Billboard Boxscore revealed its ranking of the Top 10 highest-grossing rock tours of the last 12 months. Veteran acts dominate the entire list, with the origins of all of the groups dating back to the 20th century. The lone exception is Dead & Company, which formed in 2015 but celebrates the music of the Grateful Dead, which formed in 1965. Despite the advanced age of the top artists, rock acts remain the biggest earners in the live music industry. Coldplay’s ongoing Music of the Spheres Tour is the best-selling and highest-grossing tour in music history, so it’s no surprise that the British quartet tops the list in 2024, grossing $400 million while selling 3 million tickets to 51 shows over the year.
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band comes in second, grossing $235 million after selling 1.6 million tickets to 39 shows. The Rolling Stones are third, grossing $235 million while selling 848,000 tickets to 18 shows. U2 is fourth, grossing $231 million after selling 630,000 tickets to 38 shows. Metallica comes in fifth, grossing $175 million while selling 1.5 million tickets to 24 shows. The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by (in order) Eagles, Green Day, Dead & Company, Depeche Mode, and Blink-182. (Billboard)