Ed Sheeran is now officially the all-time concert box office champ
After 255 shows extending across two-and-a-half years, Ed Sheeran’s Divide tour has finally come to an end. And the numbers are shockingly big.
Sheeran sold 8.9 million tickets over this extended roadtrip, bringing in US$775.6 million, the highest total in the history of touring.
Definitely impressive, but it does come with an asterisk. The previous touring champion was U2 when they brought in US$735.2 million with the 360 Tour, which wrapped up in 2011. Over 110 shows, they sold 7.2 million tickets. Adjusting for inflation, however, the gross in today’s dollars is over $838 million, which compared to Sheeran’s total is, well, more. A lot more.
Pollstar has a new revised list of the top-grossing tours of all time.
- Ed Sheeran – Divide – 2017-2019 – $775.6m – 8.9 million tickets – 255s shows
- U2 – 360 – 2009-2011 – $735.3 – 7.2 – 110
- Guns N’ Roses – Not In This Lifetime… – 2016-ongoing – $561.1 – 5.1 – 145
- The Rolling Stones – A Bigger Bang – 2005-2007 – $558.2 – 4.6 – 144
- Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams – 2017-2017 – $523.0 – 5.3 – 114
- Roger Waters – The Wall Live – 2010-2013 – $460.2 – 4.1 – 220
- AC/DC – Black Ice – 2008-2010 – $441.9 – 4.9 – 165
- Madonna – Sticky & Sweet – 2008-2009 – $411.1 – 3.5 – 85
- U2 – Vertigo – 2005-2006 – $395.6 – 4.6 – 131
- Pink – Beautiful Trauma – 2018-ongoing – $380.3 – 3.0 – 154
Read more analysis at Pollstar.