Highest Grossing Concert Tours
Each year, Billboard assembles rankings of where the money is going in the music industry. Although industry revenues have declined in recent years, live performances still continue to reliably pad the pockets of popular entertainers. With concert tours stretching around the world, live shows offer a unique experience that cannot be downloaded.
It’s also an experience for which fans were willing to shell out almost $4 billion worldwide last year, up 13 percent over 2007, according to Billboard. In North America, the average per-show box office gross was up 18 percent, with average per-show attendance up 6.3 percent. So, who made the most at the box office in the last year? Click ahead to find out!
By Paul ToscanoPosted 3 Feb 2009
15. Billy Joel
Total gross: $41,133,051
Total attendance/capacity: 424,984/430,548
Number of shows: 29
Number of sellouts: 25
Average ticket price: $97.00
14. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus
Total gross: $45,376,189
Total attendance/capacity: 816,421/816,421
Number of shows: 57
Number of sellouts: 57
Average ticket price: $55.58
13. Michael Bublé
Total gross: $46,333,163
Total attendance/capacity: 640,674/646,889
Number of shows: 85
Number of sellouts: 67
Average ticket price: $72.30
12. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Total gross: $47,382,901
Total attendance/capacity: 1,103,256/1,229,524
Number of shows: 120
Number of sellouts: 67
Average ticket price: $42.95
11. Van Halen
Total gross: $49,017,853
Total attendance/capacity: 462,349/470,536
Number of shows: 44
Number of sellouts: 41
Average ticket price: $106.00
10. Rascal Flatts
Total gross: $55,863,364
Total attendance/capacity: 941,827/967,726
Number of shows: 65
Number of sellouts: 58
Average ticket price: $59.30
9. The Eagles
Total gross: $56,625,336
Total attendance/capacity: 427,231/436,075
Number of shows: 34
Number of sellouts: 27
Average ticket price: $132.55
8. Spice Girls
Total gross: $70,123,272
Total attendance/capacity: 581,066/595,220
Number of shows: 45
Number of sellouts: 34
Average ticket price: $120.70
7. Neil Diamond
Total gross: $81,206,383
Total attendance/capacity: 834,689/834,689
Number of shows: 61
Number of sellouts: 61
Average ticket price: $97.30
6. Kenny Chesney
Total gross: $86,306,618
Total attendance/capacity: 1,187,622/1,252,227
Number of shows: 46
Number of sellouts: 25
Average ticket price: $72.67
5. Celine Dion
Total gross: $91,006,221
Total attendance/capacity: 738,947/755,710
Number of shows: 44
Number of sellouts: 36
Average ticket price: $123.15
The Police
Total gross: $149,623,800
Total attendance/capacity: 1,468,705/1,492,947
Number of shows: 78
Number of sellouts: 71
Average ticket price: $101.80
3. Madonna
Total gross: $185,696,018
Total attendance/capacity: 1,357,906/1,369,452
Number of shows: 39
Number of sellouts: 38
Average ticket price: $136.75
2. Bruce Springsteen
Total gross: $204,513,630
Total attendance/capacity: 2,094,851/2,181,839
Number of shows: 82
Number of sellouts: 46
Average ticket price: $97.60
1. Bon Jovi
Total gross: $210,650,974
Total attendance/capacity: 2,157,675/2,157,675
Number of shows: 99
Number of sellouts: 99
Average ticket price: $97.60
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