REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Keystone via Getty ImagesTours by The Beatles, Michael Jackson, The Grateful Dead, Madonna and Jimi Hendrix are among the historic concert treks appearing high on a new list of the “Top 100 Greatest Tours of All Time.”
The list, compiled by the independent ticket marketplace Vivid and Consequence of Sound, ranks “the most significant, groundbreaking and memorable concert tours” ever.
At #1 is The Beatles’ 1965 U.S. tour, which happened at the height of Beatlemania and included memorable shows at Shea Stadium in New York City and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Jackson’s 1987-1988 Bad World Tour is #2 on the list because — amazingly — it was his first official solo tour. The elaborate pop production showed that when it came to singing, dancing and fashion, MJ had no equal at that time.
The Grateful Dead’s spring 1977 trek lands at #3 on the tally. The outing included a May 8 performance at New York’s Cornell University that’s considered by many fans to be the “holy grail” of Dead concerts.
Madonna’s 1987 Who’s That Girl World Tour is #4 on the list. The sold-out global trek drew record crowds, and featured a larger-than-life multimedia setup, stage and costume changes, setting the standard for all future female pop star concerts.
At #5 is The Jimi Hendrix Experience‘s first U.K. tour in 1967, where many music fans — and famous musicians — were first introduced to the rock legend Hendrix’s transformative guitar mastery.
Also in the list’s top 10 are The Who‘s 1970 tour at #6, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band‘s 1978 Darkness Tour at #7, Prince and the Revolution‘s Purple Rain Tour of 1984-85 at #8 and David Bowie‘s Ziggy Stardust Tour of 1972-73 at #9.
Check out the whole list on VividSeats.com.
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