Global tours - stadiums only

[U2girl]

Next stadium band ? How about no one.

C'Play won't surpass their current popularity IMO, and no one else comes close.

edit: why isn't Vertigo tour mentioned int this thread ? They did stadiums everywhere but US, and they did visit S. America, Japan, NZ and Australia...

 

[Yahweh]

No one probably would be the safest bet.

 

[cypress]

Right now, in this economy, I agree that no one would be the best bet.

My best guess as to who would be able to pull it off in the near future would be Green Day. They are known internationally and well known in the USA and seem to play well to large crowds. In 2009 they've played in arenas although they are going to play a couple of stadium shows next summer in the UK.

 

[ijwthstd]

Right now, in this economy, I agree that no one would be the best bet.

My best guess as to who would be able to pull it off in the near future would be Green Day. They are known internationally and well known in the USA and seem to play well to large crowds. In 2009 they've played in arenas although they are going to play a couple of stadium shows next summer in the UK.

Green Day weren't even filling most U.S. arenas this time.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Next stadium band ? How about no one.

C'Play won't surpass their current popularity IMO, and no one else comes close.

edit: why isn't Vertigo tour mentioned int this thread ? They did stadiums everywhere but US, and they did visit S. America, Japan, NZ and Australia...

Well, the criteria is that to be included, the Stadium tour has to have played across North America and Europe. Vertigo did not play any stadiums in North America except in Mexico. Oh and there is Hawaii which since it is part of the United States has its figures included for North America.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

i honestly think the next big stadium act will be Kings of Leon and not Coldplay. Kings of Leon outsold Coldplay by almost double here in the UK on their latest albums!

Well, right now there are lucky if they can fill an arena here in the United States and at relatively low ticket prices.

To put this whole thing into perspective, in order to do a tour like 360, the artist at a minimum has to be able to gross over $300 million dollars just to be able to cover the cost. The only artist at this point to have topped $300 million are The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, and The Police.

 

[andyuk]

Well, right now there are lucky if they can fill an arena here in the United States and at relatively low ticket prices.

To put this whole thing into perspective, in order to do a tour like 360, the artist at a minimum has to be able to gross over $300 million dollars just to be able to cover the cost. The only artist at this point to have topped $300 million are The Rolling Stones, U2, Madonna, and The Police.

They sold out the Garden pretty quickly i know the prices were cheapish but they sold out and since then they have had a No1 album in US and had massive success with Sex on Fire & Use Somebody. I know their not in U2 league yet but i feel they have the most potential out of all the current acts for worldwide appeal.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

They sold out the Garden pretty quickly i know the prices were cheapish but they sold out and since then they have had a No1 album in US and had massive success with Sex on Fire & Use Somebody. I know their not in U2 league yet but i feel they have the most potential out of all the current acts for worldwide appeal.

Remember though, the Garden is the easiest Arena to sellout in the United States because its located in the largest market in the country.

 

[Irishteen]

i honestly think the next big stadium act will be Kings of Leon and not Coldplay. Kings of Leon outsold Coldplay by almost double here in the UK on their latest albums!

And Coldplay outsold them by 3 million overall, take away UK sales and Coldplay basically outsold them 2 to 1 everywhere else

 

[The_acrobat]

I saw Kings of Leon play to 10,000 people in Columbus. While the show was good, they have not quite grown into that size of venue yet. Caleb needs to become more of a charismaic frontman, and either his brother or his cousin need to step up to the duty of "sideman". They just stood there and played the songs like they are on the album, note for note. Good concert, but would have been much better suited for a theater.

I saw Coldplay in 2003 in a venue for 2,000 people. That was one of the greatest things I've ever seen. I then saw them in 2005 at a sold out amphitheater for 20,000 people. That was also good. I think they are a great live band. I did not see them on the VLV tour (which pisses me off), but it seems like they have definitely come into their own. I doubt the US will ever have another stadium band, but Coldplay will probably be the only arena band in 10 years or so.

 

[andyuk]

And Coldplay outsold them by 3 million overall, take away UK sales and Coldplay basically outsold them 2 to 1 everywhere else

But KOL are still selling bucket loads of their album and C'Play are not! KOL have the 3rd biggest selling album worldwide this year and the album was released in Sept 2008!

C'Play & KOL both released there albums at similar times in 2008 but KOL have sold 3.2 million worldwide this year how many has C'Play latest album sold in 2009?

 

[Irishteen]

But KOL are still selling bucket loads of their album and C'Play are not! KOL have the 3rd biggest selling album worldwide this year and the album was released in Sept 2008!

C'Play & KOL both released there albums at similar times in 2008 but KOL have sold 3.2 million worldwide this year how many has C'Play latest album sold in 2009?

Coldplay have sold 1.5 million this year, KOL are still 3 million behind. Plus it's easier to have one hit album than a string of them, no matter how KOL's album finishes their next album will be a better judge of how popular they are

 

[U2FanPeter]

3 Tenors may technically count.

Bruce did stadiums on both sides of the atlantic in 2003, 1985 and arguably 2008.

Dangerous and/or History did Stadiums worldwide. 500,000 tix in Mexico and more in Hawaii. US may have been booked but got canned.

I think Sinatra has done Stadiums in every continent, but never on the same tour. Some shows also had some former rat packers.

 

[U2FanPeter]

I Can't Dance 1992: All stadiums but only covered North America and Europe

Including Tacoma Dome and Tinley Park Amphitheater?

The Tacoma Dome holds fewer people than several US 20,000+ arenas like the Uniter Center in Chicago.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

3 Tenors may technically count.

Bruce did stadiums on both sides of the atlantic in 2003, 1985 and arguably 2008.

Dangerous and/or History did Stadiums worldwide. 500,000 tix in Mexico and more in Hawaii. US may have been booked but got canned.

I think Sinatra has done Stadiums in every continent, but never on the same tour. Some shows also had some former rat packers.

Were looking for first exclusive or almost exclusive stadium tours of at least North America and Europe and then the rest of the world.

The majority of the shows Bruce did in the United States and Canada on the 2003 and 2008 tours were in arena's. Almost all of his stadium shows were only in one section of the country: East of the Mississippi river and north of the Mason Dixon line.

The Born In The USA tour's US/Canadian dates were primarily in arena's, with a couple of dozen stadium shows tagged on at the end.

Michael Jackson only played stadiums once in the Continental United States and Canada and that was on the Jacksons tour in 1984. But that tour only visited the United States and Canada.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

Including Tacoma Dome and Tinley Park Amphitheater?

The Tacoma Dome holds fewer people than several US 20,000+ arenas like the Uniter Center in Chicago.

ZOO TV Outside Broadcast also played Tinley Park near Chicago. ZOO TV visited Tacoma Dome on the indoor part of the tour, but did not return to Washington State on the Outside Broadcast part of the tour. So you really can't hold this against Genesis.

The most important thing here is that the vast majority of the venues they played in North America and Europe were in stadiums.

If your 100% strict about the criteria, then the only completed tour that would fit the definition would be the POPMART tour, although one show in Perth was in a venue that could only hold 15,000 people, although somehow they managed to fit a stadium sized production inside the venue.

U2 360 would actually be the first ever to play stadium sized venues at every stop.

ZOO TV had two arena legs.
Rolling Stones Steel Wheels played the convention center in Atlantic City
Rolling Stones Voodoo Lounge played two arena shows in Las Vegas as well as 5 club/theater shows.
Rolling Stones Bridges To Babylon/No Security had a full arena leg on No Security and a few arena dates on the Bridges To Babylon part as well.
Pink Floyd Division Bell Tour ended with 14 Arena shows in London.
Genesis "I Can't Dance" Tour had the arena shows you mentioned.

By the way, the Tacoma Dome in Washington State can hold 22,000+ people. U2 played two shows there on ZOO TV to 44,000 people. I've heard that the Tacoma Dome can hold up to 28,000 people.

 

[phommel]

If we look for GLOBAL tours, stadiums only, I think the USA and Europe are too limited to call it a global tour. In that case we should add the Close Encounters Tour of Robbie Williams to the list. Ok, no US, but Europe, Africa, Australia, Middle East and South America got all sold out shows.

So looking at true global tours stadiums only, Popmart will come most close. It had only one arena show, but it did cover Africa. U2 360 is stadiums only, but no Africa on the list.

When we talk about real global touring stadium acts, I think at this moment only U2 and The Stones are able to play sold out stadiums in all continents.
I don't see other bands taking it over. Kings Of Leon are a big act now, but I will bet all my money that they will never be able to sell out stadiums all over the world. The same counts for Coldplay. Probably Michael Jackson was able to do it, but he never did.

 

[Maoilbheannacht]

If we look for GLOBAL tours, stadiums only, I think the USA and Europe are too limited to call it a global tour. In that case we should add the Close Encounters Tour of Robbie Williams to the list. Ok, no US, but Europe, Africa, Australia, Middle East and South America got all sold out shows.

So looking at true global tours stadiums only, Popmart will come most close. It had only one arena show, but it did cover Africa. U2 360 is stadiums only, but no Africa on the list.

When we talk about real global touring stadium acts, I think at this moment only U2 and The Stones are able to play sold out stadiums in all continents.
I don't see other bands taking it over. Kings Of Leon are a big act now, but I will bet all my money that they will never be able to sell out stadiums all over the world. The same counts for Coldplay. Probably Michael Jackson was able to do it, but he never did.

North America and Europe form over 75% of the music market. Since there has only ever been one or two tours that have been exclusive stadium global tours in the true sense, I relaxed the criteria slightly so a few others could be included.

I would not include Robbie Williams in the list, because unlike Robbie Williams, the U2, Rolling Stone, Genesis and Pink Floyd tours could all do stadium shows in the area's they did not visit. Robbie Williams could NOT do stadium shows in the USA/Canada. In fact, I don't think he can even do arena shows.

 

[genesis199125]

Although this is non-U2 related, I thought it would be worth mentioning that Taylor Swift will be playing Gillette Stadium on June 5. That is an incredible feat considering she has only had two albums out. I believe that makes her only the second female artist to headline a stadium concert, next to Madonna. Who knows, maybe she will be the future of the concert business?

 

[phommel]

Although this is non-U2 related, I thought it would be worth mentioning that Taylor Swift will be playing Gillette Stadium on June 5. That is an incredible feat considering she has only had two albums out. I believe that makes her only the second female artist to headline a stadium concert, next to Madonna. Who knows, maybe she will be the future of the concert business?

Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Diana Ross already headlined (many) stadium concerts, so that makes here already the fifth female artist... But I am sure I forgetting others...

 

[genesis199125]

Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Diana Ross already headlined (many) stadium concerts, so that makes here already the fifth female artist... But I am sure I forgetting others...

Oh, sorry, I meant she's the only the second female act in North America....but still, it's pretty impressive.

 

[digitize]

Oh, sorry, I meant she's the only the second female act in North America....but still, it's pretty impressive.

It's not impressive... it's just sad that we allow it to happen.

 

[U2FanPeter]

Oh, sorry, I meant she's the only the second female act in North America....but still, it's pretty impressive.

I think Shania did some US stadium shows. Cher played the SKYDOME in Toronto.

Janet Jackson played a stadium in Hawaii.

Britney did couple international stadiums, probably most in Latin America.

I think Liza Manelli did some stadiums with Sinatra.

Dixie Chicks may have headlined a couple stadiums.

Sarah McLachlan did some very large venues with Lilith Fair.

Fleetwood Mac have done US stadiums. Janis Joplin was a headliner at some major North Amercan festivals.