The Stereoboard 20: Rod Stewart Takes Top Spot With Biggest-Selling Tour Of 2013
Friday, 20 December 2013
Written by Stereoboard.com
Rod Stewart has taken top prize in the Stereoboard 20, our rundown of the top-selling tours of 2013. The rock legend has been busy in the last 12 months, releasing a new album, ‘Time’, and embarking on two major arena tours. In November, he iced the cake with the announcement of a series of stadium dates for 2014.
Every week we roll out our Hot Ticket Chart, which keeps track of the biggest on sales and the acts with staying power in the live arena, and in the last few days we’ve been counting down those who have dominated the scene in 2013. Joining Stewart on the list are some of the most iconic names in the history of music and a few young guns with high hopes.
In second spot are those plucky upstarts in One Direction. The kings of the boyband castle made a major splash with the announcement of their Where We Are tour earlier in the year, confirming 11 stadium shows for May and June 2014.
At three on the list is Michael Buble, perennial live favourite and conqueror of a marathon residency at London’s O2 Arena this summer. The Canadian crooner will be back in UK arenas next year too, with dates scheduled for February and March. Smooth.
At four and five are two of rock’s biggest names, who proved that age is just a number with a series of major shows in 2013. The Rolling Stones headlined Glastonbury and also tackled mammoth crowds at London’s Hyde Park in the summer, while Fleetwood Mac rolled back the years with dates this autumn, even briefly reuniting with Christine McVie at the O2 Arena.
At six is Beyoncé, who has had a pretty amazing time of late. Earlier this year she completed a sold out run of arena shows - as well as a headline slot at V Festival - and is all set to repeat the trick in 2014, with demand for her next UK tour hitting a major high earlier this week. Add in the release of her surprise new album - which is breaking sales records left, right and centre - and you’ve got a pretty potent mix.
Just behind Mrs. Carter in the standings are Bruno Mars, who brought his slick brand of soul to UK arenas during the autumn, and Arctic Monkeys. The Sheffield indie troupe released ‘AM’, their fifth studio album, this year and followed up a headline appearance at Glastonbury with an arena trek and announcement of two huge shows at London’s Finsbury Park for 2014.
Completing the top 10 for 2013 is the stage incarnation of Mrs. Brown’s Boys and Robbie Williams, who hit stadiums in the summer and recently confirmed a UK tour for next year in support of his new ‘Swings Both Ways’ album.
One of the biggest success stories of the year only got going in the last couple of months, with Busted and McFly joining forces as McBusted. The band will play an amazing 35 arena shows in the UK and Ireland next spring, as well as a headline date at Hyde Park in July, and are at 11 in our list.
Behind them in the standings are the Who, who took their famous rock opera Quadrophenia on the road this year, selling out some of the biggest arenas across the country. At 13 is the touring version of The Big Reunion, an ITV show that threw bands of yesteryear back together for another crack at things. Included were 5ive, Atomic Kitten, B*witched, Liberty X, 911 and Honeyz.
Rubber-faced funnyman Lee Evans is at 14 thanks to sales for another marathon UK trek, while Canadian rapper Drake, who released ‘Nothing Was The Same’ this year, is at 15 prior to an arena tour next March, which includes three nights at London’s O2 Arena.
At 16 are Welsh favourites Stereophonics, who released their eighth album, ‘Graffiti On The Train’, back in March and embarked on two sets of arena tour dates throughout the year. Just behind them are the Eagles, who will bring their ‘History Of The Eagles’ tour to the UK in May and June 2014, including four nights at London’s O2 Arena.
At 18 is the live version of the BBC’s popular Strictly Come Dancing show, while Bon Jovi - this week confirmed as Billboard’s top grossing touring band of 2013 - also make a dent on this list. Jon Bon Jovi and company played a series of stadium shows during the summer, as well as a set at London’s Hyde Park. Spot 20 goes to Disney On Ice, an ever-popular arena spectacle that will continue its merry way across the country through to next spring.
Sales are based on tickets sold on the primary and secondary markets. All ticket values have been tallied to find the biggest grossing UK tours of 2013 at ticket comparison site Stereoboard.com.
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