Katarina Benzova; Kevin MazurNow that we’ve reached the mid-point of the year, Pollstar has counted up the money and listed the artists who pulled in the most on the road worldwide so far in 2017. Topping the tally are Guns N’ Roses, who grossed $151.5 million on their Not in This Lifetime tour, which features the return of founding members Slash and Duff McKagan.
Other rock acts in the top 10 of Pollstar’s list of highest-grossing worldwide tours are U2 at #2, Depeche Mode at #5 and Red Hot Chili Peppers at #6.
U2 took in just over $118 million with their tour marking the 30th anniversary of their biggest album, The Joshua Tree. Synth-rock veterans Depeche Mode brought in $68.2 million with their trek promoting their latest record, Spirit. The Chili Peppers, touring behind their 2016 album The Getaway, earned $60.5 million.
Other rock acts with high-grossing world tours this year include Bon Jovi at #17 with $39.1 million, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at #18 with $38.1 million, and Green Day at #19 with $34.3 million.
As for rockers on Pollstar’s list of the top-grossing North American tours, U2 is at #1, Metallica at #2, Red Hot Chili Peppers at #3, Bon Jovi at #6 and the Grateful Dead spinoff band Dead & Company rounds out the top 10.
Overall, the top 50 worldwide tours grossed a total of $1.97 billion, just shy of last year’s record $1.98 billion. The actual number of tickets sold, though, increased, due to a small drop in the average ticket price, which now stands at $84.40.
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