List of most-attended concert tours

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Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour is the most-attended tour of all time, with a total of 10.3 million tickets sold in 175 shows ColdplayManch030623 (92 of 118) (52950415874).jpg
Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour is the most-attended tour of all time, with a total of 10.3 million tickets sold in 175 shows

The following is a list of the most-attended concert tours with at least 3.5 million tickets 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 attendances is often considered to measure the success of a tour. However, the most-attended tours do not necessarily generate the largest profit, due to ticket pricing. Rankings of most successful tours are generally based on gross revenue instead of number of attendances. [1]

Contents

Pollstar and Billboard provide boxscores, which are the primary data showing the commercial performance of tours, but since not all concerts are reported to them, especially before 2000, the number of tickets may rely on estimations by other sources. Tours may score large total attendances because of their number of shows, which can span multiple calendar years.

Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour was the first tour to sell more than 9 and 10 million tickets, [2] [3] achieving the feat over the course of 175 shows between 2022 and 2024. [4] Taylor Swift's Eras Tour later became the first run by a solo and female act to reach the two milestones. [5] It also broke the record for most-attended tour in a single year, with 5.21 million people in 2024. [6] U2 achieved the annual most-attended tour six times, more than any other act.

Tina Turner, Cher, Madonna, Swift and Pink are the only women with a tour attended by 3.5 million people or more. According to Pollstar and Billboard, Swift is the only female artist to have the largest tour attendance in a single year. [a] She also broke the record for fastest-selling tour, with 2.4 million tickets in a single day for the first American leg of the Eras Tour (2023–2024). Coldplay are the only act to sell a million tickets in two different days, achieving the feat with the first two European legs of the Music of the Spheres World Tour.

Most-attended tours

Over 5 million attendance

Key
†Indicates an ongoing concert tour
Tours attended by 5 million people or more
Year(s)Tour titleArtistTickets soldShowsRef.
2022–2025 Music of the Spheres World Tour † Coldplay 10.3 million175 [4]
2023–2024 The Eras Tour Taylor Swift 10.1 million149 [5]
2017–2019 ÷ Tour Ed Sheeran 8.8 million [b] 260 [7]
2009–2011 360° Tour U2 7.3 million110 [8]
1991–1993 Use Your Illusion Tour Guns N' Roses 7 million192 [9]
1994–1995 Voodoo Lounge Tour The Rolling Stones 6.5 million [c] 129 [11]
2014–2017 The Garth Brooks World Tour (2014–2017) Garth Brooks 6.3 million390 [12]
2018–2023 Farewell Yellow Brick Road Elton John 6 million [d] 330 [14]
1989–1990 Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour The Rolling Stones 6 million115 [15]
2019–2024 Rammstein Stadium Tour Rammstein 6 million135 [16]
2022–2025 +–=÷× Tour † Ed Sheeran 5.8 million94 [17]
1994 The Division Bell Tour Pink Floyd 5.5 million112 [18]
1996–1998 The Garth Brooks World Tour (1996–1998) Garth Brooks 5.5 million220 [10]
2016–2017 A Head Full of Dreams Tour Coldplay 5.38 million114 [19]
2016–2019 Not in This Lifetime... Tour Guns N' Roses 5.37 million175 [7]
1992–1993 Zoo TV Tour U2 5.3 million157 [20]
2023–2025 2023–2025 Tour † Bruce Springsteen  · E Street Band 5.1 million98 [21]
1984–1985 Born in the U.S.A. Tour Bruce Springsteen  · E Street Band 5 million156 [22]
2021–2023 Love On Tour Harry Styles 5 million169 [23]

3.5–4.9 million attendance

Tours attended by 3.5 to 4.9 million people or more
Year(s)Tour titleArtistTickets soldShowsRef.
2021–2025 Extraterrestrial World Tour † Joker Xue 4.9 million147 [24]
2023–2024 Summer Carnival Pink 4.8 million97 [25]
1997–1998 Bridges to Babylon Tour The Rolling Stones 4.8 million [e] 108 [26]
2008–2010 Black Ice World Tour AC/DC 4.8 million168 [27]
2005–2007 A Bigger Bang Tour The Rolling Stones 4.7 million147 [10]
1996–1997 HIStory World Tour Michael Jackson 4.5 million82 [28]
2005–2006 Vertigo Tour U2 4.6 million131 [29]
2016–2019 A Classic Tour Jacky Cheung 4.5 million233 [30]
1987–1989 Bad World Tour Michael Jackson 4.4 million125 [31]
1987–1990 A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour Pink Floyd 4.25 million198 [32]
2010–2013 The Wall Live Roger Waters 4.1 million220 [33]
2016–2019 WorldWired Tour Metallica 4.1 million159 [34]
1997–1998 PopMart Tour U2 4 million93 [10]
1987–1988 Break Every Rule World Tour Tina Turner 4 million218 [35]
2012–2013 Wrecking Ball World Tour Bruce Springsteen  · E Street Band 3.65 million127 [f]
1992–1993 Dangerous World Tour Michael Jackson 3.5 million69 [38]
2003–2004 Licks Tour The Rolling Stones 3.5 million117 [10]
2008–2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour Madonna 3.5 million85 [39]
2014 Where We Are Tour One Direction 3.5 million [g] 69 [41]
2002–2005 Living Proof: The Farewell Tour Cher 3.5 million [h] 325 [27]

Most-attended tours by year

U2 frontman Bono at the Joshua Tree Tour 2017, their sixth annual most-attended tour since 1997 U2 performing in Amsterdam 07-29-17 (35459354254).jpg
U2 frontman Bono at the Joshua Tree Tour 2017, their sixth annual most-attended tour since 1997
Annual most-attended tours according to Pollstar or Billboard
YearArtistTour titleTickets soldSource Top-grossing
tour of the year 		Ref.
1997 U2 PopMart Tour 1.70 millionPollstarYes [43]
1999 NSYNC NSYNC in Concert 1.80 millionPollstarNo [44]
2000 No Strings Attached Tour 1.65 millionPollstarNo [44]
2001 U2 Elevation Tour 2.06 millionBillboardYes [45]
2002 Dave Matthews Band Dave Matthews Band 2002 Tour1.35 millionBillboardNo [46]
2003 The Rolling Stones Licks Tour 3.47 millionBillboardYes [47]
2004 Prince Musicology Live 2004ever 1.47 millionBillboardNo [48]
2005 U2 Vertigo Tour 3.00 millionBillboardYes [49]
2006 The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang Tour 3.50 millionBillboardYes [50]
2007 The Police The Police Reunion Tour 1.85 millionBillboardYes [51]
2008 Bon Jovi Lost Highway Tour 2.15 millionBillboardNo [52]
2009 U2 360° Tour 3.07 millionBillboardYes [53]
2010 Bon Jovi The Circle Tour 1.90 millionPollstarYes [54]
2011 U2 360° Tour 2.88 millionBillboardYes [55]
2012 Bruce Springsteen Wrecking Ball World Tour 2.28 millionPollstarNo [36]
2013 Bon Jovi Because We Can 2.65 millionPollstarYes [37]
2014 One Direction Where We Are Tour 3.43 millionPollstarYes [56]
2015 On the Road Again Tour 2.36 millionPollstarNo [57]
2016 Coldplay A Head Full of Dreams Tour 2.67 millionPollstarNo [58]
2017 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 2.71 millionPollstarYes [59]
2018 Ed Sheeran ÷ Tour 4.86 millionPollstarYes [60]
20192.45 millionPollstarNo [61]
2020 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Christmas Eve and Other Stories Tour 0.88 millionPollstarNo [62]
2021 Harry Styles Love On Tour 0.67 millionPollstarNo [63]
2022 Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour 3.80 millionPollstarYes [64]
2023 Taylor Swift The Eras Tour 4.35 million [a] PollstarYes [65]
20245.21 million [a] PollstarYes [6]

Fastest-selling tours

Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour, the fastest-selling tour ever with 2.4 million tickets sold in a single day for its first US leg Taylor Swift The Eras Tour Speak Now Set Era (53109969638) (cropped).jpg
Taylor Swift at the Eras Tour, the fastest-selling tour ever with 2.4 million tickets sold in a single day for its first US leg
Key
*Indicates previous record holder for the fastest-selling tour
Tours with the most tickets sold in a single day
YearArtistTour titleTickets soldNotesRef.
2023 Taylor Swift The Eras Tour 2.4 millionFirst North American leg [66]
2005 Robbie Williams Close Encounters Tour*1.6 million [67]
2024 AC/DC Power Up Tour 1.5 million [68]
2022 Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour 1.4 millionSecond European leg [69]
2010 Take That Progress Live 1.3 million [70]
2017 U2 The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 1.1 million [71]
2016 Guns N' Roses Not in This Lifetime... Tour 1.1 million [72]
2000 NSYNC No Strings Attached Tour*1.0 million [73]
2016 Bruno Mars 24K Magic World Tour 1.0 million [74]
2021 Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour 1.0 millionFirst European leg [75]
2024 Shakira Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 0.9 millionLatin American leg [76]
2024 Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour 0.8 millionThird British leg [77]
2023 RBD Soy Rebelde Tour 0.8 million [78]
2024 Coldplay Music of the Spheres World Tour 0.7 milionThird North American leg [79]
2017 Ed Sheeran ÷ Tour 0.7 millionOceanian leg [80]
2023 Madonna The Celebration Tour 0.6 million [81]
2009 AC/DC Black Ice World Tour 0.5 million [82]

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Based on estimations, as Swift has not reported her numbers to Billboard or Pollstar.
  2. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 8.9 million. [7]
  3. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 6.4 million. [10]
  4. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 6.2 million. [13]
  5. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 5 million. [10]
  6. ↑ Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball World Tour was attended by 2.29 million people in 2012 and 1.36 million people in 2013. [36] [37]
  7. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 3.4 million. [40]
  8. ↑ Other estimate attendances are 3 million. [42]

References

  1. ↑ "Top 20 Global Concert Tours from Pollstar". AP News. August 11, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Coldplay World Tour Powers to Ticket Sales Record". IQ. 20 November 2023. Archived from the original on 20 November 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  3. ↑ "Coldplay Music of the Spheres Tour Sales Pass 10M". IQ. 19 September 2024. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Coldplay Sells the Most Tickets of All Time While Trying to Save the Planet". Pollstar. 16 December 2024. Archived from the original on 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
  5. 1 2 Friedman, Vanessa (December 9, 2024). "Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Grand Total: A Record $2 Billion". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 9, 2024. Retrieved December 9, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Pollstar 2024 Year End Analysis: Industry Remains Strong & Steady, Taylor Swift & Coldplay Set All-Time Touring Records". Pollstar. 13 December 2024. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 Frankenberg, Eric (August 7, 2023). "Billboard Boxscore Top 10 Tours of All Time: Harry Styles Finishes North of $600 Million". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  8. ↑ Waddell, Ray (February 4, 2012). "Billboard Power 100: 27 – U2 & Paul McGuinness". Billboard. Vol. 124, no. 4. pp. 18–19. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  9. ↑ Bozza, Anthony, & Slash (2007). Slash. Harper Entertainment: New York. p. 372
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Further On Up The Road". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 2. January 17, 2009. p. 10. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  11. ↑ Hill, Karen (May 7, 2017). "Boyz II Men, Van Halen Tours Among Top 10 of 1995". Billboard. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ Varga, George (March 4, 2022). "Garth Brooks will make history with sold-out 'in-the-round' stadium concert at Petco Park Saturday". The San Diego Union-Tribune . Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ ET Online (July 9, 2023). "Elton John bids farewell to glittering live career, fans gather for emotional final concert" . The Economic Times . Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  14. ↑ Frankenberg, Eric (July 13, 2023). "Elton John's Farewell Tour Comes to an End With $939 Million and 6 Million Tickets". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  15. ↑ Apter, Jeff (2017). High Voltage: The Life of Angus Young - ACDC's Last Man Standing. Black Inc. p. 185. ISBN   9781925435764 . Retrieved September 9, 2023– via Google Books.
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  18. ↑ Whatley, Jack (May 6, 2021). "Pink Floyd's 6 greatest live shows of all time". Far Out . Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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  20. ↑ "Great NZ Concerts - U2's Zoo TV Tour". RNZ Concert. February 16, 2016. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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  22. ↑ Castro, Janice (January 26, 2007). "The Boss's Thunder Road to Riches". Time . Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  23. ↑ Frankenberg, Eric (August 7, 2023). "Harry Styles' Love On Tour Ends As the Fourth $600 Million Trek Ever". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  24. ↑ "薛之谦深圳演唱会2024什么时候(时间表+场馆+巡演安排)" [When will Xue Zhiqian's Shenzhen concert be held in 2024 (schedule + venue + tour arrangement)]. Dahe Ticketing Network (in Chinese). July 3, 2024.
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  27. 1 2 Kemp, Sam (November 11, 2022). "The 10 biggest music tours in history". Far Out . Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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  33. ↑ Allen, Bob (January 23, 2019). "Riding The Gravy Train: Waters Tops $835 Million With Latest Trek". Pollstar . Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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  37. 1 2 "2013 Pollstar Year End" (PDF). Pollstar. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
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