Concert tour

File:BowieRaR87-stage.jpg's Glass Spider Tour stage (1987), then the largest touring set. Reportedly, it took 43 trucks to move the set.{{citation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/02/arts/bowie-creates-a-spectacle.html |newspaper=The New York Times |title=Bowie Creates a Spectacle | access-date=4 April 2023 |last=Pareles |first=Jon |date=2 August 1987}}]]

The main challenge in concert tours is how to move the performance's logistics from one venue to another venue, especially for a transcontinental tour. Tour logistics should be very organized and everything has to happen on time and in the right order as planned.{{cite web |date=August 2016 |title=Taking the Show on the Road |url=http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/taking-the-show-on-the-road/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201050950/http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/taking-the-show-on-the-road/ |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |website=Inbound Logistics}} Autoweek magazine estimated 30 to 50 trucks were required by Taylor Swift's The 1989 World Tour to bring all the stage, sound equipment, instruments, props, and clothes.{{cite web |last=Justine |first=Luke |date=28 May 2015 |title=How many trucks does it take to put on a Taylor Swift show? |url=http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/how-many-trucks-does-it-take-put-taylor-swift-show |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044551/http://autoweek.com/article/car-news/how-many-trucks-does-it-take-put-taylor-swift-show |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |website=Autoweek |quote=The count was up to 22 at the beginning of today, but now it is close to 30. We are guessing that number will grow as the concert quickly approaches, maybe even to 50.}}

When Beyoncé visited the United Kingdom with her 2016 The Formation World Tour, it took seven Boeing 747 air freighters and a fleet of more than 70 trucks to get her stage set and other gear to the venues. The logistics phase of that tour did not include transportation of the backstage staff, musicians, performers, and the singer herself.{{cite web |last=Bowler |first=Tim |date=2017-06-07 |title=What it takes to get Beyonce on a world tour |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-39926895 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190510033359/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-39926895 |archive-date=2019-05-10 |access-date=2019-05-06 |publisher=BBC News}}

{{Redirect2|Reunion tour|Greatest hits tour|specific tours by these titles|Greatest Hits Tour (disambiguation)|and|Reunion Tour (disambiguation)}}

The majority of concert tours are part of a promotional campaign to support an album release.{{cite book |last=Halloran |first=Mark E. |url=https://archive.org/details/musiciansbusines00mark |title=The Musician's Business and Legal Guide |publisher=Pearson Prentice Hall |year=2008 |isbn=9780132281270 |url-access=registration}}{{Cite web |last=Bacior |first=Robin |date=June 1, 2020 |title=Releasing an Album Without the Ability to Tour |url=https://artists.spotify.com/blog/releasing-an-album-without-the-ability-to-tour |website=Spotify for Artists}} Hence, new songs from the respective album are included on its tour's setlist.{{Cite web |last=Sackllah |first=David |date=May 2, 2017 |title=How Many Songs Off New Albums Should Bands Play? |url=https://consequence.net/2017/05/how-many-songs-from-your-new-album-should-you-play/ |website=Consequence}} Some tours are known as "greatest hits tours" or "reunion tour" without any new material or specific album release,{{Cite web |last=Kot |first=Greg |date=May 14, 2016 |title=One long joy ride |url=https://pressofatlanticcity.com/life/one-long-joy-ride/article_d1daae62-14d3-54fe-b552-6488c21c3c40.html |url-access=subscription |website=Press of Atlantic City}}{{Cite web |last=Steve |first=Hochman |date=June 4, 2000 |title=What Would You Say? Dave Matthews Tours Without a New Album |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-04-ca-37250-story.html |url-access=subscription |website=Los Angeles Times}} such as Fleetwood Mac's 2009 Unleashed tour and No Doubt's 2009 Summer Tour.{{Cite web |last=Gottlieb |first=Jed |date=March 6, 2009 |title=For Fleetwood Mac, the flame still burns |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2009/03/06/for-fleetwood-mac-the-flame-still-burns/ |website=Boston Herald}}{{Cite web |last=Michaels |first=Sean |date=May 19, 2009 |title=No Doubt launch comeback without new album |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/may/19/no-doubt-comeback-tour |website=The Guardian}} Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour (2023–2024) is a retrospective of her career to that point, where each act of the concert represents one of her albums.{{Cite magazine |last=Aramesh |first=Waiss David |date=March 18, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour Is a 3-Hour Career-Spanning Victory Lap |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-glendale-review-1234699496/ |url-status=live |magazine=Rolling Stone |issn=0035-791X |oclc=1787396 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318164625/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/taylor-swift-the-eras-tour-glendale-review-1234699496/ |archive-date=March 18, 2023 |access-date=September 17, 2023}} In another case, artists embark on a concert tour to celebrate the anniversary of their past albums, such as U2's 2017 tour to mark the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree (1987) and Janet Jackson's 2019 tour to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989).{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-edge-breaks-down-u2s-upcoming-joshua-tree-tour-111050/|title=The Edge Breaks Down U2's Upcoming 'Joshua Tree' Tour|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Andy|last=Greene|date=9 January 2017|access-date=6 July 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/boxoffice-insider-janet-jackson-to-commemorate-rhythm-nation-anniversary-down-under-141443 |title=Boxoffice Insider: Janet Jackson To Commemorate 'Rhythm Nation' Anniversary Down Under |last1=Allen |first1=Bob |date=October 23, 2019 |website=Pollstar |access-date=February 12, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212044533/https://www.pollstar.com/article/boxoffice-insider-janet-jackson-to-commemorate-rhythm-nation-anniversary-down-under-141443 |archive-date=February 12, 2020}}

{{redirect|Farewell tour|specific tours by this name|Farewell Tour (disambiguation){{!}}Farewell Tour}}

A farewell tour is a concert tour intended to signal the retirement of a singer, the disbanding of a band, or the end of a show's run. Many of the tours end up not being the last tour, with frequent regroupings, or revivals of shows.{{Cite web |url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/is-there-really-such-thing-as-a-farewell-tour/ |title=Is There Really Such Thing As A Farewell Tour? |last=Krovatin |first=Chris |date=4 March 2019 |website=Kerrang! |publisher=Wasted Talent |access-date=8 April 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405160839/https://www.kerrang.com/features/is-there-really-such-thing-as-a-farewell-tour/ |archive-date=5 April 2019}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/farewell-tours-that-didnt-stick-motley-crue-kiss-ozzy-osbourne-913950/|title=13 'Farewell' Tours That Didn't Stick -- From Mötley Crüe to Kiss|last=Greene|first=Andy|magazine=Rolling Stone |date=Nov 18, 2019}}{{Cite magazine |last=Maher |first=Natalie |date=Feb 22, 2018 |title=A List of All the Recent Farewell Tour & Show Announcements |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8214788/farewell-tours-list |magazine=Billboard}} Luciano Pavarotti's 2004 tour and Kenny Rogers's 2015–2017 tour are examples of farewell tours which were the last to be staged before their deaths.{{Cite news |last=Holland |first=Bernard |date=Sep 6, 2007 |title=Luciano Pavarotti Is Dead at 71 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/arts/music/06pavarotti.html |url-access=limited}}{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=Mar 21, 2020 |title=Country Music Icon Kenny Rogers Dies at 81 |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/obituaries-people-news/kenny-rogers-dead-dies-1203541233/ |website=Variety}}

{{Main|List of highest-grossing concert tours|List of most-attended concert tours}}

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As of October 2024, the highest-grossing concert tour of all time is Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, with $2.089 billion earned from 149 shows.{{Cite news |last=Friedman |first=Vanessa |date=December 9, 2024 |title=Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Grand Total: A Record $2 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/arts/music/taylor-swift-eras-tour-ticket-sales.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241209183704/https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/09/arts/music/taylor-swift-eras-tour-ticket-sales.html |archive-date=December 9, 2024 |access-date=December 9, 2024 |newspaper=The New York Times}} It was the first run to collect over $1 and $2 billion in revenue.{{cite news |last=Gensler |first=Andy |date=December 8, 2023 |title=Taylor Swift Sets All-Time Touring Record With $1 Billion Gross |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2023/12/08/taylor-swift-sets-all-time-touring-record-with-billion-dollar-gross/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208150250/https://news.pollstar.com/2023/12/08/taylor-swift-sets-all-time-touring-record-with-billion-dollar-gross/ |archive-date=December 8, 2023 |access-date=December 8, 2023 |magazine=Pollstar}} Coldplay's Music of the Spheres World Tour ranks at second place, being the most-attended tour in history and the first by a group to reach $1 billion.{{Cite web |date=16 December 2024 |title=Coldplay Sells the Most Tickets of All Time While Trying to Save the Planet |url=https://news.pollstar.com/2024/12/16/coldplay-sells-the-most-tickets-of-all-time-while-trying-to-save-the-planet/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241216164837/https://news.pollstar.com/2024/12/16/coldplay-sells-the-most-tickets-of-all-time-while-trying-to-save-the-planet/ |archive-date=16 December 2024 |access-date=16 December 2024 |website=Pollstar}} At third is Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road, with a total gross of $939 million from 2018–2023.{{Cite web |last=Murray |first=Conor |title=Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Is First In History To Gross Over $1 Billion, Report Says |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/12/08/taylor-swifts-eras-tour-is-first-in-history-to-gross-over-1-billion-report-says/ |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=Forbes |language=en}} At fourth place is Ed Sheeran's ÷ Tour, with a gross of $776.2 million.{{cite web |date=August 27, 2019 |title=Ed Sheeran Concludes 'Divide' Tour, Sets All-Time Touring Record At $775.6M |url=https://www.pollstar.com/article/ed-sheeran-concludes-divide-tour-sets-all-time-touring-record-at-7756m-140863 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217075431/https://www.pollstar.com/article/ed-sheeran-concludes-divide-tour-sets-all-time-touring-record-at-7756m-140863 |archive-date=Dec 17, 2019 |access-date=November 26, 2019 |website=Pollstar}}{{Cite magazine |last=Frankenberg |first=Eric |date=2019-08-27 |title=Ed Sheeran's Record-Breaking Divide Tour Posts Final Numbers: 255 Shows, $776.2 Million Grossed |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/ed-sheeran-divide-tour-final-numbers/ |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-02-28 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}} On fifth place is U2's 360° Tour, with $736.4 million.{{cite news |last=Waddell |first=Ray |date=December 8, 2011 |title=The Year In Touring |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/the-year-in-touring-1158342/ |access-date=August 25, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}

Global touring revenue reported to Billboard Boxscore exceeded $5.5 billion in 2016.{{cite magazine |last=Waddell |first=Ray |date=Dec 13, 2016 |title=How 'The Shared Live Experience' and Even Streaming Fueled the $25 Billion Concert Biz |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/year-in-music-2016/7616524/concert-touring-business-2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223124728/https://www.billboard.com/articles/events/year-in-music-2016/7616524/concert-touring-business-2016 |archive-date=23 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |magazine=Billboard}} Due to the collapse of record sales in the 21st century, concert tours have become a major source of income for recording artists.{{cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Jesse |date=Dec 30, 2014 |title=With Touring Still A Focal Point, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC And U2 Fight For Top Honors In Rock And Roll History |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jesselawrence/2014/12/30/with-touring-still-a-focal-point-the-rolling-stones-acdc-and-u2-fight-for-top-honors-in-rock-and-roll-history/#7ae08ca5697d |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816020031/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jesselawrence/2014/12/30/with-touring-still-a-focal-point-the-rolling-stones-acdc-and-u2-fight-for-top-honors-in-rock-and-roll-history/#7ae08ca5697d |archive-date=2017-08-16 |access-date=2019-05-06 |work=Forbes}} Besides the tickets, touring also generates money from the sales of merchandise and meet-and-greet packages.{{cite web |date=2012-08-28 |title=Nine Ways Musicians Actually Make Money Today |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/9-ways-musicians-actually-make-money-today-20120828/t-shirts-and-merch-19691231 |url-status= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630081052/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/9-ways-musicians-actually-make-money-today-20120828/t-shirts-and-merch-19691231 |archive-date=2018-06-30 |access-date=2019-05-06 |publisher=Rolling Stone}}{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Cameron |date=2012-11-14 |title=$1500 packages to meet rock band KISS sell out in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth ahead of Australian tour |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/packages-to-meet-rock-band-kiss-sell-out-in-mebourne-sydney-and-perth-ahead-of-australian-tour/news-story/360bda71c2ef03387417c68ad7717733 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630081131/https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/packages-to-meet-rock-band-kiss-sell-out-in-mebourne-sydney-and-perth-ahead-of-australian-tour/news-story/360bda71c2ef03387417c68ad7717733 |archive-date=2018-06-30 |access-date=2019-05-06 |publisher=news.com.au}} However, the touring business suffered in the early 2020s because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pollstar estimated the total lost revenue for the industry in 2020 at more than $30 billion.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/elton-john-celine-dion-coronavirus-pandemic-b63179e05d0768dcd907da5beeccad52|title=Pollstar: Live events industry lost $30B as a result of the pandemic|publisher=Associated Press|first=Mesfin|last=Fekadu|date=December 11, 2020|accessdate=February 4, 2021}}

The mobility of concert tours requires a lot of costs, time, and energy. It is very common for musicians to not see family members for over a year during their touring.{{cite web |last=Garrido |first=Duarte |date=29 June 2017 |title='This is it': Adele hints to fans she may never tour again |url=https://news.sky.com/story/this-is-it-adele-hints-to-fans-she-may-never-tour-again-10930875 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034823/https://news.sky.com/story/this-is-it-adele-hints-to-fans-she-may-never-tour-again-10930875 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |website=Sky News}} British singer Adele expressed her unhappiness of concert tours, saying "Touring is a peculiar thing, it doesn't suit me particularly well. I'm a real homebody and I get so much joy in the small things." A concert residency concept is offered as an alternative to performers who just need to stay in one venue and the fans come to see them.{{cite web |last=Lerner |first=Rebecca |date=Jun 14, 2017 |title=Meet The Celeb 100 Stars Cashing In On The Vegas Residency Boom |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccalerner/2017/06/14/meet-the-celeb-100-stars-cashing-in-on-the-vegas-residency-boom/2/#1b325f685c01 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201045244/https://www.forbes.com/sites/rebeccalerner/2017/06/14/meet-the-celeb-100-stars-cashing-in-on-the-vegas-residency-boom/2/#1b325f685c01 |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |website=Forbes}} The concept has been revitalized in the 21st century by Canadian superstar Céline Dion with the success of her A New Day... residency (2003–2007). Her residency introduced a new form of theatrical entertainment, a fusion of song, performance art, innovative stage craft, and state-of-the-art technology. She managed to popularize the Las Vegas residency as a desirable way for top artists to essentially tour in place, letting their fans come to them.{{cite web |last=Frost |first=Caroline |date=October 10, 2016 |title=Celine Dion Has Bittersweet Night, Marking 1000th Performance In Las Vegas |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/celine-dion-las-vegas-husband-rene_uk_57fba3cfe4b04e1174a5395f |access-date=June 20, 2019 |website=HuffPost UK}} American singer Lady Gaga, who cancelled the 2018 European leg of her Joanne World Tour, signed for a Las Vegas residency to help manage her fibromyalgia illness, which can be exacerbated by touring.{{Cite news |last=Savage |first=Mark |date=August 7, 2018 |title=Lady Gaga's Las Vegas residency will comprise two separate shows |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45101130 |url-status=live |access-date=June 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190620073205/https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45101130 |archive-date=June 20, 2019}}

The 2015 study by charity Help Musicians found that over 60% of musicians suffered from depression or other psychological issues, with touring an issue for 71% of respondents.{{cite news |last=Britton |first=Luke Morgan |date=25 June 2015 |title=Insomnia, anxiety, break-ups … musicians on the dark side of touring |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/25/musicians-touring-psychological-dangers-willis-earl-beal-kate-nash |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201045645/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/jun/25/musicians-touring-psychological-dangers-willis-earl-beal-kate-nash |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=4 December 2017 |newspaper=The Guardian}}

• Lists of concert tours

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Concert tours}}

• [https://www.billboard.com/biz/touring/ Billboard touring news]

{{Music industry}}

Category:Music performance