Metallica have sold more concert tickets over the past four decades than any other metal band, according to a new report from the live music industry ‘bible’ Pollstar.
The report, commissioned and published to commemorate Pollstar’s 40th anniversary, states that the group formed by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich in Los Angeles in 1981 have sold an impressive 19,468,173 tickets over the past 40 years: these statistics do not heed only headline shows, not the dozens of festivals the metal superstars have headlined since becoming a stadium-filling band with “Black Album” in 1991.
Since Pollstar was launched as the live industry’s most trusted resource, only five artists have moved more concert tickets than Metallica: U2, the Dave Matthews Band, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Elton John, in that order.
The report also ranked the artists by box office receipts, a ranking topped by the Rolling Stones, which raked in $2,165,280,638 over the past 40 years, having sold 22,137,799 tickets. Metallica is ranked number 9 on this list, having grossed $1,219,599,179, more than Paul McCartney in 10th place ($1,193,812,645) but less than Bon Jovi, Madonna and Celine Dion, among others.
Guns N’ Roses is ranked 23rd on this list ($751,306,152 in revenue from 8,470,755 tickets sold), AC/DC is 27th ($668,427,967 in revenue from 11,512,424 tickets sold), and Iron Maiden is ranked 44th ($475,817,777 gross, 9,187,132 tickets sold). ), two spots behind NWOBHM peers Def Leppard ($514,231,844 gross from 11,321,650 ticket sales).
PollstarThe full and exciting report from can be viewed here.
