2024 is just passing the mid-year mark, but it has already proven to be a huge year in terms of total music industry revenue, far surpassing last year’s cumulative numbers.
According to Billboard Boxscore’s mid-year summary, the top 10 tours of the year so far have collected unprecedented grosses, up 83% from the combined grosses of the previous year. Billboard’s analysis only takes into account global data voluntarily reported to Boxscore by promoters, venues and artists. What may be a shocking plot twist in these revelations is that these numbers do not include sales information for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour because the ‘Anti-Hero’ singer did not report those grosses. The pop diva performed 26 shows in South America, Australia and Asia during the tally period.
Despite the lack of these figures, the 83% increase represents the top 10 tours, which include artists such as U2, Pink, Madonna, Coldplay and others, with a combined gross of over $1.5 billion. Billboard Boxscore’s midyear tally recorded data for these top 10 concert tours from October 1, 2023 to March 30, 2024.
Read this also | BTS announces 2024 FESTA timeline for 11th debut anniversary
The historic milestone for the concert industry also saw eight of the top 10 tours surpass the $100 million gross mark this year. However, last year’s midpoint record saw only two tours (Elton John and Harry Styles) achieve this feat.
As far as Billboard’s genre breakdown goes, rock and pop dominate the list, while country music trails behind them.
The Impact of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
What is notably shocking here is that if Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour record was included in the midpoint analysis, the numbers would have been skyrocketing considering the reality that her shows have already created the highest-grossing tour of all time. According to Pollstar estimates, the Eras Tour is the first concert series to cross the $1 billion mark in total gross. Furthermore, Swift’s tour achieved this milestone in December 2023, while her world tour schedule is not yet over.
Not just Taylor Swift, but Beyoncé too has led the concert landscape with her renaissance shows, leaving Pollstar no choice but to declare 2023 a “historic golden age” for such tours.
Read this also | HT Exclusive: Kino reveals K-pop’s ‘strength and weakness’, Pentagon’s ‘lifelong commitment’ on single rebirth with ‘Naked’
Top tours of 2024 (so far)
Irish rock band U2 led the chart period. During this time, the group performed 38 shows and grossed $231.6 million from the Las Vegas Sphere residency alone.
Pink and Madonna are then the second and third highest-grossing artists respectively. Pink earned $196 million from 42 shows, while Madonna earned $190.6 million from 67 dates of her 80-date Celebration Tour during that chart period.
Here is the complete list of top 10 trips recorded during the 6 months:
| artist | Gross (shows) |
| 1. U2 | $231.6 million – 38 shows |
| 2. Pink | $196 million – 42 shows |
| 3. Madonna | $190.6 million – 67 shows |
| 4. Luis Miguel | $165.6 million |
| 5. Coldplay | $143.2 million |
| 6. RBD | $140.4 million |
| 7. Depeche Mode | $117.7 million |
| 8. The Eagles | $114.9 million |
| 9. Travis Scott | $92.9 million |
| 10. Enrique Iglesias / Pitbull / Ricky Martin | $92.9 million |
K-pop groups on Billboard’s Boxscore Midyear Recap 2024
13-member South Korean boy group Seventeen topped K-pop tours as the act’s reported mass reception welcomed 552k fans, grossing $67.5 million from 13 shows across 5 Asian countries. Overall, the ‘Maestro’ hitmaker ranked as the 16th biggest tour, topping the chart as the highest-ranking Asian appearance.
Seventeen’s label-mates under HYBE Corporation’s multi-label system, ENHYPEN, had the 34th biggest tour overall at the mid-year point. The K-pop septet grossed $35.5 million from 18 reported shows with 198k attendees.
Finally, girl group TWICE, formed and managed by JYP Entertainment, was the only Asian female artist to rank on the chart. The nonet earned the 46th spot on the ranking tally by bringing in 220k fans and earning $24.2 million from just five reported shows.
