Veteran male R&R acts had biggest 2017 world tours

World
Europe

Irish band U2 heads a list of veteran, white male rock stars who made the most money touring in 2017, according to trade publication Pollstar’s Top 20 list released on Thursday.

U2 grossed 316 million US dollars from its 30th anniversary, 50-date "Joshua Tree" tour. It was followed by hard rock band Guns N' Roses which took in 292.5 million dollars, the publication said.

Hard rock band Guns N' Roses /Pinterest Photo

British band Coldplay came in third, with 238 million dollars, on a list where Bruno Mars, 32, of Puerto Rican and Philippine descent, was the only musician of color in the top ten. Mars grossed 200 million dollars. Ed Sheeran, 26, was the youngest singer in the top ten, pulling in 124.1 million dollars.

Celine Dion, at number 11, was the top female act with 101.2 million dollars, while Lady Gaga’s “Joanne” tour grossed 85.7 million dollars for 15th place.

British band Coldplay /Pinterest Photo

At a whopping 1,500 average dollars, Bruce Springsteen’s limited Broadway run had the highest ticket prices and grossed 87.8 million dollars to give the “Born to Run” singer 14th place.

The touring numbers mark a strong contrast with US music sales and streaming preferences, where hip hop and R&B music this year became the most consumed music genre, according to a July Nielsen Music report.

Celine Dion performs "My Heart Will Go On" at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. /Reuters Photo

The top 20 tours grossed 2.66 billion dollars in 2017, a record high and an increase of more than 264 million dollars from 2016, Pollstar said.

Its ranking is based on ticket sales data and does not include revenue from merchandise which can add a sizable chunk to tour earnings.

(Top image credit to Reuters: Irish group U2 receive an award at the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards.)

Source(s): Reuters