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 Gross adjusted for inflation
(2018 $)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average gross per show (millions) Average attendance per show Ref.
1 $736,421,584 $801,130,818 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 $6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $558,255,524 $658,868,741 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 $3.8 32,500 [1]
3 $523,033,675 $533,331,898 Coldplay A Head Full of Dreams Tour 2016–17 114 5,389,586 $4.59 45,128 [2]
4 $480,900,000 $490,368,636 Guns N' Roses Not in This Lifetime... Tour 2016–present 125 4,377,126 $3.85 35,017 [3][4]
5 $458,673,798 $481,869,587 Roger Waters The Wall Live 2010–13 219 4,129,863 $2.09 18,858 [5]
6 $441,121,000 $495,041,025 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 $2.6 29,023 [6][7][8]
7 $408,000,000 $465,399,721 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 $4.79 41,716 [9]
8 $389,047,636 $472,277,371 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 $2.96 35,259 [10]
9 $364,300,000 $364,300,000 Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood World Tour 2014–present 390 4,743,727 $0.96 14,669 [11][12][13][14]
10 $362,000,000 $411,460,278 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 $2.3 21,160 [15]
11 $355,600,000 $405,627,796 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 136 3,650,535 $2.8 18,744 [16][17]
12 $320,000,000 $513,928,805 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 124 6,336,776 $2.6 51,103 [18]
13 $316,990,940 $316,990,940 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 2017 51 2,713,136 $6.3 53,198 [19][20]
14 $311,000,000 $413,729,016 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 $2.6 30,182 [21]
15 $306,500,000 $312,534,803 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band The River Tour 2016 2016–17 89 2,667,775 $4.0 29,020 [3][22]
16 $305,158,363 $325,284,041 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 $3.47 25,140 [21]
17 $301,000,000 $301,000,000 Billy Joel Billy Joel in Concert 2014–present 120 2,065,755 $2.2 22,205 [11][12][3][22][14]
18 $290,178,452 $299,967,998 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,439,560 $4.2 49,848 [23]
19 $279,200,000 $318,479,417 Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour 2008–09 132 2,200,000 $2.1 21,667 [24]
20 $275,700,000 $284,640,994 Paul McCartney Out There! Tour 2013–15 84 1,958,754 $3.28 23,319 [17][11]
[12]

Highest-grossing tours by decade

1980s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2018 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $135,000,000 $266,520,805 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987–89 197 5,500,000 0.68 21,250 [25][26]
2 $125,738,964 $260,181,300 Michael Jackson Bad 1987–89 123 4,498,300 1.02 36,571 [27][28]
3 $98,000,000 $193,474,362 The Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Tour 1989–90 115 3,253,563 0.85 28,291 [29][30]
4 $86,000,000 $185,250,146 David Bowie Glass Spider Tour 1987 86 3,000,000 1.0 34,884 [31][32]
5 $85,000,000 $193,406,559 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Born in the U.S.A. Tour 1984–85 156 0.55 [33]
6 $75,000,000 $176,665,599 The Jacksons Victory Tour 1984 55 2,750,000 1.36 50,000 [34]
7 $56,278,095 $121,227,039 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 1987 109 3,176,952 0.5 29,146 [35]
8 $52,000,000 $139,973,646 The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones American Tour 1981 1981 50 3,000,000 1.04 60,000 [34]

1990s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2018 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $320,000,000 $513,928,805 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 129 6,336,776 2.6 51,103 [18]
2 $274,000,000 $411,391,588 The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997–98 108 [21]
3 $250,000,000 $412,775,034 Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour 1994 110 6,000,000 2.3 45,000 [36]
4 $171,677,027 $261,714,937 U2 PopMart Tour 1997–98 93 3,936,841 1.8 42,332 [35]
5 $165,000,000 $251,536,070 Michael Jackson HIStory World Tour 1996–97 83 4,500,000 2.01 54,878 [37]
6 $151,000,000 $255,806,035 U2 Zoo TV Tour 1992–93 157 5,350,554 0.96 34,080 [35][38]
7 $142,700,000[lower-alpha 1] $229,180,127 Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour 1994–95 [39][40]
8 $105,000,000 $157,650,061 Garth Brooks The Garth Brooks World Tour 1996–98 220 5,500,000 0.49 25,346 [41][42]
9 $74,000,000 $138,613,347 New Kids on the Block The Magic Summer Tour 1990-1991 152 3,291,987 21,657 [30]
10 $70,000,000 $118,585,579 Madonna The Girlie Show World Tour 1993 39 1.79 [43][44]
11 $62,700,000 $117,446,714 Madonna Blond Ambition World Tour 1990 57 1.1 [45][44]

2000s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted
2018 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $558,255,524 $658,868,741 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 3.8 32,500 [1]
2 $441,121,000 $495,041,025 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008-10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [9]
3 $408,000,000 $465,399,721 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 4.79 41,716 [9]
4 $389,047,636 $472,277,371 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 2.96 35,259 [10]
5 $362,000,000 $411,460,278 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 2.3 21,160 [15]
6 $311,000,000 $413,729,016 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 2.6 30,182 [21]
7 $279,200,000 $317,347,264 Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour 2008–09 132 2,600,000 2.1 19,697 [6][7][24]
8 $250,000,000 $313,256,091 Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour 2002–05 326 3,500,000 0.6 10,800 [46]
9 $235,000,000 $267,108,192 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Magic Tour 2007–08 100 2,198,353 2.4 21,983 [47]
10 $221,500,000 $294,665,521 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band The Rising Tour 2002–03 120 3,232,384 1.8 31,081 [48]
11 $210,650,974 $239,432,344 Bon Jovi Lost Highway Tour 2007–08 99 2,157,675 2.1 21,794 [47]
12 $194,754,447 $236,418,654 Madonna Confessions Tour 2006 60 1,210,294 3.2 20,171 [49]
13 $167,000,000 $190,494,494 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Working on a Dream Tour 2009 80 1,831,770 2.1 22,897 [7]
14 $142,844,463 $197,421,195 U2 Elevation Tour 2001 112 2,162,282 1.3 19,306 [50]
15 $141,000,000 $166,412,133 Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Soul2Soul II Tour 2006–07 117 1,673,667 1.2 14,304 [51]
16 $132,500,000 $151,140,841 Tina Turner Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour 2008–09 90 1,176,199 1.47 13,068 [6][7]
17 $131,800,000 $150,342,361 Britney Spears The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 97 1,500,000 1.4 15,488 [7]
18 $131,388,461 $159,496,656 Bon Jovi Have a Nice Day Tour 2005–06 89 1,823,834 1.7 23,382 [52]
19 $129,059,653 $152,319,802 Genesis Turn It On Again: The Tour 2007 46 1,262,393 2.8 27,443 [53][54]
20 $126,800,000 $149,652,897 Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow 2007 119 1,600,000 1 13,445 [55]

2010s

Rank Actual gross Inflation
(adjusted 2018 gross)		 Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average
gross (millions)		 Average
attendance		 Ref.
1 $736,421,584 $801,130,818 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $523,033,675 $533,331,898 Coldplay A Head Full of Dreams Tour 2016–17 114 5,389,536 4.59 45,128 [2]
3 $480,900,000 $490,368,636 Guns N' Roses Not in This Lifetime... Tour 2016–present 125 4,377,126 3.85 35,017 [3][4]
4 $458,673,798 $481,869,587 Roger Waters The Wall 2010–13 219 4,129,863 2.09 18,858 [5]
5 $441,121,000 $495,041,025 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [6][7][8]
6 $364,300,000 $317,021,436 Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood The Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood 2014–17 366 4,743,727 0.96 14,669 [11][12][13][14]
7 $355,600,000 $373,583,200 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 127 3,650,535 2.8 28,744 [16][17]
8 $316,000,000 $322,221,852 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 2017 51 2,713,136 6.19 53,198 [19]
9 $306,500,000 $312,534,803 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band The River Tour 2016 2016–17 89 2,667,775 4.0 29,020 [12][13]
10 $305,158,363 $325,284,041 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 3.47 25,140 [21]
11 $301,000,000 $301,000,000 Billy Joel Billy Joel in Concert 2014–present 120 2,065,755 2.2 22,205 [11][12][3][22][14]
12 $290,178,452 $299,967,998 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,449,560 4.2 49,848 [23]
13 $275,700,000 $284,640,994 Paul McCartney Out There! Tour 2013–15 84 1,958,754 3.28 23,319 [17][11][12]
14 $259,500,000 $272,623,286 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2013 102 2,657,502 2.67 27,397 [17]
15 $256,500,000 $261,550,333 Justin Bieber Purpose World Tour 2016–17 149 2,757,368 1.8 20,484 [3][22]
16 $256,084,556 $261,126,709 Beyoncé The Formation World Tour 2016 49 2,242,099 5.2 45,757 [56]
17 $251,112,882 $281,807,437 Eagles Long Road Out of Eden Tour 2008–11 155 2,001,773 1.6 12,915 [6][7][8][57]
18 $250,733,097 $258,864,410 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour 2015 85 2,278,647 3.02 33,477 [58]
19 $242,600,000 $242,600,000 Paul McCartney One on One Tour 2016–17 78 903,020 4.88 33,445 [3][14]
20 $231,700,000 $239,516,699 Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience World Tour 2013–15 134 1,986,386 1.81 15,765 [59][60]

Notes

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

See also

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 "Coldplay's 'Head Full Of Dreams' Is Third Highest Grossing World Tour Ever". Billboard.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "2016 Year End Top 100 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar.com. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 "2017 Year End Top 20 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar.com. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  5. 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.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pollstar - Welcome to the New Pollstar!" (PDF). Pollstarpro.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pollstar - Welcome to the New Pollstar!" (PDF). Pollstarpro.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2010/2010YearEndTop50WorldwideConcertTours.pdf
  9. 1 2 3 Pietrolungo, Silvio (September 2, 2009). "Madonna Closes Tour In Tel Aviv; Second Highest Grossing Trek Of All Time". Billboard. Retrieved September 1, 2010.
  10. 1 2 Cossar, Neil (March 28, 2009). "This Day in Music — March 28th". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved November 17, 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pollstar - Welcome to the New Pollstar!" (PDF). Pollstarpro.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pollstar - Welcome to the New Pollstar!" (PDF). Pollstarpro.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  13. 1 2 3 "Pollstar - Welcome to the New Pollstar!" (PDF). Pollstarpro.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pollstar Year End Top 20 Worldwide Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. January 1, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Reggatta De Banc — Blockbuster Police Tour 'Played Out Perfectly'." Billboard. August 20, 2008. Archived from the original on January 4, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
  16. 1 2 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2012/2012YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2013/2013YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  18. 1 2 "Update: Stones Roll By U2 For Top Grossing Tour Ever". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  19. 1 2 Rendon, Francisco (30 October 2017). "U2's 'Joshua Tree' Trek Grosses $316 M, Vies For Tour Of The Year". Pollstar. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  20. ↑ "Top 25 Tours" (PDF). Billboard.com. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 Waddell, Ray (January 24, 2013). "Madonna's 'MDNA' Tour Makes Billboard Boxscore's All-Time Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Mid Year Top 100 Tours Worldwide" (PDF). Pollstar.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  23. 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.
  24. 1 2 Goodman, Dean (December 31, 2008). "Madonna, Celine Dion top worldwide tours in 2008". Reuters. Retrieved December 31, 2008.
  25. ↑ Stories Done: Writings on the 1960s and Its Discontents. Mikal Gilmore. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  26. ↑ Schinder, Scott; Schwartz, Andy (26 August 2018). "Icons of Rock: Velvet Underground ; The Grateful Dead ; Frank Zappa ; Led Zeppelin ; Joni Mitchell ; Pink Floyd ; Neil Young ; David Bowie ; Bruce Springsteen ; Ramones ; U2 ; Nirvana". Greenwood Publishing Group. Retrieved 26 August 2018 – via Google Books.
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  28. ↑ "Michael's Last Tour". Ebony. April 1989. pp. 142–153. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  29. ↑ Grossweiner, Bob (June 1992). "We Take a Hard Look at the Financial Side of Being the World's Favorite Band". Hit Parader.
  30. 1 2 "New Kids Set a Couple of 1990 Records". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1991.
  31. ↑ Currie, David (1987). David Bowie: Glass Idol (1st ed.). London and Margate, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-1182-7
  32. ↑ "The Man Who Fell to Earth". Retrieved January 8, 2013
  33. ↑ Fricke, David (February 27, 1986). "The Long and Winding Road". Rolling Stone.
  34. 1 2 Skorneck, Carolyn (December 10, 1984). "Controversial Jacksons tour closes as top-grossing rock caravan". The Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. p. 9A.
  35. 1 2 3 "U2 Statistiken — U2 Alben — U2 Singles — U2 Tourneen". U2tour.de. July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
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  37. ↑ Murphy, Keith (August 29, 2012). "Redemption Songs: Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits". Vibe. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Amusement Business Charts 1992–1993". Billboard.
  39. ↑ "Eagles Announce Big European Tour". Pollstar.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  40. ↑ "Bangor Daily News - Google News Archive Search". News.Google.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  41. ↑ Waddell, Ray (8 October 2007). "Brooks Set For Nine-Show Kansas City Run". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  42. ↑ Graham, Adam (18 February 2015). "Breaking down Brooks: Garth by the numbers". Detroit News. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  43. ↑ Hadden, Brian (September 10, 1993). "Madonna: She's back again". Time. New York. 142 (24). ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  44. 1 2 "Madonna is Officially the Highest Grossing Touring Solo Artist of All Time". Sg.news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  45. ↑ 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.
  46. ↑ 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.
  47. 1 2 Total gross for the Magic Tour
    • "Top 25 Tours 2008" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
    • Bosso, Joey (December 11, 2008). "Bon Jovi, Springsteen, Spice Girls top 2008's top-grossing tours". Music Radar. Future Publishing. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  48. ↑ 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.
  49. ↑ Pietrolungo, Silvio (October 23, 2006). "Madonna's 'Confessions' Tour Sets Record". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  50. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2001". Billboard.
  51. ↑ "News : Headlines : Tim & Faith Break Country Tour Records : Great American Country". Gactv.com. Archived from the original on July 31, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  52. ↑ "Top 25 Tours 2008". Billboard.
  53. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2007". Billboard.
  54. ↑ "2007 Year End Top 100 Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  55. ↑ Waddell, Ray (2007-12-13). "The Police Score Top-Grossing Tour Of '07". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2008.
  56. ↑ Weddell, Ray. "Beyoncé's Formation Tour Sold Over 2 Million Tickets and Made Over $250 Million". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  57. ↑ http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2011/2011YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  58. ↑ "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.
  59. ↑ Bob, Allen (October 4, 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Tour Earned $232 Million in Ticket Sales". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
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