DUBLIN, IRELAND – JUNE 12: English singer-songwriter Elton John performs on stage during the … [+]
Touring has become even more important to musicians in the streaming era, as many musicians earn more on the road from ticket sales than from record sales these days. At the same time, the price of admission to see a chart-topper has done up, and those two factors–among others–mean that many of the highest-grossing tours of all time have taken place in the past decade or two.
At the top of the list is Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which grossed an impressive $853 million, according to Billboard Boxscore. The tour began in 2018 and after a Covid-related break, is still ongoing, so that record-breaking sum will increase before the piano player is done on the road for good.
The second spot on this important list goes to Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) Tour, which grossed $776 million. This tour began in 2017 and ran until 2019.
U2’s U2 360° Tour comes in third place, having grossed $736 million. This tour was notable for its unique stage design, which featured a massive, claw-shaped stage that allowed fans to view the concert from every angle. The tour began in 2009 and ended in 2011, after 110 shows across five continents.
Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime… Tour takes fourth place, with a gross of $584 million. The tour reunited original members Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan, and ran from 2016 to 2022, covering a little more than 150 shows. The trek was notable for its reformation of the legendary rock band, but also because the group toured…and then basically doubled the venture, playing more concerts than initially intended.
The Rolling Stones take up two spots in the top 10—the only act to do so—with their A Bigger Bang Tour and No Filter Tours, which grossed $558 million and $547 million, respectively. The A Bigger Bang Tour ran from 2005 to 2007, while the No Filter Tour began in 2017 and was set to end in 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rockers picked it back up in 2021, adding to the venture’s total.
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), AC/DC’s Black Ice World Tour (No. 9, $442 million) and finally Harry Styles’ Love on Tour (No. 10, $418 million). Styles is the most recent addition to this group, as his trek just broke this top 10 in April 2023. He grabbed that lowest spot from Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour.
Like John at No. 1, Styles has not finished his current tour as of the writing of this article, so he may advance on this all-time ranking.
These are the 10 highest-grossing tours of all time.
No. 1 – Elton John – Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour – $853 million
No. 2 – Ed Sheeran – The ÷ (Divide) Tour – $776 million
No. 3 – U2 – U2 360° Tour – $736 million
No. 4 – Guns N’ Roses – Not in This Lifetime… Tour – $584 million
No. 5 – The Rolling Stones – A Bigger Bang Tour – $558 million
No. 6 – The Rolling Stones – No Filter Tour – $547 million
No. 7 – Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams Tour – $524 million
No. 8 – Roger Waters – The Wall Live – $459 million
No. 9 – AC/DC – Black Ice World Tour – $442 million
No. 10 – Harry Styles – Love on Tour – $418 million
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2023/04/24/these-are-the-10-highest-grossing-tours-of-all-time/