List of highest-grossing concert tours
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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
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.
Contents
Highest-grossing tours of all time
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The Rolling Stones had claimed the highest-grossing tour for multiple times, with the latest being A Bigger Bang Tour (currently the second).
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Roger Waters completed The Wall Live as the highest-grossing tour of all time by a solo artist.
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Madonna scored the top-two highest grossing concert tours of all time by a female artist with Sticky & Sweet Tour and The MDNA Tour.
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One Direction completed their Where We Are Tour as the highest-grossing tour of all time by a vocal group.
This list represents the top 20 grossing tours (by actual gross, not adjusted for inflation) of all time.
Rank | Actual gross | Inflation (adjusted 2025 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 | $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 | $397,797,877 | The Rolling Stones | Bridges to Babylon Tour | 1997–98 | 108 | [12] | |||
16 | $259,500,000 | $263,614,929 | Bon Jovi | Because We Can | 2013 | 102 | 2,657,502 | 2.67 | 27,397 | [10] |
17 | $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][17] |
18 | $250,733,097 | $250,733,097 | Taylor Swift | The 1989 World Tour | 2015 | 85 | 2,278,647 | 3.02 | 33,477 | [18] |
19 | $250,000,000 | $399,135,608 | Pink Floyd | The Division Bell Tour | 1994 | 120 | 6,000,000 | 2.3 | 45,000 | [19] |
20 | $250,000,000 | $302,905,095 | Cher | Living Proof: The Farewell Tour | 2002–05 | 325 | 3,500,000 | 0.6 | 10,800 | [20] |
Highest-grossing tours by decade
1980s
Rank | Actual gross | Inflation (adjusted 2025 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 | [21][22] |
2 | $125,738,964 | $251,584,067 | Michael Jackson | Bad | 1987–89 | 123 | 4,498,300 | 1.02 | 36,571 | [23][24] |
3 | $98,000,000 | $187,081,342 | The Rolling Stones | Steel Wheels Tour | 1989–90 | 115 | 3,253,563 | 0.85 | 28,291 | [25][26] |
4 | $86,000,000 | $179,128,881 | David Bowie | Glass Spider Tour | 1987 | 86 | 3,000,000 | 1.0 | 34,884 | [27][28] |
5 | $85,000,000 | $187,015,780 | Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. Tour | 1984–85 | 156 | 0.55 | [29] | ||
6 | $75,000,000 | $170,827,995 | The Jacksons | Victory Tour | 1984 | 55 | 2,750,000 | 1.36 | 50,000 | [30] |
7 | $56,278,095 | $117,221,304 | U2 | The Joshua Tree Tour | 1987 | 109 | 3,176,952 | 0.5 | 29,146 | [31] |
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 | [30] |
1990s
Rank | Actual gross | Inflation (adjusted 2025 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 | [19] |
4 | $171,677,027 | $253,067,027 | U2 | Popmart Tour | 1997–98 | 93 | 3,936,841 | 1.8 | 42,332 | [31] |
5 | $165,000,000 | $243,224,502 | Michael Jackson | HIStory World Tour | 1996–97 | 83 | 4,500,000 | 2.01 | 54,878 | [32] |
6 | $151,000,000 | $247,353,375 | U2 | Zoo TV Tour | 1992–93 | 157 | 5,350,554 | 0.96 | 34,080 | [31][33] |
7 | $142,700,000[lower-alpha 1] | $221,607,272 | Eagles | Hell Freezes Over Tour | 1994–95 | [34][35] | ||||
8 | $105,000,000 | $152,440,792 | Garth Brooks | The Garth Brooks World Tour | 1996–98 | 220 | 5,500,000 | 0.49 | 25,346 | [36][37] |
9 | $74,000,000 | $134,033,113 | New Kids on the Block | The Magic Summer Tour | 1990 | 3,291,987 | [26] | |||
10 | $70,000,000 | $114,667,127 | Madonna | The Girlie Show | 1993 | 39 | 1.79 | [38] | ||
11 | $65,000,000 | $117,731,788 | Janet Jackson | Rhythm Nation 1814 | 1990 | 117 | 2,000,000 | [39][40] | ||
12 | $62,700,000 | $113,565,894 | Madonna | Blond Ambition World Tour | 1990 | 57 | 1.1 | [41] |
2000s
Rank | Actual gross | Inflation (adjusted 2025 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 | [20] |
8 | $235,000,000 | $258,282,071 | Bruce Springsteen | Magic Tour | 2007–08 | 100 | 2,198,353 | 2.4 | 21,983 | [42] |
9 | $221,500,000 | $284,928,817 | Bruce Springsteen | The Rising Tour | 2002–03 | 120 | 3,232,384 | 1.8 | 31,081 | [43] |
10 | $210,650,974 | $231,520,723 | Bon Jovi | Lost Highway Tour | 2007–08 | 99 | 2,157,675 | 2.1 | 21,794 | [42] |
11 | $194,754,447 | $228,606,615 | Madonna | Confessions Tour | 2006 | 60 | 1,210,294 | 3.2 | 20,171 | [44] |
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 | [45] |
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 | [46] |
15 | $132,500,000 | $146,146,657 | Tina Turner | Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour | 2008–09 | 90 | 1,176,199 | 1.47 | 13,068 | [3][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 | [47] |
18 | $129,059,653 | $147,286,662 | Genesis | Turn It On Again: The Tour | 2007 | 46 | 1,262,393 | 2.8 | 27,443 | [48][49] |
19 | $126,800,000 | $144,707,880 | Justin Timberlake | FutureSex/LoveShow | 2007 | 119 | 1,600,000 | 1 | 13,445 | [50] |
20 | $126,165,542 | $165,987,635 | Paul McCartney | Driving World Tour | 2002 | 58 | 988,077 | 2.2 | 17,036 | [51][52] |
2010s
Rank | Actual gross | Inflation (adjusted 2025 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 | $275,700,000 | $275,700,000 | Paul McCartney | Out There! Tour | 2013–15 | 84 | 1,958,754 | 3.28 | 23,319 | [10][15][16] |
8 | $259,500,000 | $263,614,929 | Bon Jovi | Because We Can | 2013 | 102 | 2,657,502 | 2.67 | 27,397 | [10] |
9 | $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][17] |
10 | $250,733,097 | $250,733,097 | Taylor Swift | The 1989 World Tour | 2015 | 85 | 2,278,647 | 3.02 | 33,477 | [18] |
11 | $231,700,000 | $231,602,291 | Justin Timberlake | The 20/20 Experience World Tour | 2013–15 | 134 | 1,986,386 | 1.81 | 15,765 | [53][54] |
12 | $229,727,960 | $229,631,083 | Beyoncé | The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour | 2013–14 | 132 | 2,082,848 | 1.7 | 15,779 | [10][15] |
13 | $227,400,000 | $239,207,308 | Lady Gaga | The Monster Ball Tour | 2009–11 | 201 | 2,500,000 | 1.13 | 12,438 | [5][17][55] |
14 | $224,000,000 | $235,630,769† | Take That | Progress Live | 2011 | 35 | 2,144,977 | 6.4 | 61,285 | [17] |
15 | $219,900,000 | $235,744,494 | Metallica | World Magnetic Tour | 2008–10 | 164 | 2,744,413 | 1.34 | 16,734 | [3][4][5] |
16 | $209,200,000 | $212,517,314 | Justin Bieber | Believe Tour | 2012–13 | 133 | 2,398,514 | 1.57 | 18,033 | [9][10] |
17 | $208,008,704 | $208,008,704 | One Direction | The On the Road Again Tour | 2015 | 80 | 2,337,938 | 2.6 | 29,224 | [18] |
18 | $204,300,000 | $204,213,846 | Katy Perry | The Prismatic World Tour | 2014–15 | 149 | 1,984,503 | 1.37 | 13,319 | [15][16] |
19 | $201,000,000 | $218,115,520 | Bon Jovi | The Circle Tour | 2010 | 85 | 1,909,234 | 2.8 | 36,023 | [5] |
20 | $200,200,000 | $200,200,000 | Eagles | History of the Eagles – Live in Concert | 2013–15 | 146 | 1,434,406 | 1.37 | 9,824 | [10][15][16] |
Notes
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References
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- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 http://www.pollstarpro.com/SpecialFeatures2008/2008YearEndTop100NorthAmericanTours.pdf
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 http://www.pollstarpro.com/SpecialFeatures2009/2009YearEndTop50WorldwideConcertTours.pdf
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/Charts2010/2010YearEndTop50WorldwideConcertTours.pdf
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2012/2012YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2013/2013YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2014/2014YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2015/2015YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 http://www.pollstarpro.com/files/charts2011/2011YearEndTop100WorldwideTours.pdf
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Campbell 1993, p. 236.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.pollstar.com/news_article.aspx?ID=496504
- ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19960111&id=0a9JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rA4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=1543,2552741
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Her 1990 tour was the most successful first-time road effort by any artist, attracting more than two million fans. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 Total gross for the Magic Tour
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- ↑ Total gross for The Rising Tour
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Billboard boxscore:
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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