How U2 Concert Ticket Prices Have Changed Over the Years
In the history of music, few acts have been as beloved as U2, led by the incomparable Bono, who is known as much for his activism as he is for his voice. Since 1976, U2 has captivated audiences with hit songs and memorable concerts. Naturally, U2 concert ticket prices have changed dramatically over the last 40-plus years that U2 has toured. In fact, it’s fascinating how things have changed during that time yet also stayed the same in some ways. Let’s take a look back at some of the band’s most memorable tours and see how the price of U2 concert tickets has changed throughout U2’s long and storied history.
The Joshua Tree Tour (1987)
The original Joshua Tree Tour wasn’t U2’s first tour. The band had already hit the road a handful of times and had already achieved great popularity worldwide. However, The Joshua Tree album is what made Bono and the band a household name. It remains one of the highest-selling albums in American music history and helped earn U2 its first Grammy nominations. In other words, The Joshua Tree album made U2 one of the biggest acts in the world, and that was seen on the ensuing tour of the same name.
In total, the tour grossed over $33 million over 110 shows, an average of over $302,000 per night. More importantly, nearly 2 million people came out for the tour. Of course, with many venues hosting multiple shows, it’s likely that some fans saw multiple shows during The Joshua Tree tour. Nevertheless, U2 concert ticket prices for the tour comes out to $17.11 on average, which sounds like a steal for one of the best bands in the world, even in the 1980s.
Zoo TV Tour (1992-93)
U2’s next major tour didn’t come until the Zoo TV Tour, which kicked off in February 1992. Of course, after several years without much touring, the band hit the road and hit it hard on this tour. U2 played 157 shows on the Zoo TV Tour across five legs. The tour lasted well over a year and a half, concluding in December 1993. Ultimately, the tour grossed $151 million from the box office and entertained 5.3 million people. U2 concert ticket prices for the tour comes out to $28.49 on average, which would have been a bargain at the time considering the tour was defined by the countless alter egos Bono portrayed on stage.
PopMart Tour (1997-98)
Once again, it was a few years before U2 went back on the road for a full-fledged tour. However, the PopMart Tour from April 1997 to March 1998 was truly a world tour. The band played 93 shows across five legs and hit every continent except Antarctica. In total, close to 4 million concertgoers enjoyed U2 concert ticket prices at $44 on average.
Elevation Tour (2001)
During the Elevation Tour, U2 literally took things to another level. The tour was short and sweet, squeezing in 113 shows between March and December, ultimately capping things off the next February by playing the Super Bowl halftime show. With revenue of $143.5 million, it was the highest-grossing concert in the world that year and attracted over 2.1 million people. Once again, there was a sharp increase in ticket prices, with U2 concert ticket prices for the Elevation tour costing $65.83 on average.
Vertigo Tour (2005-06)
U2 once again had the highest-grossing tour of the year during the Vertigo Tour, which spanned five legs from March 2005 to December 2006. The band played 131 shows, selling out 110 of them. In total, the tour grossed $389 million and entertained more than 4.6 million music lovers. U2 concert ticket prices for the Vertigo tour come out to $84.21 per ticket, representing another increase in ticket prices in line with U2’s popularity.
360° Tour (2009-11)
Once again, U2 outdid itself with the 360° Tour, which had seven legs and lasted for over two years. Despite a decline in record sales, the 360° Tour became the highest-grossing show of all-time, grossing nearly $6.7 million per show. Of course, over 7.2 million saw the tour with an average price of $101.26. General admission tickets for the tour were as cheap as $57.50 while high-end tickets were sold at face value for as much as $250.
Innocence + Experience Tour (2015)
After the 360° Tour, U2 took a little bit of a break but came back strong in 2015 with a two-leg, 76-show tour dubbed the Innocence + Experience Tour. As a shorter tour, U2 only entertained around 1.3 million people, taking U2 concert ticket prices for the Innocence + Experience tour to $118.31 per ticket. The cheapest tickets for the tour were set at $65 while the highest face value was $280.
The Joshua Tree Tour (2017)
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough album, U2 toured North America, Latin America, and Europe in 2017 with the second edition of the Joshua Tree tour. While the band played just 51 shows, they grossed $317 million, more than any other tour that year. In the process, they entertained 2.71 million people, who paid an average of $116.97. The minimum price of a general admission ticket on the tour was $70.
Experience + Innocence Tour (2018)
Just a few years after the first Experience + Innocence Tour, U2 brought it back after not performing any songs from the Experience + Innocence album the previous year on the Joshua Tree tour. In just 60 shows, the tour fell a little short of one million guests with the fans who showed up paying an average of $136.40 per ticket with the minimum face-value cost being $80.50.
The Joshua Tree Tour (2019)
U2’s most recent tour was another iteration of the Joshua Tree tour. This was the shortest and most exclusive tour in the band’s history, as Bono and company only played 15 shows. Of course, the average attendance at each of those shows was nearly 38,000 fans, who paid an average of $130.15 per ticket, which was actually down slightly from the previous tour.