The farewell tour began in September 2018 and became one of the top-grossing tours in 2019. According to Billboard Boxscore history, it also took the top spot on the tour charts for 2020, with top five placements in 2019 and 2022. In January 2023, it became the highest-grossing tour in history after overtaking Ed Sheeran’s ‘The Divide’ tour. We’ll see how long Elton John can keep the title though—as Taylor Swift’s Eras tour is expected to top $1 billion in conservative estimates.
Billboard Boxcore reports that through June 18, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has grossed $910.4 million. It’s the first live tour to break the $900 million threshold, surpassing both Ed Sheeran and U2. With the tour winding up, it still has several remaining shows yet to report. Each of the final performances is expected to gross an estimated $15 to $20 million. Elton John’s cumulative Boxscore ticket count will surpass 20 million tickets sold since 1986.
Top Grossing Live Music Tours
Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour | Elton John – $910 million
The Divide Tour | Ed Sheeran – $776.4 million
U2 360 Tour | U2 – $736.4 million
Elton John’s ongoing European arena tour leg has amassed $89.6 million across its 41 shows so far. Eight shows have yet to report their data, with another two dates before the final date. His June 26, 2023 performance at the Glastonbury Festival attracted more than 7 million viewers on BBC—more than triple Paul McCartney’s headline spot in 2022. Elton John’s performance was the most watched Glastonbury set across the whole festival.
“I never thought I’d play Glastonbury and here I am,” John said in an emotional monologue after taking the stage. “It’s a very special and emotional night for me as it may be my last ever show in England, so I better play well and entertain you as you’ve been standing there so long.”
