English icons The Rolling Stones have been named the highest-earning touring band of 2021. The winning group and remaining top nine acts were announced by Pollstar, the US institution which has become one of the world’s foremost trade publications. Pollstar also took to Twitter to post their list of this year’s top worldwide arenas.
YEAR-END SPECIAL: Congratulations to all of the Venues that appeared on the 2021 Top Worldwide Arena Chart!
#1 @BrdgstoneArena
#2 @TheGarden
#3 @TheForum
#4 @StateFarmArena
#5 #MGMGrandGarden
#6 @Golden1Center
#7 @cryptocomarena
#8 @ToyotaCenter
#9 @AACenter
#10 @MoSunArenaPA pic.twitter.com/1bu6qYf9sQ— Pollstar (@Pollstar) December 13, 2021
The hitmakers climbed to the top of the list with their No Filter Tour, which was rescheduled to end this year due to COVID. Although the band only played a dozen dates from their tour, the group earned an impressive £87 million from the stadium shows. The tour was the first run of live shows which the group played since the tragic passing of drummer Charlie Watts.
The rockers’ recent tour has been heralded not just for its financial success but for its positive influence within the music industry. President and co-CEO of Concerts West, John Meglen has provided the following statement concerning the tour, “It’s a testament to all of the people who were out on the road and on our team, You have to give every single person out there credit for a ton of buckling down and saying, ‘Let’s go out and get this thing done,’ because we all wanted to get it done. We didn’t want to lose a show. And we’re watching all the others out there and going, ‘Man, they’re not taking it serious enough.”
Meglen also stated that the tour’s successes lay in adherence to the COVID guidelines, “We had a very, very strict bubble, both for the entourage and the same with Opie (veteran tour production director Dale “Opie” Skjerseth) on the production crew, When we moved into St. Louis for the first show (the run debuted on Sept. 26 at The Dome), we really got into all of the daily or every-other-day testing.” The tour required all crew members to be vaccinated and tested regularly, the team also adhered to strict rulings which included no unpermitted persons allowed backstage and dressing rooms to be fully sanitized. Meglen continued to add, “We had to be very, very strict, At the show in L.A., my wife was up in the suite, but I couldn’t go up and see her.”
Former One Direction band member Harry Styles placed at number two within the list, the “Watermelon Sugar” singer earned £65.5 million from his Love On Tour concert series. Much like The Rolling Stones’ No Filter tour, Styles had to postpone the tour twice due to social restrictions placed to manage COVID. Styles embarked on his second concert tour in support of his second solo album Fine Line. The British artist made £6.1 million alone from his three nights at New York’s Madison Square Garden. With over 669,051 tickets sold, Styles has become the highest ticket selling artist of 2021.
The Hella Mega Tour has landed in third place, the concert series featured a trio of iconic bands and earned £50.8 million. The tour featured Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer and is set to embark on its European and UK leg in 2022. The Eagles came in fourth place within the list, the group’s live shows brought in £44.7 million. The top five was concluded by Dead & Company, the supergroup made up of former Grateful Dead band members generated £37.9 million from live shows in 2021.
