The Rise of the Global Touring Economy: Top 25 Most Popular Touring Artists of the Millennium
The global touring economy has seen significant growth in recent years, with tours grossing over a billion dollars becoming more common. Taylor Swift and The Weeknd are among the artists who have achieved this milestone. Pollstar recently released a list of the top 25 Most Popular Touring Artists of the Millennium based on ticket sales from 2001 to 2025. Coldplay leads the list with 24.8 million tickets sold, followed by U2 and Ed Sheeran.
Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift round out the top five, with Swift being the only woman in the top 10. Other artists in the top 25 include Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Chesney, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Pink, Beyoncé, and Madonna. It's important to note that the number of tickets sold is different from the money grossed by the tours.
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour set a new record by becoming the first tour to gross over a billion dollars in 2023. She later surpassed this record by earning $2.2 billion during the tour's nearly two-year run. Swift has grossed over $3.1 billion in the new millennium, while Coldplay leads in ticket sales and has grossed nearly $2.5 billion.
Coldplay's Music of the Spheres tour grossed $1.39 billion, and The Weeknd's After Hours 'Til Dawn Tour crossed the $1 billion mark. The touring industry continues to thrive, with artists like Taylor Swift and Coldplay leading the way in ticket sales and revenue.