NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — Concert business in North America was up 35% in 2006, with more than $2.8 billion reported in box office totals, according to CelebrityAccess / Billboard Boxscore.
Many major tours contributed to the soaring totals, with top tickets going to Madonna, the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand and U2.
Even with the abundance of higher ticket prices, attendance was up 14%, with 52 million attending nearly 15,000 concerts. This follows two straight years of declining attendance.
Worldwide numbers are also up 30% from 2005, with a total gross of $3.4 billion and total attendance of more than 61 million, up 13%. Touring activity only increased 3.4%, proving greater attendance and higher tickets outside of the U.S. as well.
Live Nation was the largest concert promoter worldwide in its first year as an independent company, reporting grosses of nearly $2.3 billion from 9,367 shows that sold 38.2 million tickets.
This includes events promoted by House of Blues, which was purchased by Live Nation in October for $350 million. Prior to the deal, HOB had been the world’s third-largest promoter.
AEG Live held its spot as a distant second, reporting $543 million from 1,347 shows that drew 8.3 million attendees. Michael Cohl’s Concert Productions International, responsible for the Rolling Stones’ “A Bigger Bang” tour alongside Live Nation, came in third at $533.5 million. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
