Veteran pop stars such as Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones and Cher helped drive North American concert ticket sales to a record US$2.1 billion last year, thanks to fans who forked out up to US$350 each for the privilege of seeing their idols.
According to data collated by concert trade publication Pollstar, sales hit a record for the fourth consecutive year, and rose about 20 percent from 2001's tally of US$1.75 billion.
Ticket prices for the top 100 acts averaged US$46.56, a 6 percent increase over 2001's US$43.86 average.
But the major acts charged sky-high prices. McCartney, on tour for the first time in nine years, was the top grosser with US$103.3 million, Pollstar said. The former Beatle charged an average of US$129.92 per ticket at his 53 shows, but his top price was about US$250.
McCartney now ranks No. 4 on the all-time North American concert charts, behind the Rolling Stones (US$121 million, 1994), U2 (US$109.7 million, 2001) and Pink Floyd (US$103.5 million, 1994).
The Rolling Stones, who were the No. 2 earners last year with US$87.9 million, averaged US$119.20 per ticket, but tickets in the major cities cost as much as US$350.
On the other hand, fans in the front rows paid much less, about US$90 each.
Pollstar editor Gary Bongiovanni said greedy rock stars were crippling the industry by demanding hefty guarantees from promoters, which results in high ticket prices and many empty seats.
"It would be difficult to find an industry insider who could pronounce overall business as healthy," he said.
The gross figures do not include merchandising sales, where rock stars earn a mint from such costly souvenirs as US$35 T-shirts and US$10 flashing buttons.
Pop diva Cher's supposed farewell tour was No. 3 on the list with total sales of US$73.6 million, and an average ticket price of US$71.89. Her maximum was about US$80.
The ever-popular pairing of Billy Joel and Elton John grossed US$65.5 million. Their average ticket cost US$107.88, but fans could shell out up to US$175.
The Dave Matthews Band was fifth with US$60.1 million. Their average ticket was a relative bargain at just US$39.84. The group was also the most popular in terms of number of tickets sold, with more than 1.5 million fans paying to see their 77 shows.
By that measure, Cher was No. 2 with 1.1 million fans at 93 shows, and rock band Creed third with 953,000 fans at 83 shows, but No. 8 on the grosses list with US$39.2 million.
For the first time, a Rolling Stones tour did not top the year-end charts. But the band played only 34 concerts, of which five were small theater gigs where tickets went for just US$68. They resume their North American tour on Wednesday in Montreal, and are unlikely to top the 2003 list because they have only 14 concerts scheduled, including one free show.
Other major acts lined up for 2003 include 1970s veterans Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles. There are also unconfirmed reports of a reunion by the three surviving members of English rock group Led Zeppelin, which broke up after the 1980 death of drummer John Bonham.
Rounding out the year's top 10 were: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band at No. 6 with US$42.6 million, Aerosmith at No. 7 with US$41.4 million, Creed at No. 8, Neil Diamond at No. 9 with US$36.5 million, and the Eagles at No. 10 with US$35.4 million.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE: More than five earthquakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to 5.5 on the Richter scale shook eastern Taiwan in rapid succession yesterday afternoon Back-to-back weather fronts are forecast to hit Taiwan this week, resulting in rain across the nation in the coming days, the Central Weather Administration said yesterday, as it also warned residents in mountainous regions to be wary of landslides and rockfalls. As the first front approached, sporadic rainfall began in central and northern parts of Taiwan yesterday, the agency said, adding that rain is forecast to intensify in those regions today, while brief showers would also affect other parts of the nation. A second weather system is forecast to arrive on Thursday, bringing additional rain to the whole nation until Sunday, it
CONDITIONAL: The PRC imposes secret requirements that the funding it provides cannot be spent in states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Emma Reilly said China has been bribing UN officials to obtain “special benefits” and to block funding from countries that have diplomatic ties with Taiwan, a former UN employee told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. At a House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee hearing into “international relations within the multilateral system,” former Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) employee Emma Reilly said in a written statement that “Beijing paid bribes to the two successive Presidents of the [UN] General Assembly” during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Another way China exercises influence within the UN Secretariat is
CHINA REACTS: The patrol and reconnaissance plane ‘transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,’ the 7th Fleet said, while Taipei said it saw nothing unusual The US 7th Fleet yesterday said that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait, a day after US and Chinese defense heads held their first talks since November 2022 in an effort to reduce regional tensions. The patrol and reconnaissance plane “transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace,” the 7th Fleet said in a news release. “By operating within the Taiwan Strait in accordance with international law, the United States upholds the navigational rights and freedoms of all nations.” In a separate statement, the Ministry of National Defense said that it monitored nearby waters and airspace as the aircraft
Taiwan’s first drag queen to compete on the internationally acclaimed RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nymphia Wind (妮妃雅), was on Friday crowned the “Next Drag Superstar.” Dressed in a sparkling banana dress, Nymphia Wind swept onto the stage for the final, and stole the show. “Taiwan this is for you,” she said right after show host RuPaul announced her as the winner. “To those who feel like they don’t belong, just remember to live fearlessly and to live their truth,” she said on stage. One of the frontrunners for the past 15 episodes, the 28-year-old breezed through to the final after weeks of showcasing her unique