The year’s most successful concerts broke records for revenue and attendance, with artists such as Taylor Swift, Coldplay and Bruce Springsteen leading the way.
With 65 performances across Europe , Asia and Oceania by 2024, Forbes estimates Swift has raked in $1.15 billion before taxes and fees, with pre-tax earnings of $400 million — $100 million more than she made last year. According to Forbes , her fortune is now conservatively estimated at $1.5 billion.
It was also a record-breaking year for the music industry at large, with Pollstar reporting year-over-year increases in the number of tickets sold, the number of shows, and total grosses for artists. Additionally, 2024 marked the highest average price ever recorded for a ticket, reaching nearly $127 per seat.
“There’s no question that it’s more expensive to tour than ever before,” said agent Jbeau Lewis , who represents Latin trap megastar Bad Bunny (who ranks No. 7 this year). “Evolutions in technology and ticket pricing like Ticketmaster ’s dynamic model have allowed high-end tours to make more money than ever before, which offsets much of that increase in costs.”
Having a significant fan base at each tour stop is key to success, according to Peter Paterno , the veteran music lawyer who signed Queen ’s first U.S. record deal. “Some tours aren’t good, because they’re booking shows where they don’t have the fan base,” he said, citing Jennifer Lopez ’s canceled 2024 tour as an example.
Overall, Forbes estimates that the top 10 touring artists collectively grossed more than $3 billion between January and the end of August, up nearly 10% from the same period last year. Other notable artists this year include Coldplay , whose Music of the Spheres tour earned the band an estimated $131 million, and billionaire Bruce Springsteen , who racked up $101 million on another tour with the E Street Band .
Next year’s top grossers could look very different, with Swift ‘s Eras era coming to an end in December. To date, some big names, including Billie Eilish , Metallica , and BTS , have already announced tours for 2025. And if Oasis ‘ long-awaited reunion tour lasts longer than Jane’s Addiction , the Britpop band could find themselves on next year’s roster.
These are the 10 highest grossing concerts in the summer of 2024:
1. Taylor Swift
The Eras Tour | Number of shows: 65
Grossing in 2024: $1.15 billion | Earnings: $400 million
In addition to playing 65 shows this year, Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department , in April, which became the most-streamed album in Spotify history within its first 12 hours of release. The songs quickly made their way onto the setlist for her Eras tour , with new outfits to match, including a white Vivienne Westwood dress covered in lyrics from the album. Swifties were soon able to purchase a T-shirt with her likeness on the dress (for $45), earning Swift an additional $70 million in merchandise alone, including clothing, postcards, and other tour items.
2. Coldplay
Music of the Spheres Tour | Number of shows: 40
Grossing in 2024: $302 million | Earnings: $131 million
Chris Martin and company have dethroned Elton John ’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road tour as the biggest rock act in history in terms of touring grosses. John held the record with $939 million in 2023, but now Coldplay surpasses it with $946 million and counting. Even more impressive are the 8.8 million tickets sold since the band kicked off their tour in 2022, surpassing previous record holders U2 , who sold 7.3 million tickets.
3. Zach Bryan
Quittin’ Time Tour | Number of shows: 63
Gross in 2024: $318 million | Earnings: $113 million
Zach Bryan ‘s melancholic brand of country has made him the highest-earning country artist of 2024, with earnings estimated at $113 million to date. The Navy veteran and » Something in the Orange » singer still has performances scheduled across North America through the end of the year, meaning more money is on the way for him.
4. Bruce Springsteen
Springsteen and E Street Band 2024 Tour | Number of shows: 36
Gross in 2024: $250 million | Earnings: $101 million
New Jersey ’s favorite son , Bruce Springsteen , headed to Europe for the 2024 leg of his world tour with The E Street Band , generating an estimated $101 million in earnings. With these proceeds, Forbes estimates Springsteen’s fortune now stands at $1.2 billion. The Boss earned his place in rock history by representing the working man; ever true to his egalitarian ethos, audio recordings of every show on the tour are available online, while a documentary about the tour will debut on Hulu on October 25.
5. P!nk
Trustfall Tour | Number of shows: 44
Gross in 2024: $267 million | Earnings: $87 million
The Pennsylvania singer’s Trustfall tour , which features P!nk , 45, performing aerial stunts, has made another 44 stops in 2024, entertaining more than 2.1 million fans. This puts her second only to Taylor Swift in terms of total concertgoers in 2024 to date, raking in an estimated $87 million.
6. Bad Bunny
Most Wanted Tour | Number of shows: 63
Gross in 2024: $208 million | Earnings: $76 million
After taking 2023 off to recharge, Bad Bunny wrapped up his Most Wanted tour with an estimated $76 million in earnings. Performing primarily in Spanish, the 30-year-old King of Trap proved that Latin music is a mainstream genre. “If you go to a Taylor Swift show , sure, maybe most of them speak English, but probably a lot of them speak Spanish, too,” his agent Jbeau Lewis told Forbes . “And so there can be a lot more cultural crossover than we imagined,” he added.
7. Madonna
Celebration Tour | Number of shows: 47
Gross in 2024: 135 million | Earnings: $63 million
Madonna continued to dominate the stage in 2024, earning an estimated $63 million during the final leg of her Celebration Tour. With these earnings, Forbes estimates her fortune now stands at $877 million. The 66-year-old Material Girl closed her tour with a free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which drew an estimated 1.6 million people, breaking records for the largest audience for a stand-alone concert and the largest crowd in history for a female artist.
8. Justin Timberlake
Forget Tomorrow Tour | Number of shows: 33
Gross in 2024: $128 million | Earnings: $55 million
A DUI arrest in June didn’t dampen the » Cry Me A River » pop star’s world tour. Justin Timberlake earned an estimated $55 million from the Forget Tomorrow tour , with more than a million tickets sold, according to Pollstar . In addition to delighting fans with hits like » Sexyback » and » Mirrors ,» the 43-year-old Timberlake ‘s show included performances atop a multi-story floating platform.
9. Luke Combs
Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour | Number of shows: 28
Gross in 2024: $167 million | Earnings: $54 million
After going viral in 2023 for his cover of Tracy Chapman ‘s iconic » Fast Car , » Luke Combs has had a huge 2024, earning an estimated $54 million from his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old tour across North America . In 2025, he’ll be hitting Oceania , where he’ll play his first shows in Australia and New Zealand .
10. U2
UK: Achtung Baby Live Tour | Number of shows: 15
Gross in 2024: $86 million | Earnings: $51 million
Despite playing just 15 shows this year at Las Vegas ’ Sphere , the Achtung Baby rockers raked in an estimated $51 million before taxes, which translates to an impressive $8 million per show. The most surprising thing? The Sphere ’s technological capabilities , which include seats that vibrate to the beat of the sound system, and a relatively small capacity of around 17,000 people.
METHODOLOGY
Figures represent 2024 pre-tax earnings from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, minus management fees, attorneys, agents, and operating costs for touring. Sources include data from Billboard and Pollstar , as well as interviews with industry experts and analysts.
