Madonna’s ‘Rebel Heart Tour’ Tops Recent Outing By Lady Gaga, But Not Taylor Swift
Even though Madonna may be having trouble with her personal life, her Rebel Heart Tour has become a huge commercial and critical success. On Thursday, Billboard reported on the tour’s latest feat.
“Madonna takes the No. 2 slot on the latest Hot Tours roundup, based on January ticket sales reported from her ongoing Rebel Heart Tour that covered North American and European markets during a 15-week span in the fall. The trek resumed on Jan. 6 following a two-and-a-half week break at the end of the year, opening with a two-show engagement at Mexico City’s Sports Palace arena.”
“Altogether during the first month of the year, the pop diva performed for just over 150,000 fans at 12 concerts, adding $19.3 million to her tour’s overall gross that has now topped the $100 million mark. Since the Sept. 9 opening performance in Montreal, the Rebel Heart tour has reached $107.3 million in ticket sales at 61 concerts.”
The tour is expected to make over $160 million by its end in Australia later this month. She may not make as much money as her previous tours, which were played at a time when the dollar conversion was much higher and most of the dates were played in stadiums. Madonna kept costs down by playing mostly in arenas this time around.
Still, Madonna looks set to make more money than U2 did this past year with their Innocence + Experience Tour, which made just over $150 million. She will also easily outdo the total gross from Lady Gaga’s 2014 Artrave Tour, which grossed about $83 million. However, Madonna will fall far behind Taylor Swift, who grossed over $250 million with her 1989 World Tour.
“It was all that I expected, and wanted, from a queen who has reigned across four decades. It was huge and it was fun. The dancers were simply amazing. Would I have preferred to have seen her in the 80s, 90s or early 2000s? Yes, I would have. But was it still worth the wait? Absolutely!” Yeoman claimed.
When Madonna performed in the U.K., the Guardian gave it a five-star review.
“Marking World Aids Day provides the chance for the star to remember those who have died – including ‘the entire family of my adopted son’ – and for the most charismatic song of the night. Like a Prayer finds Madonna accompanied by Spanish guitar. The entire room is in the palm of her hand, like a string of rosary beads, 20,000 long,” claimed reviewer Kitty Empire.
It was thought that because the Rebel Heart Tour has been so successful, Madonna would extend it into the summer. The Times of Israel claimed Madonna was heavily rumored to play Israel this summer as one of the extended tour dates. However, with all of Madonna’s custody problems, she may need a break. The Rebel Heart Tour will always go down as one of fans’ favorite projects in Madonna’s entire career.
[Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images]
