By RAY WADDELL
Billboard

Amid the economic turmoil of the past year, the concert business rewrote the record books as four tours took their places among the top 10 highest-grossing tours of all time.
Of course, that says as much about ticket prices as it does about the popularity of the acts. Still, this is the first time in my memory that four tours from the same year have cracked the all-time top 10.
As it stands now, the top 10 runs are the Rolling Stones' 2005-07 A Bigger Bang tour ($558 million), U2's 2005-07 Vertigo tour ($389 million), the Police's 2007-08 reunion tour ($362 million), the Stones' 1994-95 Voodoo Lounge tour ($320 million) and their 2002-03 Licks tour ($311 million), Madonna's 2008 Sticky & Sweet tour ($282 million, pending final numbers), the Stones' 1997-98 Bridges to Babylon tour ($274 million), Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's
2007-08 Magic tour ($232 million), Bon Jovi's 2007-08 Lost Highway tour ($210.6 million) and Springsteen and company's 2002-03 Rising tour ($207 million).
Some pretty historic milestone tours were knocked out of the all-time top 10 in 2008: the Eagles' 1994 Hell Freezes Over tour ($197 million), Madonna's 2006 Confessions tour ($194 million), Cher's
2002-05 Farewell tour ($192.5 million) and U2's 1998 PopMart tour
($174 million).
The rapid escalation in ticket prices did not really begin until the mid-'90s and continued well into this millennium. The Eagles caused a bit of a stir in '94 when they reunited for the first time in
16 years with a $100 ticket price, though Barbra Streisand had already shattered that ceiling the previous year. While new entries Bon Jovi and Springsteen are known for more conservative ticket pricing, the other two new entries - the Police and Madonna - carried hefty price tags.
Some would argue that attendance may be a better gauge for the top tours of all time. For the sake of giving Billboard Boxscore manager Bob Allen something more to do, we decided to compile an unofficial list of the top 10 best-attended tours of all time and see how it compares with the top 10 grosses list.
As I suspected, the Stones' Voodoo Lounge tour reigns supreme with a staggering 6.4 million tickets sold. Next is Garth Brooks' 1996-98 tour, which attracted nearly 5.5 million fans with $20 tickets. The rest of the top 10 in terms of attendance are Bridges to Babylon (5 million), A Bigger Bang (4.7 million, according to tour producer Michael Cohl), Vertigo (4.6 million), PopMart (4 million), Licks (3.5 million), Hell Freezes Over (3.4 million), the Police (3.3 million) and the Stones' 1989 Steel Wheels tour (3.26 million).
So what does the all-time best-attendance list tell us? Not much that we didn't already know: The Rolling Stones are the biggest band in the world. U2 is the second-biggest band in the world. Ticket prices are higher now than they were 15 years ago. Prices clearly have a lot to do with the top 10 grosses rankings, as only one of this year's new entrants - the Police - cracks the top 10 in terms of attendance.
If U2 tours next year as expected, we'll most likely have a new member of the top 10 grosses club. And if Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd ever opt to tour again - and likewise Brooks if he charges market value - they have top 10 spots waiting for them as well.

Wonder if they could do it again?

NO ONE CAN Right now...No one has any money...ha. i think the days are over for the really big big $$$ tours.. The Stones could still make $ but with smaller tours..

Yes I agree, they have done it (over and over) been there, bought the t-shirt, seen the video (and the DVD), and still the fat lady hasn't sung yet.

I think they can do it again with the arenas...stadium's no

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rlngstns
I think they can do it again with the arenas...stadium's no

Quite unlogical, because if they'll do it with arenas the ticket prices would be astronomical to earn the same profit.

As long as the Stones (and fifth Stone Cohl!) see lists/articles like this the longer they'll continue to bring out run of the mill, same-old stadium tours that bring in the $£$£.

Be a bit more adventurous, yes you're the biggest band, but do Stones fans really care about such lists? Personally, no.

Interesting: They are with 4 amongst the 10 biggest grossers but with 5 out of 10 highest attendance. So, who charges too much?

I would have to think that the ones that charge too much are the ones that don't offer a whole lot new. Even with the Stones' set lists being so back catalog heavy, they still have played new songs from the new album for each tour. Even Licks, for that matter. But that was probably their most inventive tour in terms of what they played. And they do haul out some good obscure tracks as well.

The Police? They had nothing new to offer - it was just for kicks - and money. They did it for the money.

Streisand? Huh? I don't get her at all. So no comment.

U2 - yeah, I get that. They continue to play their albums as well as some older obscure tunes as well as the hits.

I like those two ifs. Neither one of them will ever tour again. I think they can stop being mentioned.

I used to care about this stuff and yes it backs up my claim in another thread that more people have seen The Rolling Stones in the last twenty years than any other act but I would just like to see them play small venues, no video screens, no track clicker that Charlie plays to and play like the old days!!!

One can dream.....................

and i read on here somewhere, think it was a link to an article, that ronnie wood is nearly broke? How is that possible . . .






didn't that steven tyler guy once write, "eat the rich" yeah, whatever, f*ck you rock stars!!!!

No, it's not a thread about Ronnie being broke - that's just how it's always been. It's really the only reason the Stones continue to tour.

I'm sure The Rolling Stones will continue playing in stadiums. They are still the best stadium act of the planet and people love it, so why not ???

Stonesrule.....good name don't ya think



ROCKMAN

The Rolling Stones are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!! "Vegas act"??? Oh give me a break! ROLLING STONES BEST BAND IN THE WORLD!

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Rockman
Stonesrule.....good name don't ya think

Agreed....

The article says: "The VL Tour rules supreme".
Right on. It's maybe their best tour ever IMO.

JumpingKentFlash

I heard they're okay

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JumpingKentFlash
The article says: "The VL Tour rules supreme".
Right on. It's maybe their best tour ever IMO.

Most probably is their best Vegas-era tour musicwise.

- Doxa

Very surprised to no see Pink Floyds 89 and 94 tours are not there, they were huge.

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Doxa

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JumpingKentFlash
The article says: "The VL Tour rules supreme".
Right on. It's maybe their best tour ever IMO.

Most probably is their best Vegas-era tour musicwise.

- Doxa

Nope. For me it's their best tour all together along with 1969. Actually, I only regard 1969, some early 60s shows and 1978 as competitors to VL, B2B, ABB and Licks.

JumpingKentFlash

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JumpingKentFlash

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Doxa

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JumpingKentFlash
The article says: "The VL Tour rules supreme".
Right on. It's maybe their best tour ever IMO.

Most probably is their best Vegas-era tour musicwise.

- Doxa

Nope. For me it's their best tour all together along with 1969. Actually, I only regard 1969, some early 60s shows and 1978 as competitors to VL, B2B, ABB and Licks.

yes, but in time you'll grow out of it

I would gladly see the stones drop out of the top 10 list above if they brought their ticket prices down so that young people with less disposable income could go and see them. That, to me, would secure the bands longetivity more than being on a list where they'll be eventually ousted.

Get rid of seating on pitches and bring the ticket price down - that ought to do it!

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JumpingKentFlash

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Doxa

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JumpingKentFlash
The article says: "The VL Tour rules supreme".
Right on. It's maybe their best tour ever IMO.

Most probably is their best Vegas-era tour musicwise.

- Doxa

Nope. For me it's their best tour all together along with 1969. Actually, I only regard 1969, some early 60s shows and 1978 as competitors to VL, B2B, ABB and Licks.

We seem to view the greatness of the band from quite a different angle... It would be nice to know the criteria by which you rate, say, ABB tour better than the classical 1972/73 tours. You honestly think that it is better band in ABB CD than the one in BRUSSELS AFFAIRS?

- Doxa

wow---God himself wasn't better than BRUSSEL AFFAIRS!!!

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sjs12
I would gladly see the stones drop out of the top 10 list above if they brought their ticket prices down so that young people with less disposable income could go and see them. That, to me, would secure the bands longetivity more than being on a list where they'll be eventually ousted.

Get rid of seating on pitches and bring the ticket price down - that ought to do it!

Totally agree, this would also help bring back some of the atmosphere that was somewhat lacking recently.

Unless I've missed him, I don't see ex Beatle Macca in the list.
Surely he doesn't come so cheap?

u2 is touring mostly stadiums this summer , so the economy isnt scaring them it seems

Brussells Affair is the best performance by any rock band EVER. The Stones of today though still good do not come close to this classic recording.

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slew
Brussells Affair is the best performance by any rock band EVER. The Stones of today though still good do not come close to this classic recording.

and one day, they will open the vaults (please) and we'll be able to view in the blue-ray version......