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 $775,966,116 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $558,255,524 $638,172,701 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 3.8 32,500 [1]
3 $458,673,798 $466,733,352 Roger Waters The Wall Live 2010–13 219 4,129,863 2.09 18,858 [2]
4 $441,121,000 $479,491,055 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [3][4][5]
5 $408,000,000 $450,780,828 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 4.79 41,716 [6]
6 $389,047,636 $457,442,442 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 2.96 35,259 [7]
7 $362,000,000 $398,535,703 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 2.3 21,160 [8]
8 $355,600,000 $361,848,400 Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 127 3,650,535 2.8 28,744 [9][10]
9 $320,000,000 $497,785,543 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 124 6,336,776 2.6 51,103 [11]
10 $311,000,000 $400,733,177 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 2.6 30,182 [12]
11 $305,158,363 $315,066,389 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 3.47 25,140 [12]
12 $290,178,452 $290,545,560 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,439,560 4.2 49,848 [13]
13 $279,200,000 $307,378,918 Celine Dion Taking Chances World Tour 2008–09 132 2,200,000 2.1 16,667 [3][4][14]
14 $275,700,000 $275,700,000 Paul McCartney Out There! Tour 2013–15 84 1,958,754 3.28 23,319 [10][15][16]
15 $274,000,000 $398,469,171 The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997–98 108 [12]
16 $259,500,000 $264,059,786 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2013 102 2,657,502 2.67 27,397 [10]
17 $256,084,556 $256,084,556 Beyoncé The Formation World Tour 2016 49 2,242,099 5.2 45,757 [17]
18 $251,112,882 $272,955,449 Eagles Long Road out of Eden Tour 2008–11 155 2,001,773 1.6 12,915 [3][4][5][18]
19 $250,733,097 $250,733,097 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour 2015 85 2,278,647 3.02 33,477 [19]
20 $250,000,000 $399,809,160 Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour 1994 120 6,000,000 2.3 45,000 [20]

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 $258,148,993 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987–89 199 4,250,000 0.68 21,250 [21][22]
2 $125,738,964 $252,008,621 Michael Jackson Bad 1987–89 123 4,498,300 1.02 36,571 [23][24]
3 $98,000,000 $187,397,047 The Rolling Stones Steel Wheels Tour 1989–90 115 3,253,563 0.85 28,291 [25][26]
4 $86,000,000 $179,431,166 David Bowie Glass Spider Tour 1987 86 3,000,000 1.0 34,884 [27][28]
5 $85,000,000 $187,331,374 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. Tour 1984–85 156 0.55 [29]
6 $75,000,000 $171,116,272 The Jacksons Victory Tour 1984 55 2,750,000 1.36 50,000 [30]
7 $56,278,095 $117,419,119 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 1987 109 3,176,952 0.5 29,146 [31]
8 $52,000,000 $135,576,867 The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones American Tour 1981 1981 50 3,000,000 1.04 60,000 [30]

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 $497,785,543 The Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge Tour 1994–95 124 6,336,776 2.6 51,103 [11]
2 $274,000,000 $398,469,171 The Rolling Stones Bridges to Babylon Tour 1997–98 108 [12]
3 $250,000,000 $399,809,160 Pink Floyd The Division Bell Tour 1994 120 6,000,000 2.3 45,000 [20]
4 $171,677,027 $253,494,084 U2 PopMart Tour 1997–98 93 3,936,841 1.8 42,332 [31]
5 $165,000,000 $243,634,950 Michael Jackson HIStory World Tour 1996–97 83 4,500,000 2.01 54,878 [32]
6 $151,000,000 $247,770,790 U2 Zoo TV Tour 1992–93 157 5,350,554 0.96 34,080 [31][33]
7 $142,700,000[lower-alpha 1] $221,981,240 Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour 1994–95 [34][35]
8 $105,000,000 $152,698,040 Garth Brooks The Garth Brooks World Tour 1996–98 220 5,500,000 0.49 25,346 [36][37]
9 $74,000,000 $134,259,297 New Kids on the Block The Magic Summer Tour 1990 3,291,987 [26]
10 $70,000,000 $114,860,631 Madonna The Girlie Show 1993 39 1.79 [38]
11 $65,000,000 $117,930,464 Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 1990 117 2,000,000 [39][40]
12 $62,700,000 $113,757,539 Madonna Blond Ambition World Tour 1990 57 1.1 [41]

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 $638,172,701 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 2005–07 144 4,680,000 3.8 32,500 [1]
2 $408,000,000 $450,780,828 Madonna Sticky & Sweet Tour 2008–09 85 3,545,899 4.79 41,716 [6]
3 $389,047,636 $457,442,442 U2 Vertigo Tour 2005–06 131 4,619,021 2.96 35,259 [7]
4 $362,000,000 $398,535,703 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 2007–08 156 3,300,912 2.3 21,160 [8]
5 $311,000,000 $400,733,177 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 2002–03 115 3,470,945 2.6 30,182 [12]
6 $279,200,000 $307,378,918 Celine Dion Taking Chances Tour 2008–09 132 2,600,000 2.1 19,697 [3][4][14]
7 $250,000,000 $303,416,255 Cher Living Proof: The Farewell Tour 2002–05 326 3,500,000 0.6 10,800 [42]
8 $235,000,000 $258,717,929 Bruce Springsteen Magic Tour 2007–08 100 2,198,353 2.4 21,983 [43]
9 $221,500,000 $285,409,642 Bruce Springsteen The Rising Tour 2002–03 120 3,232,384 1.8 31,081 [44]
10 $210,650,974 $231,911,420 Bon Jovi Lost Highway Tour 2007–08 99 2,157,675 2.1 21,794 [43]
11 $194,754,447 $228,992,395 Madonna Confessions Tour 2006 60 1,210,294 3.2 20,171 [45]
12 $167,000,000 $184,510,780 Bruce Springsteen Working on a Dream Tour 2009 80 1,831,770 2.1 22,897 [4]
13 $142,844,463 $191,219,904 U2 Elevation Tour 2001 112 2,162,282 1.3 19,306 [46]
14 $141,000,000 $161,184,882 Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Soul2Soul II Tour 2006–07 117 1,673,667 1.2 14,304 [47]
15 $132,500,000 $146,393,284 Tina Turner Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour 2008–09 90 1,176,199 1.47 13,068 [3][4]
16 $131,800,000 $145,619,885 Britney Spears The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 97 1,500,000 1.4 15,488 [4]
17 $131,388,461 $154,486,631 Bon Jovi Have a Nice Day Tour 2005–06 89 1,823,834 1.7 23,382 [48]
18 $129,059,653 $147,535,212 Genesis Turn It On Again: The Tour 2007 46 1,262,393 2.8 27,443 [49][50]
19 $126,800,000 $144,952,078 Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveShow 2007 119 1,600,000 1 13,445 [51]
20 $126,165,542 $166,267,744 Paul McCartney Driving World Tour 2002 58 988,077 2.2 17,036 [52][53]

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 $775,966,116 U2 U2 360° Tour 2009–11 110 7,272,046 6.7 66,110 [1]
2 $458,673,798 $466,733,352 Roger Waters The Wall 2010–13 219 4,129,863 2.09 18,858 [2]
3 $441,121,000 $479,491,055 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 2008–10 167 4,846,965 2.6 29,023 [3][4][5]
4 $355,600,000 $361,848,400 Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball World Tour 2012–13 127 3,650,535 2.8 28,744 [9][10]
5 $305,158,363 $315,066,389 Madonna The MDNA Tour 2012 88 2,212,345 3.47 25,140 [12]
6 $290,178,452 $290,545,560 One Direction Where We Are Tour 2014 69 3,449,560 4.2 49,848 [13]
7 $275,700,000 $275,700,000 Paul McCartney Out There 2013–15 84 1,958,754 3.28 23,319 [10][15][16]
8 $259,500,000 $264,059,786 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2013 102 2,657,502 2.67 27,397 [10]
9 $256,084,556 $256,084,556 Beyoncé The Formation World Tour 2016 49 2,242,099 5.2 45,757 [17]
10 $251,112,882 $272,955,449 Eagles Long Road Out of Eden Tour 2008–11 155 2,001,773 1.6 12,915 [3][4][5][18]
11 $250,733,097 $250,733,097 Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour 2015 85 2,278,647 3.02 33,477 [19]
12 $231,700,000 $231,993,126 Justin Timberlake The 20/20 Experience World Tour 2013–15 134 1,986,386 1.81 15,765 [54][55]
13 $229,727,960 $230,018,591 Beyoncé The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013–14 132 2,082,848 1.7 15,779 [10][15]
14 $227,400,000 $239,610,976 Lady Gaga The Monster Ball Tour 2009–11 201 2,500,000 1.13 12,438 [5][18][56]
15 $224,000,000 $236,028,402† Take That Progress Live 2011 35 2,144,977 6.4 61,285 [18]
16 $221,600,000 $221,600,000 Garth Brooks The Garth Brooks World Tour with Trisha Yearwood 2014–16 236 3,344,699 0.94 14,172 [15][16][57]
17 $219,900,000 $236,142,319 Metallica World Magnetic Tour 2008–10 164 2,744,413 1.34 16,734 [3][4][5]
19 $209,200,000 $212,875,943 Justin Bieber Believe Tour 2012–13 133 2,398,514 1.57 18,033 [9][10]
20 $208,200,000 $208,200,000 AC/DC Rock or Bust World Tour 2015-16 76 2,552,266 2.74 33,582 [16][57]

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 8 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
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  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.
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  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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.
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  16. 1 2 3 4 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2015/2015YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  17. 1 2 Weddell, Ray. "Beyonce's Formation Tour Sold Over 2 Million Tickets and Made Over $250 Million". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2011/2011YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
  19. 1 2 "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.
  20. 1 2 "The Illustrated History of the Band's Last Days and Bittersweet Reunions". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  21. ↑ Stories Done: Writings on the 1960s and Its Discontents. Mikal Gilmore. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  22. ↑ Icons of Rock. Scott Schinder,Andy Schwartz. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  23. ↑ Campbell 1993, p. 236.
  24. ↑ "Michael's Last Tour". Ebony. April 1989. pp. 142–153. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  25. ↑ Grossweiner, Bob (June 1992). "We Take a Hard Look at the Financial Side of Being the World's Favorite Band". Hit Parader.
  26. 1 2 "New Kids Set a Couple of 1990 Records". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1991.
  27. ↑ Currie, David (1987). David Bowie: Glass Idol (1st ed.). London and Margate, England: Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-1182-7
  28. ↑ "The Man Who Fell to Earth". Retrieved January 8, 2013
  29. ↑ Fricke, David (February 27, 1986). "The Long and Winding Road". Rolling Stone.
  30. 1 2 Skorneck, Carolyn (December 10, 1984). "Controversial Jacksons tour closes as top-grossing rock caravan". The Gainesville Sun. Associated Press. p. 9A.
  31. 1 2 3 "U2 Statistiken — U2 Alben — U2 Singles — U2 Tourneen". U2tour.de. July 20, 2013. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
  32. ↑ Murphy, Keith (August 29, 2012). "Redemption Songs: Michael Jackson's Greatest Hits". Vibe. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  33. ↑ "Amusement Business Charts 1992–1993". Billboard.
  34. ↑ Eagles Announce Big European Tour | Pollstar
  35. ↑ Bangor Daily News - Google News Archive Search
  36. ↑ Waddell, Ray (8 October 2007). "Brooks Set For Nine-Show Kansas City Run". Billboard. Retrieved 7 March 2016.
  37. ↑ Graham, Adam (18 February 2015). "Breaking down Brooks: Garth by the numbers". Detroit News. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  38. ↑ Hadden, Brian (September 10, 1993). "Madonna: She's back again". Time. New York. 142 (24). ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
  39. ↑ Jaynes, Gerald David (2005). Encyclopedia of African American Society. SAGE Publications. p. 565. ISBN 0-7619-2764-6
  40. ↑ Her 1990 tour was the most successful first-time road effort by any artist, attracting more than two million fans. Jarvey, Paul (December 9, 1993). "janet ; Another Jackson steams up the charts". Telegram & Gazette. p. C.1. ISSN 1050-4184
  41. ↑ 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.
  42. ↑ 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.
  43. 1 2 Total gross for the Magic Tour
  44. ↑ 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.
  45. ↑ Pietrolungo, Silvio (October 23, 2006). "Madonna's 'Confessions' Tour Sets Record". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  46. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2001". Billboard.
  47. ↑ "News : Headlines : Tim & Faith Break Country Tour Records : Great American Country". Gactv.com. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
  48. ↑ "Top 25 Tours 2008". Billboard.
  49. ↑ "Billboard Boxscore Charts 2007". Billboard.
  50. ↑ "2007 Year End Top 100 Tours" (PDF). Pollstar. 2007. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  51. ↑ Waddell, Ray (2007-31-20). "The Police Score Top-Grossing Tour Of '07". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2008. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  52. ↑ Waddell, Ray (2002). The Top Tours of 2002. Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  53. ↑ "McCartney Notches Year's Highest-Grossing Tour". Billboard. 2002. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
  54. ↑ Bob, Allen (October 4, 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Tour Earned $232 Million in Ticket Sales". Billboard. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  55. ↑ Billboard boxscore:
  56. ↑ Waddell, Ray (May 5, 2011). "Lady Gaga's Monster Ball Tour Breaks Record for Debut Headlining Artist". Billboard. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
  57. 1 2 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2016/2016MidYearTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
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