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. With those guidelines listed out, let's take a look at nine of the biggest concerts in American history. Matt Melis, 44. The first artist to do that, Joel also broke the record for solo performances at The Garden, previously held by Sir Elton John, when he played his65th concert on July 1, 2015. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $563,300,000 In truth, so was his creativity as a songwriter. When the tour was announced in 2002, Cher claimed that it would be her last (spoiler alert: it wasnt), and planned a massive, glittery farewell for herself with an incredible 326 stops. 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. Hence, the tour got its unforgettable nickname: Phish Destroys America. Matt Melis, 52. One of two tours on the list that is still announcing new dates, Billy Joels "Billy Joel in Concert tour so far has booked 16 dates for 2019. On the eve of their UK tour, Joe Strummer went missing as a publicity stunt-turned-actual scare. & Rakim, and elder statesman Whodini in a revue-style format that left no doubt that there was a new type of music on the block. See More by this Creator. 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). The kings of the genre shared the stage back in 2002, though, proving it had rightly emerged as a force to be reckoned with. Like Madonna, Bon Jovi, and Metallica, U2 is one of the biggest bands in the world. Bob Marley and the Wailers -- Uprising Tour (1980), Bob Marley might best be thought of as an ambassador: for reggae, his native Jamaica, Rastafarianism, and human rights. Total tour attendance: 2.21 million storytelling. Nina Corcoran, Def Jam in the mid-80s can be compared to Motown in its heyday. To that end, most Stacker stories are freely available to Taylor Swift: Reputation Stadium Tour, #16. Her eighth toursupporting her 11th album"Hard Candy, the "Sticky & Sweet tour was Madonnasleast controversial tour. Guns N RosesandMetallica- Stadium Tour (1992), Its difficult to imagine a better pairing. For starters, it was the tour that gave us Live at Montreux, her first-ever concert film, capturing how powerful her delivery is onstage for anyone to see. Rod Stewart at Copacabana Beach (1994) - 4.2 million attendees. Nina Corcoran, 05. Matt Melis, 41. republish under a Creative Commons License, and we encourage you to Year(s): 200506, Concert films have become a major trend over the last several decades, and U2s "Vertigo tour wasno exception. Pink Floyd- The Dark Side of the Moon Tour (1972-73), Concertgoers can be a tough crowd to please. Year(s): 200811. 1966 marked the first time that Stax Records the spiritual home of Memphis Soul had sent its artists out on tour, and Reddings 1967 European Tour met with ecstatic fanfare six months later. By Erik Hedegaard. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. (Malik left in the spring of 2015. On the sprawling Out There tour, the average setlist included 39 songs, a smattering of superstar cameos, and some comedic asides from Paul. Kanye West, of course, but especially Kanye during the Yeezus era. Total tour attendance: 3.44 million A loose narrative about Frank trying to break into show business connected a series of avant-garde performances, including the pencil-mustachioed Waits singing Innocent When You Dream in a bathtub and hammering on boiler room steam pipes during 16 Shells from a 30-Ought Six. And yet, when it finally hit the road, Roger Waters' tour managed to be even better in person than any press could've described. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). It was a transformation of human expectations, stage design, and low-to-high delivery, thankfully captured on film for preservation. 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. Total tour attendance: 3.65 million 1 Name Just One - 10 to 1: Music . Matt Melis, 18. Nothing new, or exciting, or experimental had popped up in a number of years. Despite winning Album of the Year at the Grammys, Arcade Fire still performed with an exuberant, impassioned, almost amateaur energy that recalled their early years, the type of intense live delivery that suggested the band was leaving it all on the floor just for you, that very night, right before your eyes. Many fans got to hear that robot pop sound live for the first time, not to mention see instruments like synthesizers, vocoders, and homemade electronic percussion devices stand in for standard rock and roll gear. concert hall Terms of Use. The Eagles One of These Nights Tour (1975), Ah, this ones for the dads. -- Matt Melis, 31. Nina Corcoran, 90. By the time they branched out in 1976 to play new venues in other cities, their reputation had to have proceeded them. Total tour attendance: 2.07 million Not only had Simon found his spark again in his mid-40s, but he had also turned the masses on to the worldbeat sound. All Rights Reserved, Accessibility He had toured extensively with both The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, playing before royalty, debuting many of his most famous calling cards in concert (including his single glove, sequined jacket, and the moonwalk), and touring the songs off hit solo albums Off the Wall and Thriller with his siblings. The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang Tour, 100 best sci-fi films of all time, according to critics, Best New Artist winners, ranked by popularity today, most successful musical acts of the 1970s, the greatest rock & roll band in the world, Coldplays breakthrough single, "Yellow,, marked the first time in over two decades, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1. by Madison Marx, 2023 Vivid Seats LLC. Total tour attendance: 6.0 million Equal parts fantasy and character development about an emasculated youth, the record's plot translated to the stage through a bizarre combination of grotesque costumes, hundreds of slides, and the largest drum kit ever used by Collins. Jackson had hits, set touring records, and even played before royalty with his siblings. Talking about a rollercoaster of emotions. To this day, critics and fans alike have proclaimed that theyve yet to see anything quite touch these shows. Nina Corcoran, 25. 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. 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. 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. --Matt Melis, 94. Beginning with my taking the bus to see Depeche Mode at Gloucester Leisure Centre in 1984. And live, he could flaunt that wide range of material while flaunting why he is, more than anything else, a born performer. While on vacation with his wife in Fiji,Keith Richards took a hard fall out of a coconut tree and suffered a major concussion. The Top 100 Music Festival Lineups of All Time, The Top 10 Music Venues in 10 American Cities. Consider it Americas belated response to the British Invasion. They also went on a year-long tour, primarily playing thesongs on the compilation, but sprinkling in a handful of other band favorites. Total tour attendance: 3.55 million However, in 1993, the band began to splinter. Just over a year after her older brother Michael had rewritten every rule for what a pop tour or a music tour in general could be, kid sister Janet Jackson set out on her own record-setting tour. In other instances, a concerttour transcends live events and is a culturalmoment. Its just a question of which version of Young reigns supreme onstage: the solo folkie, the &Y sometimes added to CSN, or maybe the grunge godfather backed by Crazy Horse. 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. 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 the most miraculous part was that Madonna transcended all the hype by offering a larger-than-life event. In that, the Pop Disaster Tour essentially led to Green Days reprise. 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. And this tour was big. To have seen Hendrix during this period might have been too blinding to fully appreciate. The tour thrilled millions, sent Prince even higher into the stratosphere, and pissed off Tipper Gore. Matt Melis, 17. The Big Time shows captured those two worlds colliding. They were merely a group of local musicians who came together for a paid gig (the album recording) and then ended up getting enough paid gigs after that (for both Springsteen and other musicians) that it made sense to become a band. Is it legit? Iggy and the Stooges - 1970 Summer Tour (1970), Iggy Pop is another one of those rock stars who has had nine lives. Tina Weymouth rocked back and forth with her bass, a sneaky grin on her face. And luckily enough, we were able to score 16 seats (with 8 on the floor) for the biggest concert that year! Matt Melis, 54. (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. - Quora Answer (1 of 12): The mid 80s was my initiation to concert attendance by myself; away from the bosom of my parents, who enjoyed gigs and took us kids too. Do your parents know youre Ramones? the band famously get asked in Rock n Roll High School. Thanks to streaming services and the preference of audiences for singles,album sales are down overall, but it's clear fans are still willing to pay to see their favorite artists in person. But now things are looking up again way up. Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation Tour (1989), Stardom runs deep in the Jackson family. 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? Florence + the Machine- How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful Tour (2015), With each passing year, Florence + the Machine seem to thrive on lifes most daunting moments, and never was it more evident than during their tour in support of How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. Matt Melis, 56. by Alyssa, April 04, 2016 1 $817,900,000: $870,000,000: Elton John: Farewell . 1 spot on the charts. live concert The band used an aerial photo of the concert in the liner notes of its . Not even when the footage got edited into the Big Time concert film did anything really make sense. Luckily, nobody told that to Tina Turner, or at least she didnt pay them any attention if they did. Stacker has rounded up 30 of the top-grossing music tours of all time. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Wrecking Ball World Tour, #14. It marked the zenith of the Eagles as a country-rock outfit, and many argue the band has never soared higher. Whether it was fearlessly taunting a lightning storm at Lollapalooza or lunging into the audience at indoor shows throughout the tour, Florence Welch showed the type of full-faced courage that fills the band's music with tangible flashes of life. In an era of eclectic festivals and post-nu-metal, it may not seem so groundbreaking, but to bring these genres together 30 years ago absolutely busted down doors and changed how fans thought about different types of music. 2. Paul McCartney- Out There Tour (2013-15), No musical artist appears on the average bucket list in concert form more than Paul McCartney. After striking shrapnel on their joint cover of Public Enemys Bring the Noise, Scott Ian and Anthrax took to the road alongside Chuck Ds crew, with each night culminating in the two acts joining each other onstage for the tours namesake jam. Youre almost levitating on the energy from the audience, says Keith Richards. Maybe not, but soon enough everyone else did. Blink-182andGreen Day- Pop Disaster Tour (2002), Pop punk is as serious or as childish as you want to choose to see it. 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. Aerosmith- Get a Grip Tour (1993-94), Bostons finest had run through all the emotions, sweet and otherwise, by the time their late-80s comeback catapulted them back to the top of the hard rock world. The moment of truth at a Whitney Houston concert came every time a note passed her lips. Their biggest album, "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You, topped charts in 1983, but in 2008 they were still going strong. To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste into A Tribe Called Quest finally did a tour of sorts: the 2017 summer festival route, including Pitchfork Music Festival, FYF Fest, Panorama, and more. [emailprotected]. From Led Zeppelin's U.S. debut to Jay Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' spectacle, and beyond, SST Records Producer Glen Spot Lockett Dead at 72, Glastonbury Co-Organizer Promises Female Headliners in 2024 After All-Male Top Billing This Year, There Were Sidemen. Buyer pays for return shipping. The band reunited for 156 shows, playing theirfinal show at Madison Square Garden. Tell me you wouldn't kill to see that live. In doing so, youre agreeing to the below guidelines. In many ways, the Highway to Hell Tour can be seen as Bon, on his last tour, handing the mic to Brian to continue down that satanic highway. and Mastodon - 2007 Spring Tour (2007), The biggest difference between looking back on remarkable tours versus remarkable concerts is what the full package includes. 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. Almost a decade later, they booked a proper string of dates from 2006 into 2007 and got busy creating what would retroactively be named the Alive 2006/2007 tour. Heres everything you need to know. Ozzy Osbourne- Diary of a Madman Tour (1981-82), In their early days, Black Sabbath received a polarizing (but consistent) reaction in the States: adoration from fans and mehs from critics. Wonder had you fooled, though, as the shows lasted over three hours without a single dip in energy or mood. The famed beach in Rio De Janeiro was the scene of one of the biggest rock shows EVER, when the legendary band performed to 1.5 million fans on 18 February 2006. . Another wildly popular Bruce Springsteen tour, "The Rising Tour began a week after the release of Springsteens 12th studio album, "The Rising." Onstage, she proved how she was born to be an artist. The alternative dream was still alive . Matt Melis, 58. Total tour attendance: 2.67 million Napalm Death's 1988 album knocked Sonic Youth out of the No. By the time they returned for 16 dates traversing the country the following year -- most of which lasted only about 30 minutes and included several other acts on the bill -- Beatlemania was in full effect. 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. by Vivid Seats, November 30, 2022 At this point, The Who were settling into their role as rock superstars. But mix that new sound with one of the biggest films of the decade, Saturday Night Fever, and one of the worlds sexiest young stars, John Travolta, and not only did the Bee Gees pull disco off of life support, but they found themselves in the middle of a pop-culture moment that people still talk about today. Year(s): 2017 present. Nina Corcoran, 60. With eight digital sources acting as video streams, LED screens projected various video and lighting effects that the band could add effects to on the fly. Others would say the band was never better than when setting endurance records on a nightly basis on the Wrecking Ball Tour. The bands Autobahn Tour configuration has gone down in history as their classic touring lineup. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,181,298 live music The legendary Beatle has everything going in his favor from the start and yet continues to outdo himself and the expectations set for him every time he hits the stage. The English rock bandPink Floyd formed in 1965. Give Orange. New Jersey bandBon Jovi appeared on the scene in 1980 with big hair and electric smiles. -- Matt Melis, The frenzy has its own name: Beatlemania. Just like the music itself, the tour was a dazzling, repetitive, blisteringly loud spectacle, pushing each person to sensory overload. 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. She rose to a new level of fame that was pulled off gracefully as expected --even prompting aSimpsons sketchfrom Matt Groening himself. On his first solo concert tour in five years, Kanye went hard amping up his own personality, mythos, and talent with a stage design that felt like a medieval quest for a self-declared deity. Nina Corcoran, 11. Sitting atop their glowing pyramid, Daft Punk seemed to be the total opposite of the crowd: rigid, unreadable, and robotic compared to the audience's freeform, blissful, sweaty dancing. 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. However, now that Sabbath has officially closed shop as of 2017 and Ozzy Osbourne insists his latest farewell (No More Tours II) will be his last extended goodbye, we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a potentially Ozzyless concert slate for the first time in decades. 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. There was a particular round of dates during this era, though, that stand extra tall in hindsight: their stretch with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs opening. The disaster resulted in the tragic deaths of 7 concert-goers. Shows played: 85 ), 02. 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. released their major label debut and after Mastodon made theirs. Gene Simmons was Uncle Sam, and he wanted YOU in his army. Nina Corcoran, 91. Which was more awesome, The Joshua Tree or Zoo TV? We limited each artist to just one tour, to promote inclusion and diversity, and strived to include tours of various genres and eras. Total tour attendance: 2.0 million He can be reached at mlevy@njadvancemedia.com. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $556,500,000 107 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 . They didnt stay a duo for long, swiftly being joined, and left, by a variety of other musicians. 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. 1980s Uprising Tour was the largest in Europe that year and saw Marley playing several new countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. by Madison Marx, January 31, 2023 Not all iconic tours are flawless, as sometimes its their flaws that make them stand out. But the tour saw him try to outdo himself with a smile once more, whether that was digging out songs that had been untouched for nearly 30 years, like "Long Tall Sally", or touring Asia for the first time in 13 years (and treating them to "Another Girl", marking the first time a Beatle ever played the song live). and more. Though we lost her much too early, millions across the world had the chance to witness Houstons gift on journeys like The Moment of Truth World Tour. Few tours captured that glimmer of dancing under a disco ball quite like LCD Soundsystem's 2010 tour behind This Is Happening. With multiple tributes to Phife Dawg, moving pauses where Q-Tip and Jarobi White stood off to the side for Phife's verses to be played over the speakers while his image flashed on screen, and '90s hits being sung back to them, word for word, from audiences of all ages, the tour felt like a moment solidifying their place in history: right now, back then, and forever more. While it may have been unusual for its time, everyone from Depeche Mode to Bjrk have cited the band as a major influence. Its funny how history tells a slightly different story, though. -- Matt Melis, 84. This seminal, month-long run in the band's history is the tour that could turn the most oblivious listener into a cultish fan. While it promoted the album, it also served as the backdrop for their next record, Yessongs, a live album that captured what it was like to hear them without studio gear tweaking things. 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. Year(s): 199495. The band has backed Bruce Springsteen from his debut album, "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. in 1973, but, contrary to popular belief, they werent always Springsteens band. Arcade Fire- The Suburbs Tour (2010-11), When touring behind The Suburbs, Arcade Fire was at the perfect crossing point of the famous indie rock band it had become. The Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge Tour, #3. While both acts are fun in their own right, having the bands perform back to back turned venues like The Fillmore into proper discotheques, where the spirit of live dance bands felt as palpable as ever (though maybe it was the sweat that was palpable, in hindsight). 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. Everyone from KISS to Marilyn Manson owes Cooper a debt for losing his head like that. held between 1980 and 1996 at . Comments. Nina Corcoran, 92. Total tour attendance: 2.66 million Triumph 1985 Thunder World Tour Concert Rock 1980's Vintage T-shirt Condition: New with tags Last One Price: US $16.95 Buy It Now Add to cart Add to Watchlist Returns accepted Ships from United States Shipping: Standard Shipping. distribution partner, email us at Matt Melis, Few punk rock bands cause as much of a ruckus before even getting to the stage as the Sex Pistols, which explains why their first and last US tour was one in the same. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: The River Tour 2016, #21. He was working on new graphics! Nina Corcoran, 40. Some even claim he invented the stage dive during these years. "Next to You. That was the first song on their 1978 debut LP. Every fan of the band will have their own favorite maybe a tour where they spent weeks following Jerry Garcia and co. but were going to go with the Deads spring slate in 1977. 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. 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.