List of highest-grossing concert tours

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The 360° Tour by U2 is the highest grossing concert tour of all time

This is an incomplete list of the highest-grossing concert tours. Only tours using reliable references and having grossed over $100 million (adjusted for inflation) have been added to the list. Some of the gross may be higher than reported on this list because not all concerts are reported. Billboard and Pollstar regularly provide the official figure of concerts' gross revenue worldwide.

Tours that span multiple decades are included in the decade that they concluded.

In bold, the tours which, when completed, became the highest-grossing of all time.

Highest-grossing tours of all time

This list represents the top 20 grossing tours (by actual gross, not adjusted for inflation) of all time.

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2016 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $736,421,584 $774,658,859 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $558,255,524 $637,097,582 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 3.8 32,500 [1]
3 $458,673,798 $465,947,054 Roger Waters The Wall Live 2010–13 219 4,129,863 2.09 18,858 [2]
4 $441,121,000 $478,683,264 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [3][4][5]
5 $408,000,000 $450,021,405 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 4.79 41,716 [6]
6 $389,047,636 $456,671,796 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 2.96 35,259 [7]
7 $362,000,000 $397,864,297 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 2.3 21,160 [8]
8 $355,600,000 $361,238,800 Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 127 3,650,535 2.8 28,744 [9][10]
9 $320,000,000 $496,946,932 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 124 6,336,776 2.6 51,103 [11]
10 $311,000,000 $400,058,068 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 2.6 30,182 [12]
11 $305,158,363 $314,535,602 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 3.47 25,140 [12]
12 $290,178,452 $290,056,083 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,439,560 4.2 49,848 [13]
13 $279,200,000 $306,861,082 Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour 2008–09 132 2,200,000 2.1 16,667 [3][4][14]
14 $274,000,000 $397,797,877 The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997–98 108 [12]
15 $259,500,000 $263,614,929 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2013 102 2,657,502 2.67 27,397 [10]
16 $251,112,882 $272,495,606 Eagles Long Road out of Eden Tour 2008–11 155 2,001,773 1.6 12,915 [3][4][5][15]
17 $250,733,097 $250,733,097 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour 2015 85 2,278,647 3.02 33,477 [16]
18 $250,000,000 $399,135,608 Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour 1994 120 6,000,000 2.3 45,000 [17]
19 $250,000,000 $302,905,095 Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour 2002–05 325 3,500,000 0.6 10,800 [18]
20 $235,000,000 $258,282,071 Bruce Springsteen Magic Tour 2007–08 100 2,198,353 2.4 21,983 [19]

Highest-grossing tours by decade

1980s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2016 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $135,000,000 $257,714,094 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987–89 199 4,250,000 0.68 21,250 [20][21]
2 $125,738,964 $251,584,067 Michael Jackson Bad 1987–89 123 4,498,300 1.02 36,571 [22][23]
3 $98,000,000 $187,081,342 The Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Tour 1989–90 115 3,253,563 0.85 28,291 [24][25]
4 $86,000,000 $179,128,881 David Bowie Glass Spider Tour 1987 86 3,000,000 1.0 34,884 [26][27]
5 $85,000,000 $187,015,780 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. Tour 1984–85 156 0.55 [28]
6 $75,000,000 $170,827,995 The Jacksons Victory Tour 1984 55 2,750,000 1.36 50,000 [29]
7 $56,278,095 $117,221,304 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 1987 109 3,176,952 0.5 29,146 [30]
8 $52,000,000 $135,348,463 The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones American Tour 1981 1981 50 3,000,000 1.04 60,000 [29]

1990s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2016 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $320,000,000 $496,946,932 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 124 6,336,776 2.6 51,103 [11]
2 $274,000,000 $397,797,877 The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997–98 108 [12]
3 $250,000,000 $399,135,608 Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour 1994 120 6,000,000 2.3 45,000 [17]
4 $171,677,027 $253,067,027 U2 Popmart Tour 1997–98 93 3,936,841 1.8 42,332 [30]
5 $165,000,000 $243,224,502 Michael Jackson HIStory World Tour 1996–97 83 4,500,000 2.01 54,878 [31]
6 $151,000,000 $247,353,375 U2 Zoo TV Tour 1992–93 157 5,350,554 0.96 34,080 [30][32]
7 $142,700,000[lower-alpha 1] $221,607,272 Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour 1994–95 [33][34]
8 $74,000,000 $134,033,113 New Kids on the Block The Magic Summer Tour 1990 3,291,987 [25]
9 $70,000,000 $114,667,127 Madonna The Girlie Show 1993 39 1.79 [35]
10 $65,000,000 $117,731,788 Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 1990 117 2,000,000 [36][37]
11 $62,700,000 $113,565,894 Madonna Blond Ambition World Tour 1990 57 1.1 [38]

2000s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted
2016 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $558,255,524 $637,097,582 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 3.8 32,500 [1]
2 $408,000,000 $450,021,405 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 4.79 41,716 [6]
3 $389,047,636 $456,671,796 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 2.96 35,259 [7]
4 $362,000,000 $397,864,297 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 2.3 21,160 [8]
5 $311,000,000 $400,058,068 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 2.6 30,182 [12]
6 $279,200,000 $306,861,082 Celine Dion Taking Chances Tour 2008–09 132 2,600,000 2.1 19,697 [3][4][14]
7 $250,000,000 $302,905,095 Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour 2002–05 326 3,500,000 0.6 10,800 [18]
8 $235,000,000 $258,282,071 Bruce Springsteen Magic Tour 2007–08 100 2,198,353 2.4 21,983 [19]
9 $221,500,000 $284,928,817 Bruce Springsteen The Rising Tour 2002–03 120 3,232,384 1.8 31,081 [39]
10 $210,650,974 $231,520,723 Bon Jovi Lost Highway Tour 2007–08 99 2,157,675 2.1 21,794 [19]
11 $194,754,447 $228,606,615 Madonna Confessions Tour 2006 60 1,210,294 3.2 20,171 [40]
12 $167,000,000 $184,199,938 Bruce Springsteen Working On A Dream Tour 2009 80 1,831,770 2.1 22,897 [4]
13 $142,844,463 $190,897,759 U2 Elevation Tour 2001 112 2,162,282 1.3 19,306 [41]
14 $141,000,000 $160,913,337 Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Soul2Soul II Tour 2006–07 117 1,673,667 1.2 14,304 [42]
15 $132,500,000 $146,146,657 Tina Turner Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour 2008–09 90 1,176,199 1.47 13,068 [43][4]
16 $131,800,000 $145,374,562 Britney Spears The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 97 1,500,000 1.4 15,488 [4]
17 $131,388,461 $154,226,369 Bon Jovi Have A Nice Day Tour 2005–06 89 1,823,834 1.7 23,382 [44]
18 $129,059,653 $147,286,662 Genesis Turn It On Again: The Tour 2007 46 1,262,393 2.8 27,443 [45][46]
19 $126,800,000 $144,707,880 Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow 2007 119 1,600,000 1 13,445 [47]
20 $126,165,542 $165,987,635 Paul McCartney Driving World Tour 2002 58 988,077 2.2 17,036 [48][49]

2010s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2016 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $736,421,584 $774,658,859 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $458,673,798 $465,947,054 Roger Waters The Wall 2010–13 219 4,129,863 2.09 18,858 [2]
3 $441,121,000 $478,683,264 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [3][4][5]
4 $355,600,000 $361,238,800 Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 127 3,650,535 2.8 28,744 [9][10]
5 $305,158,363 $314,535,602 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 3.47 25,140 [12]
6 $290,178,452 $290,056,083 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,449,560 4.2 49,848 [13]
7 $259,500,000 $263,614,929 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2013 102 2,657,502 2.67 27,397 [10]
8 $251,112,882 $272,495,606 Eagles Long Road out of Eden Tour 2008–11 155 2,001,773 1.6 12,915 [3][4][5][15]
9 $250,733,097 $250,733,097 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour 2015 85 2,278,647 3.02 33,477 [16]
10 $231,700,000 $231,602,291 Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience World Tour 2013–15 134 1,986,386 1.81 15,765 [50][51]
11 $229,727,960 $229,631,083 Beyoncé The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013–14 132 2,082,848 1.7 15,779 [10][52]
12 $227,400,000 $239,207,308 Lady Gaga The Monster Ball Tour 2009–11 201 2,500,000 1.13 12,438 [53][5][15]
13 $224,000,000 $235,630,769† Take That Progress Live 2011 35 2,144,977 6.4 61,285 [15]
14 $219,900,000 $235,744,494 Metallica World Magnetic Tour 2008–10 164 2,744,413 1.34 16,734 [3][4][5]
15 $209,200,000 $212,517,314 Justin Bieber Believe Tour 2012–13 133 2,398,514 1.57 18,033 [10][9]
16 $208,008,704 $208,008,704 One Direction The On the Road Again Tour 2015 80 2,337,938 2.6 29,224 [16]
17 $204,300,000 $204,213,846 Katy Perry The Prismatic World Tour 2014–15 149 1,984,503 1.37 13,319 [54][55]
18 $201,000,000 $218,115,520 Bon Jovi The Circle Tour 2010 85 1,909,234 2.8 36,023 [5]
19 $192,500,000 $198,415,350 Coldplay Mylo Xyloto Tour 2011–12 82 2,272,742 2.3 27,716 [15][9]
20 $184,061,847 $186,980,542 Pink The Truth About Love Tour 2013–14 142 1,997,614 1.3 14,068 [10][56]

Notes

  1. ↑ Figure for Hell Freezes Over Tour only includes North American dates. Official data for the rest of the world tour is unavailable.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Pietrolungo, Silvio (April 9, 2007). "Rolling Stones Tour Grosses More Than Half A Billion". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Allen, Bob (October 4, 2013). "Roger Waters Passes Madonna for Solo Boxscore Record with $459M Wall Live Tour". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://www.pollstarpro.com/SpecialFeatures2008/2008YearEndTop100NorthAmericanTours.pdf
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 http://www.pollstarpro.com/SpecialFeatures2009/2009YearEndTop50WorldwideConcertTours.pdf
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2010/2010YearEndTop50WorldwideConcertTours.pdf
  6. 1 2 Pietrolungo, Silvio (September 2, 2009). "Madonna Closes Tour In Tel Aviv; Second Highest Grossing Trek Of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  7. 1 2 Cossar, Neil (March 28, 2009). "This Day in Music — March 28th". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Reggatta De Banc — Blockbuster Police Tour 'Played Out Perfectly'..". Billboard. August 20, 2008. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 4 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2012/2012YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2013/2013YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  11. 1 2 "Update: Stones Roll By U2 For Top Grossing Tour Ever". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Waddell, Ray (January 24, 2013). "Madonna's 'MDNA' Tour Makes Billboard Boxscore's All-Time Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  13. 1 2 Allen, Bob (October 10, 2014). "One Direction's Where We Are Tour Attended by 3.4 Million Fans". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  14. 1 2 Goodman, Dean (December 31, 2008). "Madonna, Celine Dion top worldwide tours in 2008". Reuters. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2011/2011YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  16. 1 2 3 "Live Music's $20 Billion Year: The Grateful Dead's Fare Thee Well Reunion, Taylor Swift, One Direction Top Boxscore's Year-End". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
  17. 1 2 "The Illustrated History of the Band's Last Days and Bittersweet Reunions". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  18. 1 2 Lawrence, Jesse (March 23, 2014). "With Strong Demand For Tickets, Will Cher's Dressed To Kill Tour Really Be Farewell?". Forbes. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  19. 1 2 3 Total gross for the Magic Tour
  20. ↑ Stories Done: Writings on the 1960s and Its Discontents. Mikal Gilmore. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  21. ↑ Icons of Rock. Scott Schinder,Andy Schwartz. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  22. ↑ Campbell 1993, p. 236.
  23. ↑ "Michael's Last Tour". Ebony. April 1989. pp. 142–153. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  24. ↑ Grossweiner, Bob (June 1992). "We Take a Hard Look at the Financial Side of Being the World's Favorite Band". Hit Parader.
  25. 1 2 "New Kids Set a Couple of 1990 Records". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1991.
  26. ↑ Currie, David (1987). David Bowie: Glass Idol (1st ed.). London and Margate, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-1182-7
  27. ↑ "The Man Who Fell to Earth". Retrieved January 8, 2013
  28. ↑ Fricke, David (February 27, 1986). "The Long and Winding Road". Rolling Stone.
  29. 1 2 Skorneck, Carolyn (December 10, 1984). "Controversial Jacksons tour closes as top-grossing rock caravan". The Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. p. 9A.
  30. 1 2 3 "U2 Statistiken — U2 Alben — U2 Singles — U2 Tourneen". U2tour.de. July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  31. ↑ Murphy, Keith (August 29, 2012). "Redemption Songs: Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits". Vibe. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  32. ↑ "Amusement Business Charts 1992–1993". Billboard.
  33. ↑ http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=496504
  34. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19960111&id=0a9JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rA4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1543,2552741
  35. ↑ Hadden, Brian (September 10, 1993). "Madonna: She's back again". Time (New York) 142 (24). ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  36. ↑ Jaynes, Gerald David (2005). Encyclopedia of African American Society. SAGE Publications. p. 565. ISBN 0-7619-2764-6
  37. ↑ Her 1990 tour was the most successful first-time road effort by any artist, attracting more than two million fans. Paul Jarvey (December 9, 1993). "janet ; Another Jackson steams up the charts". Telegram & Gazette. p. C.1. ISSN 1050-4184
  38. ↑ Beck, John (August 24, 2003). "Sticker Shock Astronomically Outpacing Inflation, Concert Ticket Costs Continue Upward, But Fans Continue To Pay The Price". Santa Rosa Press Democrat. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  39. ↑ Total gross for The Rising Tour
    • Waddell, Ray (October 18, 2003). "As History World Tour". Billboard. Retrieved September 20, 2010.
    • Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 2003). 2003 Top 25 Tours. Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
    • Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 28, 2002). 2002 Top 25 Tours. Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  40. ↑ Pietrolungo, Silvio (October 23, 2006). "Madonna's 'Confessions' Tour Sets Record". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  41. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2001". Billboard.
  42. ↑ "News : Headlines : Tim & Faith Break Country Tour Records : Great American Country". Gactv.com. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  43. ↑ http://www.pollstarpro.com/SpecialFeatures2008/2008YearEndTop100NorthAmericanTours.pdf
  44. ↑ "Top 25 Tours 2008". Billboard.
  45. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2007". Billboard.
  46. ↑ "2007 Year End Top 100 Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  47. ↑ Waddell, Ray (2007-31-20). "The Police Score Top-Grossing Tour Of '07". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2008. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  48. ↑ Waddell, Ray (2002). The Top Tours of 2002. Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  49. ↑ "McCartney Notches Year's Highest-Grossing Tour". Billboard. 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  50. ↑ Bob, Allen (October 4, 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Tour Earned $232 Million in Ticket Sales". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  51. ↑ Billboard boxscore:
  52. ↑ http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2014/2014YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  53. ↑ Waddell, Ray (May 5, 2011). "Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour Breaks Record for Debut Headlining Artist". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  54. ↑ "Pollstar Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. January 2015.
  55. ↑ "Pollstar Top 100 Worldwide Tours 2015" (PDF). Pollstar. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  56. ↑ 2014 Shows: "Billboard Boxscore". Billboard (New York City, New York). May 10, 2014. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
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