biggest concert tours 1980s
My, my. All recounts of the tour point to how amused and bitter Johnny Rotten seemed to be, not to mention Sid Vicious' struggling attempts at bass. Like Madonna, Bon Jovi, and Metallica, U2 is one of the biggest bands in the world. In that, the Pop Disaster Tour essentially led to Green Days reprise. 107 biggest '80s concerts 2023: Get tickets for your favorites When he and his band took the record on tour, it seemed like it may be too grim to work. Matt Melis, Few punk rock bands cause as much of a ruckus before even getting to the stage as the Sex Pistols, which explains why their first and last US tour was one in the same. From the reggae twists to the pop choruses, The Clash were changing the course of history, and the band illuminated it live on the stage. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $333,024,687 In addition, U2 had astage set that was 164 feet high that accompanied them to every venuetwice the height of the previous stage set record. Never has so much vocal talent been on one bill, and while some of these shows would be segregated (one show for whites and a separate one for blacks or the two groups partitioned off during the same performance), The Motortown Revue ultimately helped to break down racial boundaries at a critical time during the American civil rights movement. 8 of the Biggest Benefit Concerts of All Time and How Much - E! Online Total tour attendance: 3.55 million What we do know is rarely has a pop rock band sounded so good and held so many audiences in the palm of their hand. In other words, Dead freaks unite! Matt Melis(Several former members of Grateful Dead now tour as part ofDead and Company. Equal parts fantasy and character development about an emasculated youth, the record's plot translated to the stage through a bizarre combination of grotesque costumes, hundreds of slides, and the largest drum kit ever used by Collins. Madonna- Whos That Girl World Tour (1987), Madonna didnt invent the pop concert. Year(s): 201013. Simon and Garfunkel-- Summer Evening Tour (1981-83), Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel were destined to sing together. At 73 years old, he was the inspiration for youthful elders everywhere. The tour, whose set list leaned heavily on the bands most recent release "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, spurred three concert films: "Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago, "Vertigo: Live from Milan, and "U2 3D., Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $493,336,432 For a handful of the dates, labelmates Hot Chip served as openers. Shows played: 390 In many ways, the Highway to Hell Tour can be seen as Bon, on his last tour, handing the mic to Brian to continue down that satanic highway. Jackson had hits, set touring records, and even played before royalty with his siblings. Its no surprise, then, that this long-anticipated tour set attendance records at each of its stops and resulted in a hit HBO special, a successful VHS release (later DVD), and a multi-platinum live album -- not to mention several subsequent tours. This saw a growth spurt where Newsom brought a full band with her on tour to nail the orchestral-style parts, played at a handful of festivals, and performed four times on live late-night TV shows (somewhat of a rarity for the notoriously secretive artist). and more. Wonder had you fooled, though, as the shows lasted over three hours without a single dip in energy or mood. So catching them during their prime would've been a treat not just for their youthful dexterity to play complex parts, but for the general bond that could be felt onstage before bitterness took over. The album won critical acclaim for how well it captured the feelings and aftermath of 9/11. Vivid Seats and Consequence of Sound explore the tours that were remarkable in quality, impact, influence orattendance. Five words that nearly every music fan has uttered. Twain, yes, that impresses us much. (Malik left in the spring of 2015. Shows played: 108 30 day returns. Ever since his days as a Beatle, Paul McCartney has been wildly popular. We limited each artist to just one tour, to promote inclusion and diversity, and strived to include tours of various genres and eras. So cut to the worldwide shock when Jawbreaker revealed they were reuniting for Riot Fest and that other dates would later follow. From 1986 to 1992, New York's Def Jam Records was the premier hip-hop label. -- Matt Melis, Grateful Dead are one of those bands that really need to be seen and not just heard. By magicalkidd. as well as image rights, data visualizations, forward planning tools, Top 10 Most Iconic Music Concerts of All Time - YouTube Terms of Use. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - The So Far Tour (1974), Getting along doesnt always make for the best music. Neutral Milk Hotel - Reunion Tour (2013-15), If you wait long enough, eventually the impossible happens. Can you name the Highest Grossing Concert Tours of the 1980's? Year(s): 199798. Despite winning Album of the Year at the Grammys, Arcade Fire still performed with an exuberant, impassioned, almost amateaur energy that recalled their early years, the type of intense live delivery that suggested the band was leaving it all on the floor just for you, that very night, right before your eyes. Ozzy Osbourne- Diary of a Madman Tour (1981-82), In their early days, Black Sabbath received a polarizing (but consistent) reaction in the States: adoration from fans and mehs from critics. Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have never stopped since the release of 1980's Boy. Along with this resurgence of fame came Aerosmiths most ambitious arena tour yet, spanning a mindblowing 240 shows across 13 legs. To have seen Hendrix during this period might have been too blinding to fully appreciate. Luckily, theres plenty of footage of Marleys final performances and message, including a sold-out stadium show thats still considered to be the largest concert in Italian history. Live, the band played their greatest hits and every passage in between, nailing their sets. Matt Melis, Don't overlook the power of a comeback, though, to be fair, Patti Smith never truly faded out to merit a proper comeback. Matt Melis, Rock doesn't get better than The Who, and what better way to challenge the notion of ruff and tough classic rock than an opera? Which was more awesome, The Joshua Tree or Zoo TV? It was a scene being born back then, and its a legendary moment now. Shows played: 114 Matt Melis, Its understandable that The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons are treated as footnotes in Michael Jacksons career. Shows played: 167 A list of 80s concerts people have attended and their reviews of the concerts. Crazy, but thats how it goes. It marked the zenith of the Eagles as a country-rock outfit, and many argue the band has never soared higher. Nina Corcoran, 77. However, it was a chance to see our favorite rain dog performing some of his finest material at the height of his quirky powers. As Joey once said, People looked at us like we were from Mars. If the band couldnt play a single note, their appearance alone could have influenced a generation. With those guidelines listed out, let's take a look at nine of the biggest concerts in American history. On the live stage, Jack and Meg Whites crunchy, loud, perfectly imperfect sound came stomping out, unabashedly messy and all the more charming because of it. And who can blame him? In fact, the Rumours Tour takes us back to not only the bands most successful years but also its most tumultuous. But mix that new sound with one of the biggest films of the decade, Saturday Night Fever, and one of the worlds sexiest young stars, John Travolta, and not only did the Bee Gees pull disco off of life support, but they found themselves in the middle of a pop-culture moment that people still talk about today. Shows played: 51 The 50 Biggest Concert Tours With '80s Bands In 2022 Although the decade of excess ended over 32 years ago, many of the biggest bands that grew up in the MTV era, like Sting, Duran Duran and Blondie, are still touring in 2022. The British band was blamed for selling out with the success of Combat Rock, still their best-selling album to date, though it would go on to show what new wave could and should do: merge influences of all kinds. The set, like the tour, is known for catering to both hardcore Deadheads and welcoming newcomers. A couple of years later we met at my studio in New York City. At these events, fans could see established acts like Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and James Brown supported by future stars like a teenage Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, and The Temptations. While both acts put on good sets, it was Green Day whose live show remained consistent and invigorating, whereas Blinks tour prior to this one was their tightest so far. 28 of the Highest-Grossing Concert Tours of All Time - Yahoo! Her first time out in 1984, appropriately dubbed The Virgin Tour, caused near-Beatles levels of hysteria among young American females, many of whom donned the Material Girls style, which gave birth to the term Madonna wannabe. By 1987, the US was not enough, and the Whos That Girl World Tour sent a more sophisticated, but no less risque, Madonna out to conquer the world. Matt Melis, 56. Even more impressive than the bevy of talent was the fact that the tour raised more than 10 million dollars for charities in its successful short run. Bob Dylan- Bob Dylan World Tour 1966 (1966), Not everyone was thrilled when Bob Dylan chose to go electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. But when The Cure hit the States in support of Disintegration, it was an entirely different ordeal. By the time the 73 leg started, the album was already a smash, and the band had blown up to stadiums and arenas rather than more intimate venues like theaters. In 2005, Smith's live performances were bigger and better for a range of reasons. Her eighth toursupporting her 11th album"Hard Candy, the "Sticky & Sweet tour was Madonnasleast controversial tour. With the songs from new hit record Goodbye Yellow Brick Road at his disposal, John, already balding, sporting huge sunglasses, and dressed in one outrageous glam costume (plenty of sequins and feathers) or another, turned what couldve been polite piano recitals into full-blown rock revivals. Whether its slapping away at his piano, leaping about the stage, or swinging his mic stand around his head like a propeller, well always love that piano man who was more rock and roll than he ever got credit for. However, now that Sabbath has officially closed shop as of 2017 and Ozzy Osbourne insists his latest farewell (No More Tours II) will be his last extended goodbye, we find ourselves staring down the barrel of a potentially Ozzyless concert slate for the first time in decades. Year(s): 200811. Though their comically large beards would suggest they'd been in hiding, the Neutral Milk Hotel crew seemed just as delightfully unhinged as their music always painted them as being, from the warped singing saw solos to the slightly out-of-key reckless hollers. And luckily enough, we were able to score 16 seats (with 8 on the floor) for the biggest concert that year! Here is everything you need to know, The biggest music festivals in 2022: dates, cities, ticket information, lineups announced, What is MegaSeats? Frustrated that bills with multiple female acts were virtually impossible sells to promoters and radio stations, McLachlan decided to book her own tour. While earlier that year, they recorded a live set that would become Live at Leeds, it was the combination of these sounds -- the blues-rooted, riff-heavy early material with the more adventurous, cinematic, crescendo-filled material of a rock opera -- that nailed this tour down as a career peak. Bill Wyman walked away from the band, saying that he was tired of touring and would no longer continue playing with the group. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $291,414,474 Agora (Dec. 15, 1983) After releasing her 1986 monster album "True Colors," Cyndi Lauper became one of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s. Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, Alec John Such, and Richie Sambora made up the original band, which had hits like "Livin on a Prayer and "You Give Love a Bad Name. Their "Because We Can tour was wildly successful, with the grouphitting multiple continents, but it was also full of drama, asSambora quit the band in the middle night, hours before their fourth show. Not only had Simon found his spark again in his mid-40s, but he had also turned the masses on to the worldbeat sound. Originally started as an alternative rock tour -- but, in its second year, quickly entering the pop punk world, where it would stay until its end -- Warped Tour was the festival that did because it could and allowed thousands of preteens to learn they could do the same. Originally conceived by Perry Farrell as a farewell tour and victory lap for his band, Janes Addiction, the festival hasnt travelled since its one-year comeback in 2003. Nina Corcoran, 72. Throw in Faith No More, Body Count, Motrhead, and, um, Andrew Dice Clay as select openers, and what more could a metalhead want? Luckily, hes getting to follow that Yellow Brick Road one last time. 29. Paul Simon The Graceland Tour (1987), Its difficult to believe, but Paul Simons career was running on fumes by the mid-80s. No big deal. Nina Corcoran, Def Jam in the mid-80s can be compared to Motown in its heyday. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Roger Waters- The Wall Live (2010-13), The hype surrounding The Wall Live could give anyone shivers. So, in hindsight, its not incredibly shocking that they turned to disco in the mid-70s. Critical darlings like Grizzly Bear and Bat for Lashes were tapped as openers, and Kraftwerk opened in Latin America. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $526,158,550 The sheer size of the audiences overwhelmed Smith. Heres everything you need to know. Between the big hits, the delightful absurd prog solos, and the remarkable improvisations that came from these live renditions, it was a tour thats revered for the vibe, the music, and the outstanding record it birthed as a result. They were merely a group of local musicians who came together for a paid gig (the album recording) and then ended up getting enough paid gigs after that (for both Springsteen and other musicians) that it made sense to become a band.
