In this world, there are few things that can make us feel like we’re in paradise or something that can control our emotions so strongly. Music is such a sensation and experience that can make us reminisce about something we experienced years ago or just make us get up and dance. There is no person in the world that doesn’t enjoy music. Among the many ways of appreciating and relishing music, the best way to take in music is through live concerts.
Getting to see one’s favorite artist live is on the bucket list of every person and some fans even go to great lengths when it comes to opening their wallets for concert tickets. Live concerts can be an amazing experience but sometimes the cost of the tickets can reach staggering high prices. In this article, we reveal the Top 10 most expensive concert tickets ever sold up till now.
10. The Rolling Stones – 50 & Counting Tour: $1200
Rock legend Rolling Stones have been on the popular side for centuries. With their head throbbing and electrifying music, the Rolling Stones have never disappointed their fans. Therefore, fans were thrilled when the band got together for the 50 & Counting Tour. The “50 & Counting Tour” was a testament to The Rolling Stones’ enduring influence and their unmatched ability to captivate audiences. The tour was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the band.
An eye-catching aspect of the tour was the demand for the tickets and the ticket prices. The whole tour grossed over $24 million and the most expensive tickets fetched the price of $1200. But for the fans, it was a small price to pay to see their favorite band Rolling Stones perform their best songs.
9. Justin Bieber – Justice World Tour: $1500
Justin Bieber is one of the most popular artists in the world and has been releasing sensational pop music since the beginning of his career. Therefore when he goes on tour it is given that there will be sold-out shows even with expensive tickets. So, when he kicked off his Justice World Tour fans were eager to get the tickets for it even though it cost them a fortune.
The Justice World Tour concert tickets were something that fans were eager to get their hands on. The best seats were priced around $1500 tickets and it provided the best experience to the audience as the seat was close to the stage and hence close to the singer. Justin Bieber has come a long way since his debut and has a long way to go, hence we can expect more expensive concerts from him.
8. Beyoncé and Jay-Z – On The Run II Tour: $1991
Beyoncé is a sensational superstar and what’s better than seeing her perform with her husband Jay-Z? The duo went on the “On The Run II Tour” and provided fans with mesmerizing performance and their undying connection as husband and wife. Therefore, fans became eager to see the power couple in action and get the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But one thing about a Beyoncé concert is the price is gonna be high. The normal seat tickets ranged from $100 to $390, and you might think this is a quite reasonable price. But the bigger deal was the VIP tickets. The VIP tickets had a staggering $1991 price tag and those who acquired it got to see the duo up close and watch them give it their all.
7. Lady Gaga – Las Vegas Residency: $2000
Lady Gaga, the fearless pop pioneer was never afraid of taking risks when it comes to music and fashion. Her tours and concerts have always been mesmerizing with eerie and fascinating outfits and of course her powerful dance moves and voice. So when Lady Gaga announced her Las Vegas Residency fans were thrilled to see her perform. But the performance came with a price and as popular as Lady Gaga is, the ticket prices were quite expensive.
Some of the tickets went as high as $2000 and fans got to experience the best of Lady Gaga’s imagination, vocal performance, and charm. The ones who got their hands on the expensive tickets got the best of the best experience and got to connect with the singer herself.
6. The Weeknd – After Hours Til Dawn: $2071
RnB and pop sensation The Weeknd has captivated his fans with the experience of his dreamy and sensational melodies and singing. Therefore, when he released his breathtaking album “Dawn FM”, fans got to experience the thrilling After Hours Til Dawn Tour that followed. The Weeknd took fans through a journey of his electrifying and best performances.
The price of the tickets of the tour has varying prices but some tickets were even sold for $2071. Such expensive tickets were probably VIP sections but the experience of such sections is just priceless. Moreover, most of the shows were sold out and this just proves the talent and popularity of the Weeknd.
5. BTS – Love Yourself World Tour: $3850
When the most popular K-pop band started their tour, the “BTS ARMY” without any patience moved forward to secure tickets. BTS has taken the world by storm with their energetic and groovy album “Love Yourself” and it was a given that the venues of their tour were sold out. But besides the captivating performance, what took fans in awe was the price of the tickets.
The Love Yourself World Tour tickets average price ranged around $800 and some tickets were even sold for $3,850. As the popularity of the band increased the price of the tickets increased as well. But the purchase of tickets was worth it as the band gave their all for their fans and despite the expensive tickets, the band saw a huge attendance.
4. Elton John – Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour: $4500
The legendary Elton John has been blessing the world with his blissful music for several decades. He is also known to have flamboyant concerts and his iconic voice just takes everything to the next level. Now after many years of recording music and doing shows, Elton John kicked off his final tour “Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour”. But it was more than just a series of concerts, it was a heartfelt goodbye from a musical maestro to his dedicated fan base.
Fans clogged the queues to buy tickets which were bound to happen as it was his final tour, and the price of tickets skyrocketed. Even the basic tickets were around $1000 and the most expensive tickets sold for nearly $4500. Additionally, after the tour was complete, the complete earnings went to about $817.9 million making it the highest-grossing tour in history. Although the tour had to go through a break because of the lockdown due to the coronavirus, when it resumed in 2022 it saw equal excitement.
3. Beyoncé – Renaissance World Tour: $5000
When Queen B announced the Renaissance World Tour, everybody got their cards and wallets ready to get the tickets early on. The Renaissance World tour kicked off in Stockholm and since then has left fans astonished with the great outfits, the silver chrome horse “Reneigh”, stunning visuals, transitions, and a 3-hour heavenly voice of the “Alien Superstar”. The setlist featured all the songs from her new album Renaissance mixed with some of her old songs such as Formation and Drunk in Love.
Therefore, 3-hour concerts of a superstar like Beyoncé are expected to have a high price ticket. There were different sections in the concert from normal seats to Club Renaissance and Beyhive seats, the latter two being rather expensive. Also, the prices depended on the location as well. The price of the tickets ranged from $350 to $3000 to $5000. The LA and Las Vegas shows were the ones that reached a peak of $5000 as many artists got along on the stage with her and her birthday concert fell in LA.
2. Maroon 5 – M5LV The Residency: $8071
A band that comes in the list of one of the most popular bands in the world also holds a record for one of the most expensive tickets sold. Maroon 5, a pop sensation, has been constantly releasing chart-topping songs and people were eager to see them in Las Vegas. M5LV The Residency concert of Maroon 5 was a thrill for the fans as they performed songs such as Payphone, Moves Like Jagger, Love Somebody, and many more. In addition to it, the band also paid tribute to Jordan Feldstein who was their manager.
But to experience such popular songs, fans had to spend a lot for it. The tickets for this concert reached soaring high prices and some tickets even cost $8701. Although the price was nothing for the fans they got to experience the energy and an array of their best songs.
1. Led Zeppelin – Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert: $168,000
For the most expensive concert ticket ever sold, the record is held by the iconic rock band “Led Zeppelin”. The concert was held in honor of Ahmet Ertegun who was the founder of Atlantic Records and had worked with the rock band in the past years. The tribute was held on 10th December 2007 at London’s O2 Arena and the band had reunited after about almost 2 decades and the fans got to experience 16 songs from the band for the night.
Other than the band and the marvelous songs, one more aspect the people will remember about the night is the cost of the tickets. There were only 20,000 tickets available for the night and the demand for the tickets was ten times more than that, so you can imagine the prices. It was a once-in-a-lifetime night, but it came with a hefty price to get to experience it. Although the ticket prices started around $250, the prices went up and reached great heights to about from hundreds to thousands. There were even two tickets that were sold for $168,000 in an auction, as reported by Far Out.
Conclusion
In the world of live music, where melodies and lyrics come to life, there exists a spectrum of experiences, from the intimate and affordable to the extravagant and exclusive. Our journey through the “Top 10 Most Expensive Concert Tickets to Date” has unveiled a remarkable intersection of music and opulence. From legendary rock gods to contemporary pop sensations, these artists have proven that their performances are not just concerts; they are events of unparalleled grandeur.
The ticket prices we’ve explored, ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars, may initially seem exorbitant, but they represent more than just admission to a show. They symbolize the profound impact music has on our lives and the lengths to which fans are willing to go for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
