Pollstar is a trade publication dedicated to covering the concert industry. For its 40th anniversary, Pollstar created two charts that reflect the impact of box-office sales through its four decades beginning in 1980 and running to today. The two charts are “Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era: Boxoffice Grosses” and Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era: Tickets Sold.”
Numerous hard rock and metal bands appeared on the lists, but it was Metallica taking top honors for rock acts in both categories. For both, Pollstar has counted only headlining shows for each act, omitting results from any festival appearance since the festival itself is eligible to rank on the All-Time Boxoffice chart, as many of them have. Pollstar also did not include any event where the touring artist participated as a support act.
Notable acts included on the “Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era: Boxoffice Grosses” list:
#9 METALLICA ($1,219,599,179)
#23 GUNS N’ ROSES ($751,306,152)
#27 AC/DC ($668,427,967)
#41 KISS ($532,363,017)
#42 DEF LEPPARD ($514,231,844)
#44 IRON MAIDEN ($475,817,777)
#51 MUSE ($413,911,387)
#55 FOO FIGHTERS ($397,110,491)
#63 MÖTLEY CRÜE ($367,345,912)
#65 PEARL JAM ($351,816,504)
#73 RUSH ($341,767,928)
#89 Vans Warped Tour ($296,571,532)
#91 VAN HALEN ($295,611,828)
#97 ZZ TOP ($278,705,470)
#99 SCORPIONS ($271,865,172)
#100 TOOL ($269,044,896)
#113 QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT ($225,209,819)
#119 GREEN DAY ($204,959,692)
#132 OZZY OSBOURNE ($186,754,231)
#143 Ozzfest ($174,320,095)
Notable acts included on “Top Touring Artists Of The Pollstar Era: Tickets Sold” list:
#6 METALLICA, with 19,468,173 tickets sold for a gross total of $1,219,599,179
#22 AC/DC, with 11,512,424 tickets sold for a gross total of $668,427,967
#23 DEF LEPPARD, with 11,321,650 tickets sold for a gross total of $514,231,844
#27 Vans Warped Tour, with 10,524,715 tickets sold for a gross total of $296,571,532
#30 KISS, with 9,867,419 tickets sold for a gross total of $532,363,017
#35 IRON MAIDEN, with 9,187,132 tickets sold for a gross total of $475,817,777
#36 ZZ TOP, with 9,104,788 tickets sold for a gross total of $278,705,470
#42 MÖTLEY CRÜE, with 8,748,806 tickets sold for a gross total of $367,345,912
#43 RUSH, with 8,593,428 tickets sold for a gross total of $341,767,928
#44 GUNS N’ ROSES, with 8,470,755 tickets sold for a gross total of $751,306,152
#53 VAN HALEN, with 7,483,253 tickets sold for a gross total of $295,611,828
#63 PEARL JAM, with 7,006,815 tickets sold for a gross total of $351,816,504
#66 RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS, with 6,846,945 tickets sold for a gross total of $391,478,473
#78 MUSE, with 6,124,001 tickets sold for a gross total of $413,911,387
#80 OZZY OSBOURNE, with 6,006,522 tickets sold for a gross total of $186,754,231
#83 SCORPIONS, with 5,864,625 tickets sold for a gross total of $271,865,172
#84 FOO FIGHTERS, with 5,815,511 tickets sold for a gross total of $397,110,491
#88 PINK FLOYD, with 5,662,178 tickets sold for a gross total of $159,560,275
#105 GREEN DAY, with 4,764,387 tickets sold for a gross total of $204,959,692
#109 TOOL, with 4,483,293 tickets sold for a gross total of $269,044,896
#118 POISON, with 3,911,113 tickets sold for a gross total of $77,878,900
#120 Ozzfest, with 3,802,261 tickets sold for a gross total of $174,320,095
#149 LINKIN PARK, with 3,211,166 tickets sold for a gross total of $164,426,28
Metallica also announced that they would perform two U.S. stadium shows this year: Aug. 11 at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo and Aug. 14 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Both shows feature support from Greta Van Fleet and Ice Nine Kills.
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