Have you ever wondered what the highest-grossing tours of all time are? Then look no further, as we’ve put together a list of the top five.
The profits from these tours were made from ticket sales and the rankings are based on reports from Pollstar and Billboard.
Many will come as no surprise, as these music juggernauts certainly know how to put on a show that fans are clamouring to see.
We’ll also look at which mega-selling artists on the tour you can book VIP tickets for via Seat Unique - so you can see the tour for yourself with the best seats in the house.
1. Taylor Swift - £810,242,530
Fans are asking ‘Is “The Eras Tour” the highest-grossing tour?’ and they’d be right - because Tay Tay is in first place.
Taylor has broken records by creating the first-ever tour to bring in more than $1billion in revenue (that’s £780million).
‘Eras’ has run throughout 2023 and 2024, and when it finally finishes at the end of this year it will have spanned 152 shows across the globe.
The tour comprises 40 songs over 10 acts (or, eras), and has reached critical acclaim worldwide. It has also featured support acts such as Paramore and Sabrina Carpenter.
Though the gigs are now finished in the UK, you can register your interest with Seat Unique in case Taylor announces any more plans to tour here in future - and see her in VIP style.
2. Elton John - £732,179,101
After deciding that he wanted to retire from touring to spend more time with his kids, Sir Elton John’s ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour’ was his last ever.
The tour consisted of a humongous 330 dates, and it ran from 2018 until 2023.
The UK portion of the tour culminated in an epic headline set at Glastonbury, which Elton told the BBC was, “No more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans”.
The legendary singer made over £732million from the tour, which certainly isn’t to be sniffed at.
Containing classic songs such as ‘Bennie and the Jets’, ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘I’m Still Standing’, the tour was the highest-grossing tour of all time… until Taylor beat him to it.
Maybe he’ll come back out of retirement to reclaim the crown? We can only hope and wish.
3. Coldplay - £632,301,057
Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour is number three on the list - and the good news is that the tour is now extending into 2025, including six huge new shows at Wembley that you can be at.
VIP tickets for the 2025 dates are on sale now.
The tour showcases songs from the band’s ninth album, ‘Music of the Spheres’, as well as their upcoming new album ‘Moon Music’, which is due out later this year.
A feast for the eyes, the tour is everything that Coldplay fans have come to expect when it comes to the band, with a beautiful use of colour, confetti and pyrotechnics throughout.
If you want to know more about the tour, you can find out more here.
Ed Sheeran - £605,194,368
Ed’s ‘÷ Tour’ (otherwise known as the ‘Divide Tour’) ran from 2017 to 2019, off the back of his third album, ‘÷’ (or, ‘Divide’).
With 260 shows and an attendance of 8.9million people, Ed smashed the record books for the highest-grossing tour and the most number of tickets sold for a tour at the time.
Ed was supported by acts such as James Blunt and Joshua Radin on the tour.
And now the singer has announced new European dates for his ongoing stadium tour ‘Mathematics’ for 2025, reports NME.
As a result, his fans are wondering if he might add some UK dates, after he’s finished in the likes of France, Spain and Denmark. Maybe Ed can tip Taylor off her perch and become the highest-grossing concert of all time in the future?
You can be one of the first to find out if the singer adds any VIP seats to a potential UK tour by registering with Seat Unique - and can see Ed in style via our booking platform.
U2 - £481,321,325
U2’s 360° Tour took place between 2009 and 2011, on the largest stage ever constructed at the time.
The stage was circular, and allowed the audience to view the band from all directions - with a huge spaceship-like structure called ‘The Claw’ overhead, which beamed out video and sound.
With their unique stage, the band were able to fit in 25% more people into the venues they played at - and raked in over £480million, making it the highest-grossing tour at the time. Not bad!
The band, known for their philanthropic efforts, also beamed in messages from the likes of Desmond Tutu and Aung San Suu Kyi during their 110 shows across the globe.
Are you a fan of live music? Don't miss out on VIP packages for upcoming pop and rock concerts in 2024/25. Explore the available options here and secure your spot now for a night that you’ll never forget.
Comments