List of the Largest Concerts Ever. With those guidelines listed out, let's take a look at nine of the biggest concerts in American history. Notable, but, sure, normal for McCartney's lively stamina. However, it was a chance to see our favorite rain dog performing some of his finest material at the height of his quirky powers. The most famous instance came between songs at a concert in Manchester. U2 has. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $326,058,136 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - The So Far Tour (1974), Getting along doesnt always make for the best music. 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. Thats what makes the groups earlier tours so intriguing. Despite trying to do the opposite, The Cure became a stadium rock band, the bands outside relationships fell apart, and they almost broke up. And luckily enough, we were able to score 16 seats (with 8 on the floor) for the biggest concert that year! Its a particularly impressive feat when you consider that the band, which by this time had been performing together for 30 years,had just lost a member. Not only had Simon found his spark again in his mid-40s, but he had also turned the masses on to the worldbeat sound. So, in hindsight, its not incredibly shocking that they turned to disco in the mid-70s. Genesis- The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway Tour (1974-75), Few prog rock tours are as infamous as Genesis' jaunt in support of The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, the band's sixth studio album and last with Peter Gabriel as the lead singer. When he and his band took the record on tour, it seemed like it may be too grim to work. Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, #29. And who can blame him? Ever since his days as a Beatle, Paul McCartney has been wildly popular. The bands Autobahn Tour configuration has gone down in history as their classic touring lineup. Shows played: 159 Total tour attendance: 3.23 million Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Astroworld Festival Nov. 5, 2021 Houston, Texas Concert deaths: 9 On the sprawling Out There tour, the average setlist included 39 songs, a smattering of superstar cameos, and some comedic asides from Paul. Sure, there were other labels putting out hit singles and records, but no other could boast a stable of hip-hop talent like Russell Simmons and Rick Rubins Def Jam. One of them included a pair of failed albums with The Stooges to start their careers a beginning so disappointing (and drug-addled) that the band parted ways for a time. 107 of the biggest stars from the '80s are on tour in 2023 including Madonna, Guns N' Roses, Bruce Springsteen, Duran Duran, The B-52s, Metallica, Reba McEntire, Ice Cube, Billy Idol and Kenny . Year(s): 200809, Celine Dions "Taking Chances World Tour marked her return to the touring circuit after taking an extended break for her first Las Vegas residency, "A New Day The tour wasdirected by Jamie King, who also directed Madonnas "Confessions World Tour, and included lots of new material from Dions album"Taking Chances, as well as several of her classics like "My Heart Will Go On and "The Prayer., Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $329,889,628 -- Matt Melis, 55. It was the first time wireless mics would ever be used onstage. While seeing the band break big is incredible on its own, the fact that a handful of remarkable bands shared the stage with them on the tour makes it even more iconic in retrospect: Sonic Youth, Melvins, Hole, Mudhoney, Bikini Kill, Shonen Knife, The Breeders, and more. 10. Roger Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, embarked on a solo career in the mid-1980s. The 40 Most Anticipated Tours of 2023: Taylor Swift, SZA, Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys, Beyonc, and More Angel Olsen, Big Thief, Coldplay, Dry Cleaning, Fever Ray, Glorilla, Kelela, and more of the. So, not only did Pennimans comeback remind his fans that he had once shaped rock and roll, but he directly influenced the two most popular bands of the 60s. Top Contributed Quizzes in Music. The tour opened ona cathedral backdrop with biblical scriptures booming from the speakersand men dressed as monks filling the stage, before quickly shifting into Madonnas #1 hits "Girl Gone Wild and "Material Girl. Later in the show, Madonna pulled out a fake gun and "shot multiple people, a move that didnt go over well with some audience members. "The Farewell Tourwas no exception. tour, Cher committed to being over the top, which meant dancing through a variety of costumes or playing into the vaudevillian tinge of her voice. She announced her tour shortly after performing at the Super Bowl that winter and tickets sold out -- without anyone knowing what was to come. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Tina Turner-- Break Every Rule World Tour (1987), The history of the music industry tells us that youre supposed to retire in your mid-40s, not make a comeback and set out on your most ambitious tour yet. Check out SoundMojo to discover tomorrow's. The stage setup was ambitious! Discover with Concertful the best upcoming concerts, gigs and music festivals taking place in your area. Nina Corcoran, 37. Do they have fees? 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. Guns N' Roses: Not in This Lifetime Tour, #2. 29. In a genius move, he signed with Elton Johns management team the same year, and the rest, as they say, is history. Nina Corcoran, 53. Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon Tour (1972-73), Concertgoers can be a tough crowd to please. Shows played: 89 Nina Corcoran, 75. Still, if we have to pick one tour, we have to go back to the purported beginnings of Wayne Coynes infamous hamster ball, which permits the smiling weirdo to visit his fans in bubble-boy style. What began in August of 1991 stretched into a worldwide tour until the end of February in 1992. Ouch. It was the opportunity to watch an artist put on a fully immersive production that was parts story, groove, and liberation, and Mones ability to do so this smoothly was a sign of what was to come. The British pop-rock band, fronted by Chris Martin, has had a series of wildly successful albums over the past two decades. It didn'tcome without controversy, though. The Big Time shows captured those two worlds colliding. 1. In 2013, he embarked on his solo"Out There! tour, during which he played 91 gigs, sang a total of 3,631 songs (an average of 40 a show)including 13 that hed never performed beforeanddrank zero glasses of water while on stage. The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge Tour, #3. . Nina Corcoran, 27. Those shows broke box-office records across the US previously held by The Rolling Stones as magician and skeptic James Randi introduced a series of gruesome stage effects, freakiest of all a guillotine beheading that put the roll in rock and roll. The chance to see Hendrix in smaller clubs already playing with his teeth and, yes, lighting his guitar on fire (often to the consternation of security) months before Americans got to see it overseas feels like the ultimate sneak preview. Luckily, theres plenty of footage of Marleys final performances and message, including a sold-out stadium show thats still considered to be the largest concert in Italian history. The short winter tour in intimate venues across the US ended with two nights at Bowery Ballroom mere hours before Christmas. In 2012, Madonnas "MDNA Tour, which followed the release of her 12th studio album of the same name, was thehighest-grossing tour of the year. Both legs were out of this world, but lets face it: one just makes for a slightly cooler story to tell the grandkids -- Matt Melis, 15. LL Cool J, Whodini, Eric B. Talking to Radiohead fans about their favorite moments in the bands career is like pouring a bucket of fresh food into a pool of piranhas. Total tour attendance: 6.39 million Total tour attendance: 3.50 million There are a few guidelines and ), 02. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,181,298 As rain started to fall on the 450,000 in attendance at the concert which was being broadcast worldwide and raising funds for a childrens park Ross, in a tight, orange bodysuit, hair and robe gracefully blowing in the wind as rain ran down her face, addressed the crowd. In 1991, Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette was opening on tour for Vanilla Ice and probably still best remembered in America for being one of dozens of childhood stars regularly slimed on Nickelodeon in the 80s. Total tour attendance: 4.85 million Total tour attendance: 3.65 million To borrow from Ms. During their reunion shows in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, Jawbreaker gave generations new and old the chance to hear their material live and sounding better than most everyone expected them to, too. In fact, one thing you notice about Marleys tours is that each one found him visiting places he had never played before. Shows played: 110 Nina Corcoran, Tom Waits had left his drunken piano lounge act long behind him by the mid-80s and stumbled into his alter ego of Frank OBrien, a character he and wife Kathleen Brennan would both incorporate into his records and adapt for the stage. For a few years, the Rolling Stones held the title for the top-grossing tour of all timethanks to their "A Bigger Bang tour. On their 1970 tour, The Who hit the road to support the recently released Tommy. June 10, 1982. Though he's been touring ever since he was a preteen, Wonder's live shows have only gotten better with age, which explains why his recent Songs in the Key of Life Tour was so remarkable. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $674,547,559. Total tour attendance: 2.21 million Nina Corcoran, 91. At these events, fans could see established acts like Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and James Brown supported by future stars like a teenage Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and The Temptations. (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. Matt Melis, 57. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Wrecking Ball World Tour, #14. Paramorew/Tegan and Sara - Honda Civic Tour (2010), Though it's very much a sponsored event (and in no way tries to hide it), the annual Honda Civic Tour is a blessing for pop, rock, and punk fans, especially kids who rarely get to see big acts in suburban areas because of age restrictions. Public Enemy and Anthrax - Bring the Noise Tour - (1991), Aerosmith and Run-DMC had already proven that hard rock and hip-hop could play nice together, but Anthrax and Public Enemy discovered what acts like Rage Against the Machine would soon learn: the politics of hip-hop and muscle of metal could amplify their already booming calls of injustice tenfold. However, the tour didnt get off to an equally great startRolling Stonecalled the tours opening nights "inhibited," pointingto tech and tonal issues. By the time they branched out in 1976 to play new venues in other cities, their reputation had to have proceeded them. The other half of the tour, she brought her full band back to bring the new material to life with a bit of edge, proving she can do it all no matter how famous she is now 15 years deep into her career. republish under a Creative Commons License, and we encourage you to And Then There Was David Lindley, See the Beths Deliver Refreshing 'Expert in a Dying Field' Mini-Set on 'CBS Mornings', The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point, Trump Promises to Continue Presidential Campaign if Indicted, Then Delivers a Snoozy CPAC Speech, NBA 'Investigating,' Team Suspends Ja Morant After Allegedly Flashing Gun on Social Media. Stacker believes in making the worlds data more accessible through Matt Melis, 34. At 73 years old, he was the inspiration for youthful elders everywhere. However, the Bad World Tour was the moment Jackson took over the world and truly became the King of Pop. Sufjan Stevens- Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant on Ice (2012), Out of everything in his toiling discography, its arguably Sufjan Stevens yearly voyage into holiday music that makes him so intriguing. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have never stopped since the release of 1980's Boy. It was a transformation of human expectations, stage design, and low-to-high delivery, thankfully captured on film for preservation. It was a moment in time where people across the world got to witness Bowie before them and realize, yes, this was a rock star about to take his position at the forefront for generations. Nina Corcoran, Whats bigger than god? And while every NIN fan will have their personal favorite, many would agree that Reznor and band were never tighter or more invested than on their Fragility Tour, which just so happened to feature a then virtually unknown band called A Perfect Circle opening on the 2.0 leg of the trek. On the Victory Tour, his last stint as a Jackson, he actually performed his solo albums Off the Wall and Thriller with the group and stunned the world with his moonwalk, single glove, and sequined jacket trademarks hed take with him into his solo career. "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. Terms of Use. Divorced from Ike Turner and with their glory days together well in her rearview mirror, Turner not only reignited her career with a series of energetic tours in the 80s and 90s, but she actually found her star burning brighter than ever. 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. by Madison Marx, January 12, 2023 Still, it felt like the odd couple were truly homeward bound when they ended their 10-year separation to play before half a million in their now legendary Concert at Central Park. And who can forget those skin-tight pants and spangled jackets? 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. Phish leveled up and its impossible to deny. It was the tour where a swatch of die-hard fans who would follow them on tour intentionally decided to fall off, certain Radiohead could never top a tour like this again. Their solution also mimicked Motowns strategy throughout the 60s. Like Madonna, Bon Jovi, and Metallica, U2 is one of the biggest bands in the world. They also went on a year-long tour, primarily playing thesongs on the compilation, but sprinkling in a handful of other band favorites. Year(s): 2012. -- Matt Melis, 84. by Stephen Spiewak, July 20, 2016 YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Top 10 Most Iconic Music Concerts of All Time WatchMojo.com 25M subscribers Subscribe 182K views 1 year ago #TheBeatles #WMMusic Want more music? Hey, hey. He had a hit movie, a hit soundtrack, and, with The Revolution behind him, the band hed always wanted. What was the best concert you attended during the 1980s? 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. OutKast at Emory University (September 1999) (Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc) The late '90s/early 2000s was a great time to be a college student. If youre hoping to hear some of your favorite tracks from yesteryear live, heres a list of the 50 biggest groups across all genres you can catch live this year. Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, #16. Its funny how history tells a slightly different story, though. As a blend of pop, soul, rock, and hip-hop, the album showed how versatile Mone was in creating music. 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. tickets sale Pop and the Stooges would go on to get their due as a seminal proto-punk outfit, but their largest impact may just be Pop demonstrating the lengths a frontman could go to connect to an audience. However, Floyd fans who saw the first leg of The Dark Side of the Moon Tour got a preview theyll never forget (and one the rest of the universe will forever be insanely jealous of). Although the decade of excess ended over 32 years ago, many of the biggest bands that grew up in the MTV era, like Sting, Duran Duran and Blondie, are still touring in 2022. Year(s): 2017 present. It was the first tour not to feature original drummer Peter Criss, and the touring debut of his replacement Eric Carr. The most popular metal band of all time touring with the most popular metal band of that time. Stacker has rounded up 30 of the top-grossing music tours of all time. So catching them during their prime would've been a treat not just for their youthful dexterity to play complex parts, but for the general bond that could be felt onstage before bitterness took over. In a sense, they still havent found what theyre looking for, but are well ahead of schedule in their quest. by Madison Marx, 2023 Vivid Seats LLC. Still, if we can only revisit one U2 tour, it would be 1983s War Tour, before many of their best-known hits came to dominate radio and prior to Bono becoming a slicked-back, leather-clad god who wears sunglasses indoors. Boz Scaggs - Summer 2023 Tour - Chevalier Theatre Boz Scaggs - Summer 2023 Tour Wed May 17th - 8:00PM Tickets Buy Drinks SEAT TYPE: Fully seated PRICE: $55 - $299 Bio It's appropriate that Boz Scaggs' new album is Out of the Blues, since the blues is what first sparked his five-decade musical career. live concert The band's synthpop was at a musical peak, as was their energy. performing arts Comments. With each band performing 45-minute sets with no encores, it was a fair and evenly distributed event, showing no bias except for maybe who could play the loudest each night. It was a dream combo, as the bands were touring behind the newly released Brand New Eyes and Sainthood, respectively. Blink-182andGreen Day- Pop Disaster Tour (2002), Pop punk is as serious or as childish as you want to choose to see it. On top of this, the 1970 tour saw their iconic headlining set at the Isle of Wight Festival. Nina Corcoran, 74. The kings of the genre shared the stage back in 2002, though, proving it had rightly emerged as a force to be reckoned with. On the eve of their UK tour, Joe Strummer went missing as a publicity stunt-turned-actual scare. They took to the stage at 2 AM with John Entwistle donning a skeleton onesie and Keith Moon acting giddy as ever, a seamless culmination of everything The Who represented as a band and the classic rock genre at large. Back in 2003, the White Stripes had just released Elephant and were in the midst of defining the garage rock revival. share our stories with your audience. 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.