Top 10 Highest Grossing Tours Ever

Looking back at nearly four decades of touring, Billboard Boxscore compiled a list of the highest grossing tours ever. While neither Taylor nor Bey's 2023 tour grosses were accounted for on this list early reports are indicating they blow all 10 tours below out of the water.

That isn't to say the artists listed and their financial impact are not impressive -- see which artists made the list twice!

10. Roger Waters - The Wall Live

Tour Gross: $458,673,798

In 2010, former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters hit the road on The Wall Live tour, marking the first time that any member of the group had performed The Wall in its entirety since 1990. Roger took the show around the world, playing 219 shows over the course of three years. By the end of the tour, he had brought in $458 million -- which would be closer to $576 million today if accounting for inflation.

9. Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams Tour

Tour Gross: $523,033,675

Coldplay's A Head Full of Dreams Tour hit the road in 2016 and over the course of just a year and a half, the group performed 114 shows around the world. At the end of the tour’s run in late 2017, the band had brought in over $523 million.

8. The Rolling Stones - No Filter Tour

Tour Gross: $546,515,799

In 2017, The Rolling Stones kicked off their No Filter Tour, which saw them play 58 shows around the world. Despite playing significantly less shows than other artists on this list, the group still performed to over 2.8 million fans and brought in an impressive $546 million.

7. The Rolling Stones - A Bigger Bang Tour

Tour Gross: $558,255,524

The Rolling Stones' long-lasting career has helped earn the group two spots on the list of highest grossing tours. In 2005, they kicked off their A Bigger Bang Tour and played 147 shows around the world. By the tour’s conclusion in 2007, they had performed to over 4 million fans and brought in $558 million -- which in today’s economy would be more than $787 million.

6. Coldplay - Music of the Spheres World Tour

Tour Gross: $561,200,000

Coldplay may still be in the middle of their Music of the Spheres World Tour but it’s already become one of the highest grossing tours ever. Since kicking off in 2022, the band has performed to over 5 million fans and they have dates scheduled through 2024. So far, the tour has brought in $561 million and is sure to bring in even more by the end of its run.

5. Guns N' Roses - Not in This Lifetime... Tour

Tour Gross: $584,200,000

In 2016, Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan reunited for Guns N' Roses’ Not in This Lifetime... tour. It marked the first time since 1993 that the trio had performed together. The tour spanned over three years and saw the band play 158 shows which was significantly more concerts than they had initially intended. By the end of the run, the tour had brought in over $584 million.

4. Harry Styles - Love on Tour

Tour Gross: $590,300,000

Harry Styles just wrapped up Love on Tour, which took him on the road around the world for almost two years. After several Covid-related delays, the tour kicked off in September 2021 and after performing 165 shows for over four million fans, Harry took his final bow in July 2023. By the end of the run, the tour had grossed over $590 million.

3. U2 - U2 360° Tour

Tour Gross: $736,421,584

When U2 hit the road in 2009, they set out to play stadiums around the world in support of their album No Line on the Horizon. They ended up on the road for the next two years, performing to over seven million fans. Over the course of 110 shows, the tour grossed $736 million -- and when that’s adjusted for inflation, it’s well over $900 million.

2. Ed Sheeran - ÷ Tour

Tour Gross: $776,200,000

Ed Sheeran spent two years on the road, taking the ÷ Tour around the world from 2017 to 2019. By the end of his 255 shows, Ed had broken several touring records, including the most tickets sold by an artist, coming in at a whopping 8,796,567 tickets sold. At the time, the tour also became the highest-grossing tour ever.

"What Ed has accomplished is truly incredible…to even be in the same ballpark as [U2] or spoken in the same sentence with a touring act like that is very humbling," Ed's manager Stuart Camp said in a statement.

1. Elton John - Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour

Tour Gross: $939,100,000

In 2018, Elton John embarked on his final tour ever, Farewell Yellow Brick Road. Over the course of the next few years, including a Covid-related break, Elton performed 330 shows for six million fans around the world. By the end of the tour, Elton had brought in over $939 million, officially breaking his friend Ed Sheeran's record.