The music industry's touring economy has been a hot topic lately, and it's time to dive into some fascinating insights. The most popular touring artists of the new millennium might not be who you expect!
Pollstar, the concert trade publication, has revealed its list of the top 25 most popular touring artists since 2001, and it's a mix of iconic names and some surprising entries. Leading the pack is Coldplay, with an incredible 24.8 million tickets sold. U2 comes in second, followed closely by Ed Sheeran. But here's where it gets interesting: Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift round out the top five, with Swift's debut only dating back to 2006!
The list, published ahead of Pollstar's 2025 year-end issue, is based on ticket sales from 2001 to 2025. It's a comprehensive look at who's been drawing the biggest crowds over the last two decades.
And this is the part most people miss: ticket sales and money grossed are two different metrics. While Swift's Eras Tour was the first to cross the billion-dollar mark in 2023, Coldplay leads the pack in terms of tickets sold, with a gross of nearly 2.5 billion.
In fact, Swift's Eras Tour brought in an astonishing $2.2 billion across its nearly two-year run, solidifying its place as the highest-grossing tour of all time. But Coldplay's Music of the Spheres tour, which also launched in 2022, has cumulative grosses reaching $1.39 billion.
The Weeknd's After Hours 'Til Dawn Tour also made headlines, officially crossing the $1 billion mark last month, according to Live Nation.
Now, here's a fun fact: only four women made it into the top 25. Pink, Beyoncé, Madonna, and Swift are the female powerhouses on this list, with Swift being the sole woman in the top 10.
So, who do you think deserves the title of the most popular touring artist? Is it about ticket sales, or the money grossed? And what about the impact of these tours on the music industry as a whole? These are the questions we should be asking.
Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments! Let's spark a discussion about the business of music and the artists who captivate audiences worldwide.
