which came to be regarded as the most sophisticated virtual festivals of its time. Later in 2021, following the release of sophomore album Nurture, Second Sky Festival made its return to the Bay Area, selling out 40,000 tickets in a single day. Immediately following, the Nurture Live North American Tour sold over 150,000 concert tickets and was the highest grossing electronic tour of 2021. In 2022, in partnership with Riot Games, Robinson released “Everything Goes On” surpassing 100 million global streams . Later that year was his debut of one of two exclusive full live band performances, first at Second Sky 2022 and again in 2023 at the Coachella Main Stage.
About MOM + POP:
In their 16th year, Mom+Pop Music has curated a critically acclaimed list of artists including Courtney Barnett, MGMT, Beach Bunny, Caamp, Ashe, Orion Sun, Porter Robinson, SEB, Tom Morello, and many others. Solely owned and operated by Founder/co-owner Michael Goldstone and co-owner Thaddeus Rudd, M+P has a global team of 25 people and is self-distributed. Known for their artist-first ethos, M+P continues to amass industry accolades from artists, media, and colleagues including Billboard’s Independent Label Power Lists, A2IM’s Libera Award for Label of the Year, and other recognition. They have received consistent media acclaim featured in Forbes, Variety, Billboard and HITS among other outlets. Mom+Pop Music is located in New York City and has offices in Los Angeles.
About Live Nation Entertainment:
Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) is the world’s leading live entertainment company comprised of global market leaders: Ticketmaster, Live Nation Concerts, and Live Nation Sponsorship. For additional information, visit www.livenationentertainment.com .
Contact info:
Porter Robinson
Kate Trapani | [email protected]
Lisa Perkins | [email protected]
Live Nation Concerts
Monique Sowinski | [email protected]
Valeska Thomas | [email protected]
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The Eras Tour by Taylor Swift is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time and the first to yield over $1 billion in revenue. The following is a list of concert tours that have generated the most gross income, largely from ticket sales.The rankings are based largely on reports by trade publications Billboard and Pollstar. Billboard, which launched the boxscore ranking in 1975 through its ...
The final spots on the list of the highest-grossing tours of all time are occupied by Coldplay's A Head Full of Dreams Tour (No. 7, $524 million), Roger Waters' The Wall Live (No. 8, $459 million ...
The honor for top-grossing music tour of all time is held by U2. And this tour was big. Not only did the tour break the record for the highest-grossing tour, but the band's Oct. 25, 2009 date at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also holds the record for the highest attendance at a single concert with over 97,000 people.
The Rolling Stones are the highest-grossing live music act of all time, collecting over $2.5 billion according to Billboard Boxscore. The band is followed by U2 and Elton John, who both also passed two-billion mark in concert revenue. The concert industry is very male-dominated, [1] and only four women have grossed more than $1 billion (as of ...
Highest-grossing Tours of All Time: The Top 10. 1. Taylor Swift — Eras Tour (2023-2024) Total Gross: $1.04 billion (via Pollstar) Tickets Sold: 4.35 million. Shows: 60. Average Gross per Show: $1.67 million. 2. Elton John — Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour (2018-2023)
At the time the tour ended, it was the third-highest-grossing global tour of all time with $523 million in ticket sales, Live Nation reported. The Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang Tour: $558 Million ...
Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour has etched a remarkable milestone in the annals of music history, recently crowned as the highest-grossing tour of all time. Surpassing the monumental $1 billion mark in ...
The legendary Irish band averaged nearly three million dollars per show across 131 appearances. 13. U2 - The Joshua Tree Tours ... Guns N' Roses began what would become the fourth-highest grossing tour of all time. 158 shows in front of over five million people for a three-year span netted them over $580 million dollars - $3.7 million per show ...
At the time the show wrapped, it was the top-grossing tour by a solo artist of all time, Billboard reported. Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones' No Filter Tour: $415.6 ...
Taylor Swift's Reputation Stadium Tour broke records when it became the highest-grossing U.S. tour of all time in November 2018, with a gross of $266.1 million and over 2 million tickets sold domestically, Billboard reported. The tour — which spanned from May to November 2018 — grossed $345.7 million in total.
Zac Brown Band $341,949,199 6,844,771 Rush $341,767,928 8,593,428 ... One is the All-Time Boxoffice chart that ranks the top individual live engagements that occurred during the past 40 years. Like our weekly ... and ranked the concert engagements by the number of sold tickets
Highest-Grossing Concert Tours of All Time. Old hippies love to brag about the time they paid a mere $6.50 to see Led Zeppelin at Madison Square Garden in 1973. How times have changed. Today, when your favorite marquee act comes to town, you'll plunk down the equivalent of a new car payment (plus those fun processing fees) for a pair of seats ...
On top of that, ticket prices have gone up, which means that many of the highest-grossing tours of all time have taken place in the past decade or two. From Taylor Swift to the Rolling Stones and Beyoncé, click on for the highest-grossing music tours of all time. All amounts in USD.
The tour has grossed more than $817 million, becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time (surpassing Ed Sheeran's Divide Tour) and the first to gross more than $800 million, Billboard ...
The Top 10 highest grossing tours of all time. 27 May 2023, 12:00. The U2 360° Tour - history's highest grossing tour! Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images. When the rock legends tour ...
The tour ran from 2009 to 2011, and they performed more than 100 shows. This was their most successful tour, as it grossed $736 million. For a long time, this was the highest grossing tour of all ...
Ed Sheeran's ÷ Tour is the most-attended tour of all time, with a total of 8.9 million tickets sold in 260 shows. The following is a list of the most-attended concert tours with at least 3.5 million ticketed sold, as well as the tours with the most tickets sold by year and the most tickets sold in a single day. The number of attendance is often considered to measure the success of a tour.
Gross earnings: USD 817. 9 million. Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour began in 2018. After five years of extensive travelling, playing over 278 sold-out concerts with over 5 million fans, it is the highest-grossing tour worldwide of all time. It is also the first tour in Billboard 's archive to cross the USD 800 million mark.
Gross adjusted for inflation: $406.5 million. Pink's March 2018 to November 2019 tour made history as the highest-grossing tour for a woman in over a decade, Billboard reported. Orit Pnini/Israel ...
2023 was a serious year for live music.According to analysts at Pollstar, total grosses for the top 100 tours that year were up 46 percent from $6.28 billion in 2022 to $9.17 billion last year.
Taylor Swift 's Eras Tour is the highest-grossing concert tour of all time, according to data from live music trade publication Pollstar, with the tour becoming the first ever to gross at least ...
The 10 Highest-Grossing Tours Of All Time. ... With an impressive total of $433,838,725 in earnings, the WorldWired Tour (2016-19) by the heavy metal band proved to be a massive success. Spanning ...
All-Genre Top 100 Rank: No. 2. Switching places with John from last year, Coldplay takes top honors as the highest-grossing rock act of 2023. The band's spread covers shows in North and South ...
Ticket prices for the top 8 grossing worldwide tours ranged between an average of $105.16 for an Ed Sheeran ticket to more than double that for Taylor Swift - $238.95.
Hulu's docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, spends a lot of time building up the Bon Jovi legend — exploring the band's almost unbelievable 40-plus-year run from playing ...
Audience view of Vasco Rossi's Modena Park 2017 concert in Modena, Italy. The largest attendance for a ticketed concert (220,000) This article lists the most-attended concerts of all time. The oldest 100,000-crowd concert reported to Billboard Boxscore is Grateful Dead's gig at the Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey on September 3, 1977. The concert was attended by 107,019 people, which ...
HOUSTON (AP) — Time marches on and all good things must come to an end. But don't tell that to The Rolling Stones. What many believe to be the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world ...
Immediately following, the Nurture Live North American Tour sold over 150,000 concert tickets and was the highest grossing electronic tour of 2021. In 2022, in partnership with Riot Games, Robinson released "Everything Goes On" surpassing 100 million global streams. Later that year was his debut of one of two exclusive full live band ...