All recounts of the tour point to how amused and bitter Johnny Rotten seemed to be, not to mention Sid Vicious' struggling attempts at bass. The band reunited for 156 shows, playing theirfinal show at Madison Square Garden. The complex arrangements on the new album saw her performing more nuanced, in-depth material both instrumentally and vocally. and more. Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz Bookmark. concert series Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $301,000,000 It was also the year she curated Meltdown Festival, where she performed Horses in its entirety for the first time ever, giving fans a transformative experience. If youre hoping to hear some of your favorite tracks from yesteryear live, heres a list of the top 50 bands from all genres you can catch live this year. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $291,414,474 The 50 Greatest Concerts of the Last 50 Years From Led Zeppelin's U.S. debut to Jay Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' spectacle, and beyond By Christopher R. Weingarten, David Browne, Jon. Suddenly, Aerosmith found themselves shifting millions of units, saturating the telly (along with Alicia Silverstone), and even making movie and late-night cameos as Wayne Campbells excellent favorite band. What was the best concert you attended during the 1980s? Conversely, if the same band neglects their back catalog, we can feel cheated on that account. The concerts and tours that made the final cut werent just huge spectacles, they deepened the power of rock & roll itself from Neil Young thrashing out 20-minute jams with Crazy Horse to Beyonc turning stadium glitz into a personal outpouring. 1 spot on the charts. and Mastodon - 2007 Spring Tour (2007), The biggest difference between looking back on remarkable tours versus remarkable concerts is what the full package includes. Do they have fees? But still, to see them for the first time had to be wild: a gang of four delinquents in black leather jackets, Joey looming like a giant, Dee Dee barking out the count, and that wall of noise hitting an audience right on the chin. 2. Not too shabby. Matt Melis, Since she first asked, Where did our love go? as a Supreme, Diana Ross has been a national treasure. Send a Message. And there to flesh things out even more was a star-studded list of openers like Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, R.E.M., and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Today's Top Quizzes in The Rolling Stones. Whether its equipping fans with boom boxes, shooting lasers from giant hands, or frontman Wayne Coyne emerging from projections of giant glowing vaginas, the Lips put on a confetti-coated feast for the eyes like few others. A series of instruments were created and brought on tour to specifically illustrate the technological aspect of music. 8 Pink Floyd - 75,250 While its true that Iggy and the Stooges failed to sell records early on, its also documented that the unpredictable outfit put on some of the most intense shows anyone had ever seen. It was the first time The Wall would be performed in its entirety by any member of Pink Floyd since Waters performed the album live in Berlin 21 July 1990! Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, But lets not forget that MJ became a star as the focal point of these family-based groups long before he was dubbed the King of Pop. Site Map Those who saw it had no idea they were seeing My Bloody Valentine on their last tour ever, as the band chose not to play again until reuniting over 16 years later in 2008. Though most of the setlist centered around the recently released Court and Spark, it was a proper dive into her career and evidence of her influence to come: Big Yellow Taxi, Both Sides Now, Blue, A Case of You, and more. Elton John, Foreigner, Queen and Eric Clapton hit the road. Does it get any better than that? -- Matt Melis, Pop wouldn't be weird without the help of Kate Bush, and that includes her aura on the live stage. Maybe that pain fueled the music. Jorge Ben Jor at Copacabana Beach (1993) - 3 million attendees. While it may have been unusual for its time, everyone from Depeche Mode to Bjrk have cited the band as a major influence. "USA for Africa," as the U.S. ensemble was known, featured Jackson, Richie, Geldof, Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Stevie Wonder, and many. Winning comparisons to The Beatles forboth their popularity and their British origins, their "Where We Are Tour was the groups fourth and final tour as a complete band. Matt Melis, 57. List of the top 20 highest-grossing tours (by actual gross, not adjusted for inflation) of all time Rank Actual gross Gross adjusted for inflation (2023 $) Artist Tour name Year(s) Shows Attendance Average gross per show (millions) Average attendance per show Average gross per attendee Ref. It was only because his records were still selling overseas that the founding father of rock agreed to take Sam Cooke and tour Europe in 62. The habitually topless Pop became famous for his reckless frontman antics, slithering about onstage, smearing his body with hamburger meat or peanut butter, and even cutting himself with shards of glass. The list below was born out of some pretty serious arguments. These days, shes very much a pop artist, and her sixth studio album, "Reputation, proves it. Four days before the first date of the tour, Beyonc dropped Lemonade, a surprise visual concept album complete with a 65-minute film and 12 staggering songs. Matt Melis, 17. Richards said he only "spent a couple of days in the hospital; it later came out that hed actuallyhad brain surgery to remove a blood clot resulting from the fall. Its so iconic that its routinely covered today (down to every last detail) by The Musical Box, a Genesis cover band that Gabriel himself donated instruments and set design pieces to so the tour can reach a new generation. Madonna- Whos That Girl World Tour (1987), Madonna didnt invent the pop concert. Asking ourselves, "Would we want to go back in time to check out this show if we had tickets?". The disaster resulted in the tragic deaths of 7 concert-goers. While the group sometimes cringed at trying to harmonize over stadium-ready guitars and sound systems, their mix of acoustic and electric sets are legendary and could go on for more than three hours. Its a moment in time where both the group and their fandom was becoming larger than life -- yet the group was still blissfully unaware of how huge they would all get in a few years, both as a unit and as individuals, with Frank Ocean, Tyler, the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Syd tha Kid, and others rocketing upwards into successful solo careers. Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, #29. Total tour attendance: 4.13 million Eventually, the tour hit its stride, bringing in $300 million over its 14-month run. Total tour attendance: 5.50 million Celine Dion: Taking Chances World Tour, #17. Credit Gene Simmons and co. for understanding that its just rock and roll, stupid! Watching the band onstage, it was impossible not to feel her energy transmit to onlookers, encouraging them, too, to seize as much as possible out of life in any given chance. -- Matt Melis, 33. Simon and Garfunkel-- Summer Evening Tour (1981-83), Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were destined to sing together. AC/DC didnt so much replace Bon as they went out and found another brother with the same electric current pumping through his veins. Despite a long line of revolving band members, the Nine Inch Nails frontman has always managed to push the live experience to its edges, creating a cathartic, communal experience for fans that owes as much to mud and sweat as it does to high-tech rock-show theatrics. and Mastodon announced the co-headlining tour during critical points in both bands' careers, especially since it was just before Against Me! The Top 100 Music Festival Lineups of All Time, The Top 10 Music Venues in 10 American Cities. Talking about a rollercoaster of emotions. Is it legit? 1 (their first in a string of four chart-toppers) on the strength of Henley-Frey singles, and this would be the last time founding member Bernie Leadon would be a part of the band. Matt Melis, 58. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have never stopped since the release of 1980's Boy. Top Contributed Quizzes in Music. The album won critical acclaim for how well it captured the feelings and aftermath of 9/11. restrictions, which you can review below. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Wrecking Ball World Tour, #14. It influenced the decades that followed for its sound, its attitude, and its unorthodox touring strategy, suggesting maybe we didnt know what punk rock had to offer, or what it could take away either. Instead of indulging her indie rock or manic solos of the past, Annie Clark leaned hard into her St. Vincent persona for Masseduction, her fifth studio album. Over a stretch of roughly three months, she brought a jazz and rock fusion to her sound with the help of a proper backing band -- a first for Mitchell, whose previous tours mainly consisted of her playing solo. On the live stage, Jack and Meg Whites crunchy, loud, perfectly imperfect sound came stomping out, unabashedly messy and all the more charming because of it. Nina Corcoran, 20. The success of that one-off night in September 81 led Simon & Garfunkel to put harmonies before harmony and embark on what many consider their finest tour ever. your CMS. In that, the Pop Disaster Tour essentially led to Green Days reprise. Total tour attendance: 2.66 million December 3, 1980 Previous Dynasty Tour Next 10th Anniversary Tour The Unmasked Tour was a 1980 concert tour by the hard rock group KISS. Shows played: 167 by Madison Marx, January 31, 2023 tour dates The band used an aerial photo of the concert in the liner notes of its . We cant say for certain. By the time the 73 leg started, the album was already a smash, and the band had blown up to stadiums and arenas rather than more intimate venues like theaters. Married in 2005, the country music powerhouses teamed up for this three-year-long party, singing hits from both of their solo repertoires, as well as some of their fan-favorite duets like "In Anothers Eyes., Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $415,280,347 Though Earl Sweatshirt was still nowhere to be found, it was essentially Odd Future in full form, goofing off onstage, flexing their cadences, and occasionally incitingso-called riots. The trick became how to showcase all that talent, not to mention a style of music still very much in its infancy, and present it to the world. In touring behind Guero, Beck showed off his noodly dance moves, how well his '90s material had aged, and his ability to still feel cool as a dad. Shows played: 115 Against Me! While Simons project put him in some political hot water at the time due to issues of apartheid in South Africa, most critics and crowds around the world came to love these songs both on record and onstage, where Simon embraced the culture he had borrowed from by deferring to his fellow artists and sharing his own jubilant performance. The White Stripes - Elephant Tour (2003), There's a boldness that comes with the territory of being a two-person band. Elton John- 1974 North American Tour (1974), Elton John is taking his time and sparing no expense on his current farewell tour. The Def Jam 87 tour packaged seminal hip-hop acts like Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Erik B. Cyndi Lauper. And I miss it when Im not doing it. Here are the people whove done it best. The shows themselves saw Prince, oozing sexuality, dive right into the best of Purple Rain and 1999, not hesitating to bring out openers Apolonia 6 or Sheila E. to sing along or to extend a jam by 20 or 30 mesmerizing minutes. The truth is that many of the same fans who had championed Dylan, revered his songwriting, or looked to him as the voice of their generation thought of plugging in as a waste of talent and a desecration of his message. The footage that exists of the tour shows a rock band still in its prime with Mercury playfully teasing the crowd in between showing off some of the greatest pipes in rock history. Matt Levy covers the live entertainment industry, writing about upcoming concerts, festivals, shows and events. They brought the squawkish guys in Beastie Boys on tour in support of Raising Hell, only to bring them out again for Together Forever, a tour that showed not only that rap deserved to blow up, but that young rappers did, too. But when scouring through live bootlegs from back then, the 1997 fall tour stands out because of how energized the jam band sounds -- and when it comes to Phish shows, its the energy in the air that can turn an already memorable performance into one that feels like magic. It would be one of the first times that Redding, the equivalent of a powerful locomotive as a performer, would look out and see predominantly white faces in one of his audiences. Matt Melis, Rock doesn't get better than The Who, and what better way to challenge the notion of ruff and tough classic rock than an opera? Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $674,547,559. And thats precisely what she did. In a sense, they still havent found what theyre looking for, but are well ahead of schedule in their quest. concert hall The stage setup was ambitious! A Tribe Called Quest- 2017 Summer Tour (2017), Though they've reunited intermittently over the years for one-off performances, it was A Tribe Called Quest's unexpected album We Got It from Here Thank You 4 Your Service -- their first LP in 18 years, during the recording of which Phife Dawg passed away -- that revitalized their music and their legend at large. Though she's already blessed with one of the all-time greatest voices of any artist, Beyonc's choreography, stamina, and ability to never lose her breath was astounding. With larger venues and gigs on the doc, the band amped up their live antics, playing into the role of frenetic antics and volume-heavy material. For close to a decade, and through several of their other tours, the "Voodoo Lounge tour was the Rolling Stones top-grossing tour. Someone in the audience shouted out Judas!, prompting Dylan to turn to his band and order them to play it fucking loud. The Hawks obliged, and rock and roll has never been the same since. Musically, they seemed to have it all together, but the band was months away from falling apart. Twain was the perfect blend of show woman, sex appeal, and girl power, which translated into a country-flavored pop show with crossover appeal that hadnt been seen since Garth Brooks proved country and rock and roll belonged onstage together earlier that decade. Like many iconic bands before and after them, critics didnt initially get Zeppelin, panning their records as derivative and unimaginative. The Rolling Stones' 1969 tour was one of the first legendary rock events. The demand for more shows extended the reunion longer than anyone expected, a fever dream nobody wanted to end, but one we were lucky to have in reality at all. arts center The bands Autobahn Tour configuration has gone down in history as their classic touring lineup. (Note: NJ.com readers using Vivid Seats for the first time can get $20 off ticket orders over $200 with promo code NJ20 at the register. released their major label debut and after Mastodon made theirs. Young packed plenty of new material into the shows, which he divided into two parts: a solo acoustic set and an electric set with Crazy Horse. 1 UK independent chart position and proved the genre was a force to be reckoned with, and everyone got the message by the time the Grindcrusher UK tour started. Matt Melis, Some might equate Pearl Jams live show with a young, longhaired Eddie Vedder scaling stage scaffolding and leaping into a sea of denim and flannel. Hislongest concert ever took place during this tour, clocking in at just over four hours. Total tour attendance: 2.20 million Like Madonna, Bon Jovi, and Metallica, U2 is one of the biggest bands in the world. With the release of Guero, his ninth studio album, Beck found a new string of singles -- like "E-Pro" and "Girl" -- to hook audiences with. But if were talking the moment that Bruce and band really became Kings of the Road (or maybe Bosses), that would have to be the Darkness Tour. Total tour attendance: 2.07 million More than anything else, it was a tour marked by a rigorous routine full of strenuous dance movements -- moves so intense that she developed a break and labral tear of her right hip come the end, as if we couldn't already tell Gaga gives performances her all. And for the final touch? On the sprawling Out There tour, the average setlist included 39 songs, a smattering of superstar cameos, and some comedic asides from Paul. On the eve of their UK tour, Joe Strummer went missing as a publicity stunt-turned-actual scare. The Flaming Lips- 2003 Summer Tour (2003), The Flaming Lips have been weird for a very long time and have pushed the boundaries of live spectacle as much as, if not more than, any other band of their era. 1980s ZZ Top Eliminator Red Satin Roadie Tour Concert Jacket USA small Condition: -- "Pre-owned" Price: US $99.00 No Interest if paid in full in 6 mo on $99+* Buy It Now Add to cart Best Offer: Make offer Add to Watchlist Ships from United States Shipping: US $10.55Expedited Shipping. by Will, December 15, 2014 All Rights reserved. by Madison Marx, December 05, 2022 Arcade Fire was the band whose live shows spread like wildfire. Other touring locations included London, New Zealand, South America, and Japan. Announced at a news conferenceheld under the Brooklyn Bridge, the Stones "Bridges to Babylon tour supported their album of the same nametheir 23rd U.S. studio album. Like Santa himself, Stevens packed every toy he could imagine: inflatable toys, excessive hats, neverending garland, and one giant wheel to be spun at shows to decide which traditional Christmas songs should be added to a setlist of original Christmas songs. Year(s): 201417, Unlike Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks is a huge believer inplaying the old stuff. There were so many great bands and amazing songs that it's hard to narrow it down to just a few. Matt Melis, 44. And this tour was big. Nina Corcoran, 65. Do they have fees? Nina Corcoran, 92. The data have been pulled from a compiled list of sources, and concerts have been ranked by the tours gross (adjusted for inflation). My, my. Luckily, hes getting to follow that Yellow Brick Road one last time. That tells you about all you need to know. Comments. Its no surprise, then, that this long-anticipated tour set attendance records at each of its stops and resulted in a hit HBO special, a successful VHS release (later DVD), and a multi-platinum live album -- not to mention several subsequent tours. Astroworld Festival Nov. 5, 2021 Houston, Texas Concert deaths: 9 When did Kanye hit his stride? By the mid-1980s, the rock and roll scene had begun to feel a little stale. Maybe not, but soon enough everyone else did. Shows played: 159 --Matt Melis, 93. Joanna Newsom- Have One on Me Tour (2010), Though one could say Joanna Newsom continues to outdo herself in live settings today, the singer-songwriter and harpist outdid herself in 2010 while touring behind the triple-LP Have One on Me. -- Matt Melis, 55. A record-setting $10.4 billion was spent in 2018 on concert tickets around the world. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $506,821,305 tickets sale & Rakim, Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew, and Public Enemy. Nina Corcoran, 76. Looking back, those who caught Morissettes Cant Not Tour can safely say they saw the artist who solidified the place of women in 90s alternative rock truly coming into her own onstage. Jean Michel Jarre at State University of Moscow (1997) - 3.5 million attendees. Of all the punk tours of the 2000s, its hard not to look at this 2007 trek and wish you were there. Wonder had you fooled, though, as the shows lasted over three hours without a single dip in energy or mood. In addition, U2 had astage set that was 164 feet high that accompanied them to every venuetwice the height of the previous stage set record. Not only did the tour break the record for the highest-grossing tour, but the bands Oct. 25, 2009date at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also holds therecord for the highest attendance at a single concert with over 97,000 people. By proving they could outdo Blink-182 in a live comparison, Green Day stood out before release American Idiot shortly after and securing their spot as the pop punks who aged well and had fun doing it. The tour also spawned the groupsonly live album"Live in Buenos Aires, recorded at the final show. Total tour attendance: 6.0 million For the first time since 1994, Radiohead performed in Mexico, and they made their live debut in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile come the end of the tour. "The Farewell Tourwas no exception. Depeche Mode- World Violation Tour (1990), One of the most popular tours among Depeche Mode fans and electronic fans in general, the World Violation tour saw them kick off 1990 in style. Discover with Concertful the best upcoming concerts, gigs and music festivals taking place in your area. by Alyssa, June 25, 2015 Each stop on his 1993-94 world tour featured the likable cowboy rising up amid pyrotechnics, leaping from platforms around the stage, and even soaring across the venue high above his audience. Voices that feel like forces of nature that need tamed just enough to fit into the confines of a song. Kate Bush was adamant about dancing as she sang, using movements that were broad and wide, the type that would get you tangled in a cord should you try. But perhaps more importantly, it was a bill stacked with powerful women, a first for the Honda Civic Tour and one that paved the way for other acts that followed. U2 certainly fit that category, and the choice is made all the more difficult because theyre the type of band thats evolved so much over the years. We also dont always know that a goodbye is taking place. U2 has. They had something to prove, and their 1968 North American tour saw them go from supporting bands like Vanilla Fudge, Country Joe & the Fish, and Iron Butterfly to headlining the very same tour, culminating in concerts like one in Boston where the band transformed one albums worth of material and a handful of popular covers into more than four hours that left everyone spellbound. Watching them turn into the geniuses they would become was surreal, a vision of genuine artistic joy and collaboration.