Some of the highest-grossing tours of all time have been over the last decade. And they all have one thing in common – the band or artist didn’t completely lose the plot.

Ah, to be in a band on the road. Surely, it doesn’t get any better.

Playing in stadiums to thousands of screaming, adoring fans, some of whom have your name tattooed on them.

They’ve bought tickets, meaning they already love you, so no real need to win them over.

Play the gig, head back to an opulent hotel for the requisite drink and drug-fueled orgy, wake up and jump on a jet or customized bus and do it again.

Easy, right?

Surprisingly, no. There are two important factors to staging massive success on the road.

First of all, you obviously need plenty of fans. A lengthy hit list doesn’t hurt either.

Secondly, you need stamina and enthusiasm. Buckets of drugs and vodkas for breakfast are bad for both. Showing up late and/or slurring onstage is another no-no.

Plenty of artists have struggled to maintain their sanity and quality of performance when on tour.

The real pros find a healthy balance – they enjoy themselves but know their limits.

And most of all, they genuinely love playing live. Fans can see it, and word gets around.

Ticket sales go through the roof and before you know it, the big guns are on the road for up to three years.

Here are some of the more notable highest-grossing tours of all time.

Remember – these figures are in the millions of dollars. And don’t depress yourself by wondering what they do with the money, that’s pointless.

Just be happy for them.

5: Guns n Roses  (2016 – 2019)

$584 million

Incredibly, the extremely hard rockers still rock extremely hard. Much of this has to do with the members giving booze for breakfast and Class A drugs the big heave-ho. Not as many colorful anecdotes unfortunately, but far more superior performances.

When Guns N Roses first embarked on this massive world tour in 2016, many were skeptical as to whether they could deliver the goods. On previous tours they were renowned for showing up three hours late, collapsing on and off stage or not even bothering to turn up.

Out with the cocaine and Jack Daniels, in with the martial arts and vegetables. Fans were blown away by the Gunners’ sharpness and stamina and the word spread.

Ticket sales soared and more bookings were added. Fans who thought they’d never get a chance to see Guns n Roses live again, were frothing.

Axl and the gang sold out concerts from Buenos Aires to Reykjavik and Yokohama.

They not only cemented their legacy but maybe even surprised themselves.

Fans were also overjoyed not to hear the dreaded words often heard at a concert – “and now here’s something from my new album”, which often leads to a mass exodus for the toilets.

The Gunners obliged their fans with what they wanted – the hits.

4: Coldplay  (2022 – 2023)

$617 million

At the time of writing (August, 2023), this tour was still going. That means it could be the most profitable ever.　

One thing going in their favor is that Coldplay are basically clean-living. Lead singer Chris Martin abhors drugs and barely touches booze. In fact, the band’s lifestyle makes Mahatma Ghandi look like an Amsterdam brothel owner.

Prior to the current Music of the Spheres tour, Coldplay had stopped going on the road. The band wanted to come up with an environmentally friendly production, with less CO2 emissions. This has included tweaks such as fewer pyrotechnics and biodegradable chemicals being added to the stage show.

All very admirable, although it should be pointed out that Coldplay still whiz around on private jets.

$617 million makes the criticism significantly easier to deal with.

3: U2  (2009-2011)

$736 million

U2’s behemoth 360° Tour was a groundbreaker for several reasons. It raked in more money than some countries’ GDPs. At the time it was easily the highest-grossing tour of all time. Band members’ descendants will be living off the proceeds into the next millennium.

The 360° Tour came at a time when artists were starting to see their earnings dwindle. Streaming services, piracy and online downloading were beginning to seriously eat into recording artists’ income.

The only option was to tour.

Unfortunately, not every band or singer is cut out for months and even years on the road.

U2 most certainly are cut out for it. They’re a seasoned bunch of veterans, with plenty of tours under their belt and have continued to keep innovating, whether in their music or live shows.

Whatever you may think of their music or politics, the band members have remained remarkably grounded and down to earth – the odd sermon about saving the world, aside. A few wines and beers are about their only vices, much like the rest of us.

The 360° Tour also introduced innovations such as a round stage that was set up in the center of each venue. This allowed fans from all angles to see and interact with the band. It cost a fortune to set up of course, but U2 presumably said, “make it happen” and it happened.

The band also visited Europe and America twice during the nearly three year tour, which was not only very generous but very profitable.

Other bands watched and learned. “This is great – we just go back and forth and get rich!”

Well, if you’re U2, yes.

2: Ed Sheeran  (2017 – 2019)

$776 million

The refreshingly down-to-earth Brit made some serious coin just in time before the pandemic kicked in.

A major part of Sheeran’s appeal has long been the ease in which he can jump between genres – from pop to R&B, to hip hop and pop/folk.

This means plenty of fans and plenty of bums on seats.

Sheeran was one of the many musicians who took U2’s cue and zipped back and forth between continents to prolong his tour.

Tiring of rich food? Let’s duck down to Asia! Need some antics in the sun? Hello, Australia. Need some bigger stadiums and bigger burgers? Back to the ole US.

Not unlike U2, Sheeran has been able to balance being a megastar and not a dickhead. At least, not in the open.

No raging benders, tantrums, feuds or stomach pumps. Sheeran is a self-confessed Lego fan and loves the odd game of Monopoly. This unforgivable behavior would have had him booted out of most bands in the 70s and 80s, but it’s paid off big-time in the 21^st century.

Just good songs and the odd tequila shot.

Well played sir.

1: Elton John  (2018 – 2020, 2022 – 2023)

Perhaps fitting that the man who set the standard for legendary world tours in the 70s, should finish his career with the highest-earning tour of all time.

Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour was rudely interrupted by the pandemic in early 2020, but he wasn’t going to end it there. When the travel gates opened up again, he hit the ground running and resumed a colossal tour that included 330 shows.

The Rocket Man decided that spending time with his sons was the biggest priority in his life. Despite his love of playing live, he announced that this would be his last hurrah.

Being sober for over 30 years and having dozens of smash hits certainly helps on a world tour.

A renowned top-tier live performer, John maintained the excellence, earning gushing reviews.

Energetic shows, generous encores and lively banter with the crowd – all you need from a singer, really.

He summed it up best after a show in New York.

“The icing on the cake is playing live to another human being”.

Hats off to you, sir Elton.