Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
12-17-09, 12:22 PM
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
http://www.billboard.com/charts#/fea...04053062.story
These artists spent the bulk of 2009 on the road, and came home with fat pockets to prove it. Watch videos from the year's top 25 tours, and relive your moment in the front row. (Artists are ranked by total gross earnings from Dec. 6, 2008 through Nov. 21, 2009)
1 U2
Total Gross: $311,637,730 Number of Shows: 44
Total Attendance: 3,071,290 Number of Sell-Outs: 44
2 MADONNA
Total Gross: $222,017,248 Number of Shows: 46
Total Attendance: 2,187,993 Number of Sell-Outs: 46
3 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND
Total Gross: $156,340,910 Number of Shows: 72
Total Attendance: 1,736,926 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
4 AC/DC
Total Gross: $135,287,350 Number of Shows: 76
Total Attendance: 1,583,143 Number of Sell-Outs: 52
5 PINK
Total Gross: $102,878,271 Number of Shows: 131
Total Attendance: 1,550,026 Number of Sell-Outs: 69
6 ANDRE RIEU
Total Gross: $95,854,338 Number of Shows: 112
Total Attendance: 834,992 Number of Sell-Outs: 18
7 BRITNEY SPEARS
Total Gross: $94,813,948 Number of Shows: 70
Total Attendance: 1,097,229 Number of Sell-Outs: 61
8 BILLY JOEL & ELTON JOHN
Total Gross: $90,218,314 Number of Shows: 32
Total Attendance: 719,423 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
9 TINA TURNER
Total Gross: $86,372,137 Number of Shows: 59
Total Attendance: 822,083 Number of Sell-Outs: 47
10 COLDPLAY
Total Gross: $84,369,360 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 1,199,862 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
11 METALLICA
Total Gross: $76,613,910 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 1,120,917 Number of Sell-Outs: 47
12 JONAS BROTHERS
Total Gross: $73,293,001 Number of Shows: 62
Total Attendance: 1,089,453 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
13 KENNY CHESNEY
Total Gross: $70,999,090 Number of Shows: 52
Total Attendance: 1,034,021 Number of Sell-Outs: 36
14 FLEETWOOD MAC
Total Gross: $62,590,677 Number of Shows: 59
Total Attendance: 640,201 Number of Sell-Outs: 9
15 BEYONCE
Total Gross: $57,138,765 Number of Shows: 57
Total Attendance: 697,093 Number of Sell-Outs: 25
16 CELINE DION
Total Gross: $56,984,471 Number of Shows: 33
Total Attendance: 526,438 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
17 IL DIVO
Total Gross: $53,494,139 Number of Shows: 103
Total Attendance: 649,748 Number of Sell-Outs: 36
18 DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
Total Gross: $52,338,154 Number of Shows: 58
Total Attendance: 997,158 Number of Sell-Outs: 23
19 NICKELBACK
Total Gross: $49,908,542 Number of Shows: 70
Total Attendance: 1,046,973 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
20 DEPECHE MODE
Total Gross: $45,658,648 Number of Shows: 31
Total Attendance: 690,936 Number of Sell-Outs: 9
21 TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
Total Gross: $42,862,677 Number of Shows: 109
Total Attendance: 1,010,067 Number of Sell-Outs: 43
22 RASCAL FLATTS
Total Gross: $42,298,302 Number of Shows: 55
Total Attendance: 768,152 Number of Sell-Outs: 40
23 LIL WAYNE
Total Gross: $39,314,413 Number of Shows: 69
Total Attendance: 728,655 Number of Sell-Outs: 7
24 BRAD PAISLEY
Total Gross: $35,736,893 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 841,228 Number of Sell-Outs: 39
25 PAUL MCCARTNEY
Total Gross: $33,650,567 Number of Shows: 10
Total Attendance: 275,256 Number of Sell-Outs: 7
These artists spent the bulk of 2009 on the road, and came home with fat pockets to prove it. Watch videos from the year's top 25 tours, and relive your moment in the front row. (Artists are ranked by total gross earnings from Dec. 6, 2008 through Nov. 21, 2009)
1 U2
Total Gross: $311,637,730 Number of Shows: 44
Total Attendance: 3,071,290 Number of Sell-Outs: 44
2 MADONNA
Total Gross: $222,017,248 Number of Shows: 46
Total Attendance: 2,187,993 Number of Sell-Outs: 46
3 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND
Total Gross: $156,340,910 Number of Shows: 72
Total Attendance: 1,736,926 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
4 AC/DC
Total Gross: $135,287,350 Number of Shows: 76
Total Attendance: 1,583,143 Number of Sell-Outs: 52
5 PINK
Total Gross: $102,878,271 Number of Shows: 131
Total Attendance: 1,550,026 Number of Sell-Outs: 69
6 ANDRE RIEU
Total Gross: $95,854,338 Number of Shows: 112
Total Attendance: 834,992 Number of Sell-Outs: 18
7 BRITNEY SPEARS
Total Gross: $94,813,948 Number of Shows: 70
Total Attendance: 1,097,229 Number of Sell-Outs: 61
8 BILLY JOEL & ELTON JOHN
Total Gross: $90,218,314 Number of Shows: 32
Total Attendance: 719,423 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
9 TINA TURNER
Total Gross: $86,372,137 Number of Shows: 59
Total Attendance: 822,083 Number of Sell-Outs: 47
10 COLDPLAY
Total Gross: $84,369,360 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 1,199,862 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
11 METALLICA
Total Gross: $76,613,910 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 1,120,917 Number of Sell-Outs: 47
12 JONAS BROTHERS
Total Gross: $73,293,001 Number of Shows: 62
Total Attendance: 1,089,453 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
13 KENNY CHESNEY
Total Gross: $70,999,090 Number of Shows: 52
Total Attendance: 1,034,021 Number of Sell-Outs: 36
14 FLEETWOOD MAC
Total Gross: $62,590,677 Number of Shows: 59
Total Attendance: 640,201 Number of Sell-Outs: 9
15 BEYONCE
Total Gross: $57,138,765 Number of Shows: 57
Total Attendance: 697,093 Number of Sell-Outs: 25
16 CELINE DION
Total Gross: $56,984,471 Number of Shows: 33
Total Attendance: 526,438 Number of Sell-Outs: 31
17 IL DIVO
Total Gross: $53,494,139 Number of Shows: 103
Total Attendance: 649,748 Number of Sell-Outs: 36
18 DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
Total Gross: $52,338,154 Number of Shows: 58
Total Attendance: 997,158 Number of Sell-Outs: 23
19 NICKELBACK
Total Gross: $49,908,542 Number of Shows: 70
Total Attendance: 1,046,973 Number of Sell-Outs: 42
20 DEPECHE MODE
Total Gross: $45,658,648 Number of Shows: 31
Total Attendance: 690,936 Number of Sell-Outs: 9
21 TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
Total Gross: $42,862,677 Number of Shows: 109
Total Attendance: 1,010,067 Number of Sell-Outs: 43
22 RASCAL FLATTS
Total Gross: $42,298,302 Number of Shows: 55
Total Attendance: 768,152 Number of Sell-Outs: 40
23 LIL WAYNE
Total Gross: $39,314,413 Number of Shows: 69
Total Attendance: 728,655 Number of Sell-Outs: 7
24 BRAD PAISLEY
Total Gross: $35,736,893 Number of Shows: 66
Total Attendance: 841,228 Number of Sell-Outs: 39
25 PAUL MCCARTNEY
Total Gross: $33,650,567 Number of Shows: 10
Total Attendance: 275,256 Number of Sell-Outs: 7
12-17-09, 04:02 PM
#7
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
I went to 1, 14, 18 and half of 8 (Billy Joel, no Elton just before that leg started) this year. I'm surprised not more DMB dates were sold out -- every time I see them, it's sold out in minutes. And really, Sir Paul playing only 10 dates and having 3 non sell outs? I have a hard time buying that one as well.
(and 11 was free)
12-17-09, 05:01 PM
#11
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12-17-09, 05:35 PM
#12
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
Just because I'm bored at work, here's some stats from those numbers:
Highest average ticket price: Billy Joel & Elton John ($125.40)
Lowest average ticket price: Trans-Siberian Orchestra ($42.44)
Highest sellout rate: U2, Madonna (100%)
Lowest sellout rate: Lil Wayne (10%)
Highest gross per show: U2 ($7,082,676)
Lowest gross per show: Trans-Siberian Orchestra ($393,236)
Total gross for all shows: $2,172,671,855
A lot of those average ticket prices make me very happy that I don't go to giant shows like these (especially considering things like Decker's spoiler). The most I paid for a ticket in the past year was $45 for Ben Folds, and the rest of the shows I went to this year were all less than $40 (a bunch even below $20), and that's including all the bullshit fees they pile on. If I was dropping $80-100 per ticket, I'd probably only see 2 or 3 concerts per year instead of 20-30.
Highest average ticket price: Billy Joel & Elton John ($125.40)
Lowest average ticket price: Trans-Siberian Orchestra ($42.44)
Highest sellout rate: U2, Madonna (100%)
Lowest sellout rate: Lil Wayne (10%)
Highest gross per show: U2 ($7,082,676)
Lowest gross per show: Trans-Siberian Orchestra ($393,236)
Total gross for all shows: $2,172,671,855
A lot of those average ticket prices make me very happy that I don't go to giant shows like these (especially considering things like Decker's spoiler). The most I paid for a ticket in the past year was $45 for Ben Folds, and the rest of the shows I went to this year were all less than $40 (a bunch even below $20), and that's including all the bullshit fees they pile on. If I was dropping $80-100 per ticket, I'd probably only see 2 or 3 concerts per year instead of 20-30.
Last edited by FatTony; 12-17-09 at 05:41 PM.
12-17-09, 07:09 PM
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
I think concert tickets should be ranked the way CD's are counted, by volume and not price since a lot of the big-tier artists charge out the ass. I think Hollywood should do the same and count tickets vs. gross. Outgrossing Titanic is much easier than selling more tickets than Gone With The Wind will ever be.
12-17-09, 08:20 PM
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
I think concert tickets should be ranked the way CD's are counted, by volume and not price since a lot of the big-tier artists charge out the ass. I think Hollywood should do the same and count tickets vs. gross. Outgrossing Titanic is much easier than selling more tickets than Gone With The Wind will ever be.
12-17-09, 09:04 PM
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
Maybe I'm out of the loop, but how in the Hell did Coldplay outsell Metallica????? ...by80,000 tickets & $8m????
12-17-09, 10:01 PM
#16
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12-17-09, 11:18 PM
#17
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
You're wondering about that? How about Andre Rieu outgrossing them both. I had to Google him to even find out who he is. I'd never even heard of the guy. That one boggles my mind.
12-18-09, 12:26 AM
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
LOL, I never heard of him either, but I just figured it was some new pop-star I've luckily never heard of. The Coldplay coparison had me intrigued because they played the same amount of venues, yet made $8m more.
12-18-09, 10:28 AM
#20
DVD Talk Legend
12-18-09, 01:35 PM
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Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
If the Madonna show had come to DC I would have gone - but other than I didn't see any of the top 25. I heard on CNN that even though U2 was the highest grossing tour - the intake still wont cover the massively expensive stage construction cost.
12-19-09, 12:43 AM
#24
Re: Top 25 Tours of U.S. (ticket sales)
Well my hat's off to Britney. Two years ago I was hoping her boys wouldn't be the ones to find her corpse. She really got her act together.
