AC/DC sold more tickets than any other artist on Earth during 2015.
More than 2.3million people paid to see the Aussie giants during their Rock Or Bust world tour – their first after the retirement of mainman Malcolm Young.
The band brought in $180million in the process, reports industry analyst Pollstar. That puts them in second place for earnings, behind pop singer Taylor Swift, who made $250.4million from ticket sales of 2.2million.
Also in the global top 20 are U2, the Foo Fighters, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and Paul McCartney.
AC/DC’s average ticket price was $77.92, making them the second-cheapest out of the top sellers. The Foos charged an average of $75.50 while U2 charged $118.35, Mac charged $125.61, McCartney charged $155.76 – and the Stones charged $174.50.
AC/DC continue their tour into 2016, with shows confirmed in North America and Europe. Frontman Brian Young recently said the band knew they couldn’t go on for ever, but added: “We never say no, and we never say never. We just play every night and give it everything we’ve got. If that’s the secret of success, we’ll pass it on.”
Pollstar’s rock ticket sales and earnings chart 2015
1 (2 overall): AC/DC – 2.3m tickets, $180.0m
2 (4): U2 – 1.3m tickets, $152.2m
3 (5): Foo Fighters – 1.7m tickets, $127.0m
4 (6): Fleetwood Mac – 995,900 tickets, $125.1m
4 (10): Rolling Stones – 628,700 tickets, $109.7m
5 (13): Paul McCartney – 498,900 tickets, $77.7m
