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"Then came Omicron, and we stopped dancing," he adds. Picking out the best 80s rock bands is no easy task. While seeing the band break big is incredible on its own, the fact that a handful of remarkable bands shared the stage with them on the tour makes it even more iconic in retrospect: Sonic Youth, Melvins, Hole, Mudhoney, Bikini Kill, Shonen Knife, The Breeders, and more. The iconic soul singer has a youthfulness to him that seems dependent upon gratitude, something Wonder has never been in short supply of. Year(s): 201013. In touring behind Guero, Beck showed off his noodly dance moves, how well his '90s material had aged, and his ability to still feel cool as a dad. The Police - Synchronicity Tour (1983-84), In 1983, just before their dissolution, The Police became the Biggest Band in the World thanks to the success of Synchronicity. Browse The Rolling Stones. It was the era of young adults claiming their thrones in hip-hop, and seeing that moment in history live was (and still is) a coveted thing. distribution partner, email us at 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. Between 1973 and 1976, Journey released three studio albums, all of which failed to meet the expectations of Columbia Records, which nearly dropped the band. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: The Rising Tour, #22. Shows played: 390 1983, so it was a pretty big deal. -- Matt Melis, 04. Maybe that pain fueled the music. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $422,597,665 When he and his band took the record on tour, it seemed like it may be too grim to work. 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. Come to think of it, that sounds like an episode of The Osbournes. Although the decade of excess came to a close over 32 years ago, many of the biggest acts that came of age. Its funny how history tells a slightly different story, though. Total tour attendance: 2.07 million Just over a year after her older brother Michael had rewritten every rule for what a pop tour or a music tour in general could be, kid sister Janet Jackson set out on her own record-setting tour. Not all iconic tours are flawless, as sometimes its their flaws that make them stand out. The English rock bandPink Floyd formed in 1965. by Stephen Spiewak, July 20, 2016 While both bands put on legendary shows when healthy and present, that didnt happen nearly enough across the 26 dates. While these dates werent the marathon shows that fans would become familiar with on future tours, recordings capture an intense experience unlike any other Springsteen tour, where fast songs were sped up to breakneck speed and slower cuts were allowed to stretch out and get moodier than ever. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $345,700,000 U2 certainly fit that category, and the choice is made all the more difficult because theyre the type of band thats evolved so much over the years. And who can forget those skin-tight pants and spangled jackets? Nina Corcoran, Def Jam in the mid-80s can be compared to Motown in its heyday. Paul Simon The Graceland Tour (1987), Its difficult to believe, but Paul Simons career was running on fumes by the mid-80s. Shows played: 205 And yet, when it finally hit the road, Roger Waters' tour managed to be even better in person than any press could've described. David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour: $86 Million Gross adjusted for inflation: $193.9 million Although David Bowie's Glass Spider Tour was poorly received at the time it spanned from May to. Neil Youngwith Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps Tour (1978), Theres no denying that Neil Young is a dynamic live performer. (Malik left in the spring of 2015. worth applauding. Is it legit? Nina Corcoran, Lilith Fair, the brainchild of singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, struck an early victory for womens inclusion in the modern touring industry. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $364,300,000 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. Matt Melis, For her seventh tour ever, Bjrk turned her abstract, Grammy-nominated album Biophilia into a visual representation of the nature, technology, and music crossroads that it aimed to explore. Rio Grande Mud ( 43 ) The Tonnage Tour ( 89 ) Tres Hombres ( 123 ) Viva Las Vegas Residency 2018 ( 5 ) Viva Las Vegas Residency 2019 ( 8 ) Whack Attack ( 71 ) Worldwide Texas ( 107 ) XXX ( 109 ) ZZ Top's First Album ( 35 ) Songs Albums Avg Setlist Covers With Concert Map Concert Map 1 1 26 26 Zoom : Countries Browse artists A B C D E F G H I J K L But it wasnt until the 1998 Yield Tour that the frontman and his colleagues matured and settled into being the best touring band on the planet. Nina Corcoran, 27. ), 02. In a sense, they still havent found what theyre looking for, but are well ahead of schedule in their quest. Public Enemy and Anthrax - Bring the Noise Tour - (1991), Aerosmith and Run-DMC had already proven that hard rock and hip-hop could play nice together, but Anthrax and Public Enemy discovered what acts like Rage Against the Machine would soon learn: the politics of hip-hop and muscle of metal could amplify their already booming calls of injustice tenfold. It was a transformation of human expectations, stage design, and low-to-high delivery, thankfully captured on film for preservation. Ironically, Brooks did more than almost any country star to open the genre up to rock fans, especially as a live performer. Their "Not in This Lifetime tour marked the first time in over two decades that Rose, Slash, and McKagan shared a stagesomething fans were clearly excited to see. While it promoted the album, it also served as the backdrop for their next record, Yessongs, a live album that captured what it was like to hear them without studio gear tweaking things. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. The Rolling Stones knew that rock was ready for melodic pop choruses, and their first massive stadium tour of the states had everyone singing along -- inside and outside of the stadium. Like Madonna, Bon Jovi, and Metallica, U2 is one of the biggest bands in the world. Year(s): 200708. If your organization is interested in becoming a Stacker live concert Unfortunately, the magic thats yielded some of the finest folk albums and live moments of all time has often taken a backseat to the duos clashing personal differences. So her sound engineer Martin Fisher used a wire clothes hanger to create a wireless headset microphone. Like Santa himself, Stevens packed every toy he could imagine: inflatable toys, excessive hats, neverending garland, and one giant wheel to be spun at shows to decide which traditional Christmas songs should be added to a setlist of original Christmas songs. Nina Corcoran, Yes, we can look back to a time before Lindsey Buckingham was fired from Fleetwood Mac. It was the year of the big suit, a year that lives on in cartoonish costume design fame. However, the first few years were rough going. 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. At 73 years old, he was the inspiration for youthful elders everywhere. Roger Waters, a founding member of Pink Floyd, embarked on a solo career in the mid-1980s. Few things functioned as intended, be it the backdrops or the microphone pickups, which turned the tour into a legendary catastrophe-turned-spectacle. The Rolling Stones: A Bigger Bang Tour, 100 best sci-fi films of all time, according to critics, Best New Artist winners, ranked by popularity today, most successful musical acts of the 1970s, the greatest rock & roll band in the world, Coldplays breakthrough single, "Yellow,, marked the first time in over two decades, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/?ref=chooser-v1. Musically, they seemed to have it all together, but the band was months away from falling apart. The 40 Most Anticipated Tours of 2023: Taylor Swift, SZA, Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys, Beyonc, and More Angel Olsen, Big Thief, Coldplay, Dry Cleaning, Fever Ray, Glorilla, Kelela, and more of the. 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. tour dates They brought the squawkish guys in Beastie Boys on tour in support of Raising Hell, only to bring them out again for Together Forever, a tour that showed not only that rap deserved to blow up, but that young rappers did, too. Concert For Bangladesh: Madison Square Gardens, New York City (1971) When sitar maestro Ravi Shankar learned of the fast-escalating. Michael Jackson - Bad World Tour (1987-89), Sometimes, we forget that Michael Jackson had already charmed much of the world before he ever undertook his first solo tour in 1987. Nina Corcoran, 50. See More by this Creator. tour, Cher committed to being over the top, which meant dancing through a variety of costumes or playing into the vaudevillian tinge of her voice. Suddenly, the stakes for her festival rocketed upwards, despite already starting a frenzy beforehand. In fact, Waters had left the band by the time this Pink Floyd tour took place and wasreplaced by David Gilmour. The 50 Greatest Concerts of the Last 50 Years From Led Zeppelin's U.S. debut to Jay Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' spectacle, and beyond By Christopher R. Weingarten, David Browne, Jon. The footage that exists of the tour shows a rock band still in its prime with Mercury playfully teasing the crowd in between showing off some of the greatest pipes in rock history. Its The Boss at his best. The success of that one-off night in September 81 led Simon & Garfunkel to put harmonies before harmony and embark on what many consider their finest tour ever. Matt Melis, 34. The Rolling Stones American Tour 1969 (1969), Oh, to be a rock legend in your prime. And for the final touch? Axl Rose suffered from throat issues, tardiness, and Axl being Axl throughout the tour, which culminated in rioting in Montreal when Guns N Roses called it quits early after Metallica had ended their set due to James Hetfield suffering severe burns from a pyrotechnic misfire. -- Matt Melis, 35. While its true he wasnt quite yet the King of Pop, catching him on the Victory Tour could definitely be considered seeing him a mere shamone or two away from his throne. Year(s): 201417, Unlike Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks is a huge believer inplaying the old stuff. Blur, Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine, and The Jesus and Mary Chain - Rollercoaster Tour (1992), There are some tours you would drop serious dough on in the moment, and ones you would drop even more money on today, if only for a nosebleed seat. Does it get any better than that? Jorge Ben Jor at Copacabana Beach (1993) - 3 million attendees. My, my. One of themost successful musical acts of the 1970s, The Eagles (originally composed of Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner) set out on their "Long Road Out of Eden tour in 2008. His third album " was released in 2017, and the albums tour began the same year. by Alyssa, June 25, 2015 The Tour of Life was her first-ever concert tour and lasted just over one month. Critics and audience members could tell a star was born on that tour. For starters, it was the tour that gave us Live at Montreux, her first-ever concert film, capturing how powerful her delivery is onstage for anyone to see. The veteran band had finally made it that long way to the top and were reveling in every last second of it. Matt Melis, 57. Despite a long line of revolving band members, the Nine Inch Nails frontman has always managed to push the live experience to its edges, creating a cathartic, communal experience for fans that owes as much to mud and sweat as it does to high-tech rock-show theatrics. Not too shabby. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $674,547,559. Nina Corcoran, 37. Shows played: 155 Do your parents know youre Ramones? the band famously get asked in Rock n Roll High School. So cut to the worldwide shock when Jawbreaker revealed they were reuniting for Riot Fest and that other dates would later follow. Its the circle of life, folks. New Jersey bandBon Jovi appeared on the scene in 1980 with big hair and electric smiles. He had toured extensively with both The Jackson 5 and The Jacksons, playing before royalty, debuting many of his most famous calling cards in concert (including his single glove, sequined jacket, and the moonwalk), and touring the songs off hit solo albums Off the Wall and Thriller with his siblings. Right on. By magicalkidd. Shows played: 120 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. Cyndi Lauper. Rarely has a festival so large known their audience so well and delivered better. Legendary shows at venues like Shea Stadium and the Hollywood Bowl not only helped set attendance and revenue records but also captured footage of just how emotional fans could get at a concert. 1 UK independent chart position and proved the genre was a force to be reckoned with, and everyone got the message by the time the Grindcrusher UK tour started. Comments. While it's easy to point to the mystical vibe of the tour with its use of miming, magic, and readings during her costume changes, it's her choreography that changed the course of history. Matt Melis, Some might equate Pearl Jams live show with a young, longhaired Eddie Vedder scaling stage scaffolding and leaping into a sea of denim and flannel. Their manager booked dates that dodged major markets, sending the band through cities like Atlanta, Memphis, San Antonio, Baton Rouge, Dallas, and Tulsa before concluding in San Francisco. The band's synthpop was at a musical peak, as was their energy. Rod Stewart at Copacabana Beach (1994) - 4.2 million attendees. --Matt Melis, 86. 10. Still, if we can only revisit one U2 tour, it would be 1983s War Tour, before many of their best-known hits came to dominate radio and prior to Bono becoming a slicked-back, leather-clad god who wears sunglasses indoors. Proving that we often dont know a good thing til its gone, The Polices reunion tour grossed more than any of their heyday tours. Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright were students when they met and began playing together, but their famous "A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour didnt come until much later, toward the end of their time as a group. If live music is all about reaching out and connecting with an audience, Coyne can be credited for finally improving on the classic crowd surf. Notable, but, sure, normal for McCartney's lively stamina. To this day, the image of knock-knee frontman Steven Tyler, pursing the poutiest lips this side of Mick Jagger, spitting out debauched lines while playing hot potato with his scarved microphone stand remains one of the most iconic visuals in rock history. The slate saw Springsteen finally headlining full-size arenas and adding several soon-to-be staples to the setlist. And I miss it when Im not doing it. Here are the people whove done it best. Some of the best moments can be found on his acclaimed Otis Redding: Live in Europe album, and it would be only three months later at Monterey Pop that Redding would largely wash away the color line at a music festival in his own country. Matt Melis, 61. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. See details AC/DC- Highway to Hell Tour (1979-80), When Bon Scott died of alcohol poisoning in early 1980, Brian Johnson stepped in a couple months later, and the band didnt miss a beat. 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. Lady Gaga- Born This Way Ball (2012-13), Billed as an electro-metal pop-opera with openers like Zedd and The Darkness tacked on, Lady Gagas Born This Way Ball was set to be a spectacle even before she hit the road. by Alyssa, July 08, 2016 The Break Every Rule World Tour took place slap-dab in the middle of Tina Fever and saw The Queen of Rock n Roll strutting her big hair, trademark legs, and powerhouse pipes all over the world to more fans than she couldve ever imagined. Apart from the casual 250.7 million dollars it brought in or the endless thinking pieces surrounding it, the 1989 World Tour stood out because of how Taylor Swift embraced her role as an artist intent on doing it up big while still creating a faux intimacy that fans in the nosebleed seats could enjoy. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - First UK Tour (1967), Sometimes a candle burns so brightly that we almost forget how briefly it was lit. 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. Their biggest album, "For Those About to Rock, We Salute You, topped charts in 1983, but in 2008 they were still going strong. Simon needed a new inspiration to take hold of him, and he found that muse in the traditional music of South Africa, which he would combine with pop to create Graceland, his best-selling album as a solo artist. Shows played: 84 -- Matt Melis, 55. by Alyssa, March 03, 2023 During their reunion shows in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York, Jawbreaker gave generations new and old the chance to hear their material live and sounding better than most everyone expected them to, too. That terrible thought is enough to make us want to turn the page back to the Diary of a Madman Tour. Year(s): 200809, Celine Dions "Taking Chances World Tour marked her return to the touring circuit after taking an extended break for her first Las Vegas residency, "A New Day The tour wasdirected by Jamie King, who also directed Madonnas "Confessions World Tour, and included lots of new material from Dions album"Taking Chances, as well as several of her classics like "My Heart Will Go On and "The Prayer., Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $329,889,628 By this time, the band was not only playing dream venues like Madison Square Garden and Budokan, but selling them out multiple nights. Clark used half of the tour as a way to give a solo show, performing older tracks with just her guitar and her voice, and then played newer songs with the help of a backing track. Which was more awesome, The Joshua Tree or Zoo TV? The disaster resulted in the tragic deaths of 7 concert-goers. And Then There Was David Lindley, See the Beths Deliver Refreshing 'Expert in a Dying Field' Mini-Set on 'CBS Mornings', The YSL Case Is Stretching Fulton County's Justice System to Its Breaking Point, Trump Promises to Continue Presidential Campaign if Indicted, Then Delivers a Snoozy CPAC Speech, NBA 'Investigating,' Team Suspends Ja Morant After Allegedly Flashing Gun on Social Media. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, some of the best music the 20th century had to offer. held between 1980 and 1996 at . Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues Tour (1983), The year was 1983. 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. Depeche Mode- World Violation Tour (1990), One of the most popular tours among Depeche Mode fans and electronic fans in general, the World Violation tour saw them kick off 1990 in style. With those guidelines listed out, let's take a look at nine of the biggest concerts in American history. Still, it felt like the odd couple were truly homeward bound when they ended their 10-year separation to play before half a million in their now legendary Concert at Central Park. It began in the United States only a few months removed from the Kennedy assassination when the mop-topped lads from Liverpool played their first American concerts sandwiched between Earth-shifting appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. Garth Brooks The Garth Brooks World Tour (1993-94), To non-country fans, barrel-chested Garth Brooks might be little more than that guy who sang jingles for Dr. Pepper in the early 2000s. The Flaming Lips- 2003 Summer Tour (2003), The Flaming Lips have been weird for a very long time and have pushed the boundaries of live spectacle as much as, if not more than, any other band of their era. With their valiant Ticketmaster battles behind them, a newfound sense of camaraderie, and Soundgardens Matt Cameron solidifying the bands revolving spot behind the drum kit, Pearl Jam were finally able to commit to making each and every outing be it an intimate show in their hometown of Seattle or under the stars at Wrigley Field a night where anything could, and often does, happen. The Rolling Stones: Bridges to Babylon Tour, #6. In 20162017, their tour "A Head Full of Dreams became one of the top-grossing tours of all time, showing just how big an influence the group has had on the music scene. The record-breaking concert at Rio de Janeiro was held in the middle of the "A Bigger Bang" tour. No matter your personal taste in music, its highly probable that you know Coldplays breakthrough single, "Yellow, which climbed the charts in 2000. Her kick-off shows in London sold out in record time, the Japanese military was brought in to control the 25,000 fans who greeted her at an airport, and she played to record crowds in numerous countries and cities. He had a hit movie, a hit soundtrack, and, with The Revolution behind him, the band hed always wanted. Was Bruce Springsteen better in 1975 or 1978? In the case of Mercury, they would be his final shows ever due to being diagnosed with AIDS the following year. Guns N' Roses: Not in This Lifetime Tour, #2. Nina Corcoran, Tom Waits had left his drunken piano lounge act long behind him by the mid-80s and stumbled into his alter ego of Frank OBrien, a character he and wife Kathleen Brennan would both incorporate into his records and adapt for the stage. Whether it was fearlessly taunting a lightning storm at Lollapalooza or lunging into the audience at indoor shows throughout the tour, Florence Welch showed the type of full-faced courage that fills the band's music with tangible flashes of life. Both occurred during Queens Magic Tour. A Tribe Called Quest finally did a tour of sorts: the 2017 summer festival route, including Pitchfork Music Festival, FYF Fest, Panorama, and more. 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. Osbourne wasnt in the healthiest state at the time, but who could resist being the proverbial flying rodent on the wall as Ozzy legendarily bit a dead bat thrown onstage (and had to subsequently get rabies shots) or went outlaw by donning his wifes nightgown, getting smashed, and pissing on The Alamo? The Big Time shows captured those two worlds colliding. For an artist constantly reaching beyond our collective imagination, Bjrk outdid herself in a way few could have expected or understood, even while watching it unfold before their eyes. 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. U2 has. While Simons project put him in some political hot water at the time due to issues of apartheid in South Africa, most critics and crowds around the world came to love these songs both on record and onstage, where Simon embraced the culture he had borrowed from by deferring to his fellow artists and sharing his own jubilant performance. Year(s): 200205. Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, Performing every song from an iconic album like this one isn't easy, especially when there are 22 songs to play, not to mention other hits and singles from your catalog. 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. Announced at a news conferenceheld under the Brooklyn Bridge, the Stones "Bridges to Babylon tour supported their album of the same nametheir 23rd U.S. studio album. The British pop-rock band, fronted by Chris Martin, has had a series of wildly successful albums over the past two decades. Nina Corcoran, 08. But when The Cure hit the States in support of Disintegration, it was an entirely different ordeal. Nina Corcoran, 75. And thats precisely what she did. ), Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $319,972,060 But if were talking the moment that Bruce and band really became Kings of the Road (or maybe Bosses), that would have to be the Darkness Tour. When did Kanye hit his stride? The Top 100 Music Festival Lineups of All Time, The Top 10 Music Venues in 10 American Cities. For a handful of the dates, labelmates Hot Chip served as openers. Give Orange. Beginning with the "Voodoo tour, Wyman was replaced with the groupscurrent bassist, Darryl Jones. Agora (Dec. 15, 1983) After releasing her 1986 monster album "True Colors," Cyndi Lauper became one of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s. Total tour attendance: 3.55 million You show off what you can do with and without a band. 2. Tour gross (adjusted for inflation): $421,251,623 The last song the band played live together? Total tour attendance: 2.0 million To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste into Credit Gene Simmons and co. for understanding that its just rock and roll, stupid! 1 $817,900,000: $870,000,000: Elton John: Farewell . Shows played: 53 Given this was right after "Believe" came out, which popularized Auto-Tune, and artists like Cyndi Lauper and Michael McDonald opened the shows, it was a tour that had plenty to remember it by, should you be lucky enough to get a ticket. Total tour attendance: 4.13 million Daft Punk Alive 2006/2007 (2006-07), Daft Punk have existed for 26 years now, yet the French electronic duo have only toured two times. The famed beach in Rio De Janeiro was the scene of one of the biggest rock shows EVER, when the legendary band performed to 1.5 million fans on 18 February 2006. . Nick Cave& the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree Tour (2017-18), After the loss of his son in 2015, Nick Cave returned to the writing board to channel his devastation into Skeleton Tree, an aching record that's deeply personal because of both the details and the delivery from which he discusses it. Asking ourselves, "Would we want to go back in time to check out this show if we had tickets?". On Tour With Bon Jovi In The 1980s Mark Weiss toured the world with Bon Jovi in the 1980s. All three members of Run-DMC were 22 years old and all three members of Beastie Boys were between 21 and 23. The groups 2011 tour was their first proper tour instead of a smattering of dates. No matter how big the crowds would get or how elaborate the stage setups would one day become, theres still something utterly mesmerizing about the band, as captured forever in their Red Rocks performance on that tour.