RECAP is a summary of the lifetime ticket sales earned by an specific artist. It will mention box office (revenue, tickets sold and number of shows) for headlining and co-headlining concerts, one-off concerts and lists per regions, markets, boxoffice data for each calendar year and revenues adjusted for inflation.
| U2 | Box Office |
| U2:UV Achtung Baby U2 Headliner | $244,478,903 662,530 40 shows |
| The Joshua Tree U2 Headliner | $390,778,581 3,279,712 65 shows |
| Experience + Innocence U2 Headliner | $125,600,371 923,730 59 shows |
| Innocence + Experience U2 Headliner | $152,228,226 1,286,416 76 shows |
| U2 360° U2 Headliner | $736,421,584 7,272,046 110 shows |
| Vertigo U2 Headliner | $389,047,636 4,619,021 131 shows |
| Elevation U2 Headliner | $143,472,379 2,179,642 113 shows |
| PopMart U2 Headliner | $173,610,864 3,982,657 93 shows |
| ZooTV U2 Headliner | $151,215,414 5,350,554 156 shows |
| Lovetown U2 Headliner | $15,606,500 714,500 47 shows |
| The Joshua Tree U2 Headliner | $56,278,095 3,176,952 109 shows |
| The Unforgettable Fire U2 Headliner | $14,682,155 1,090,097 103 shows |
| War U2 Headliner | $2,129,635 226,035 82 shows |
| October U2 Headliner | $1,464,660 205,580 93 shows |
| Boy U2 Headliner | $1,167,326 168,950 156 shows |
| 11 O’Clock Tick Tock U2 Headliner | $85,388 15,525 27 shows |
| Orphan | $4,041,935 116,116 6 shows |
| Total | Revenue: $2,602,309,652 Tickets Sold: 35,270,063 Price: $73.78 Shows: 1,466 |
The fifteen concert tours, one residency and one-off shows grossed a total of $2.602 billion from 35.2 million tickets sold in 1,466 shows. U2 is the 2nd highest-grossing band in history, after The Rolling Stones.
“U2 360°” (2009-11) is their most successful tour with $736.4 million from 7.272 million tickets sold in 110 shows, earning an average of $6.695 million and 66,110 tickets sold per concert. It was the highest-grossing tour in history at the time.
“ZooTV” (1992-93) was their first tour to gross over $100 million, with a total of $151.2 million from 5.351 million tickets sold in 156 shows, earning an average of $969,000 and 34,298 tickets sold per concert.
“U2:UV Achtung Baby” (2023-24) grossed a total of $244.5 million frrom 663,000 tickets sold in 40 shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas, earning an average of $6.112 million and 16,563 tickets sold per concert. It’s the fastest residency to reach $100 million in history, reaching the milestone in just 16 shows.
| U2 | Regions | Box Office |
| North America | $1,248,725,785 15,925,888 756 shows |
| Europe | $890,200,815 13,529,257 553 shows |
| Latin America | $220,163,793 2,585,483 41 shows |
| Asia | $168,337,394 2,364,519 85 shows |
| Oceania | $55,533,984 603,470 27 shows |
| Africa | $19,347,881 261,446 4 shows |
North America is the most successful region with $1.249 billion from 15.926 million tickets sold in 756 shows. “U2 360°” (2009-11) is their biggest tour in the region with $256.4 million earned in 42 shows, bringing an average of $6.105 million from 65,024 tickets sold each concert.
“U2 360°” ($256.4 million; 2009-11) is followed by “U2:UV Achtung Baby” ($244.5 million; 2023-24); “The Joshua Tree” ($162.4 million; 2017-19); “Vertigo” ($143.3 million; 2005-06); “Elevation” ($109.9 million; 2001); “PopMart” ($77.2 million; 1997-98); “Innocence + Experience” ($76.2 million; 2015); “ZooTV” ($67.1 million; 1992-93); “Experience + Innocence” ($61.5 million; 2018); and “The Joshua Tree” ($35.1 million; 1987) as the highest-grossing concert tours in North America.
Europe is the second most successful region with $890.2 million from 13.529 million tickets sold in 553 shows. “U2 360°” (2009-11) is their biggest tour in the region with $319.8 million in 46 shows, bringing an average of $6.953 million revenue and 66,783 tickets sold each concert
“U2 360°” ($319.8 million; 2009-11) is followed by “Vertigo” ($155.9 million; 2005-06); “The Joshua Tree” ($84.9 million; 2017-19); “Innocence + Experience” ($76.1 million; 2015); “ZooTV” ($68.5 million; 1992-93); “Experience + Innocence” ($64.1 million; 2018); “PopMart” ($56.9 million; 1997-98); and “Elevation” ($33.6 million; 2001) as the highest-grossing concert tours in Europe.
Latin America is the third highest-grossing region with $220.2 million from 2.585 million tickets sold in 41 shows. “U2 360°” (2009-11) is their biggest tour in the region with $83.7 million earned in 10 shows, bringing an average of $8.372 million from 80,226 tickets sold each concert.
“U2 360°” ($83.7 million; 2009-11) is followed by “The Joshua Tree” ($69.7 million; 2017-19); “Vertigo” ($38.4 million; 2005-06); “PopMart” ($24.2 million; 1997-98); and “ZooTV” ($4.1 million; 1992-93) as the highest-grossing concert tours in the Latin America.
| U2 | Markets | Box Office |
| United States North America | $1,118,538,415 13,916,221 688 shows |
| United Kingdom + Ireland Europe | $262,364,724 3,858,442 261 shows |
| Australia Oceania | $140,740,722 1,871,202 69 shows |
| Canada North America | $130,187,370 2,009,667 68 shows |
| France Europe | $102,568,146 1,422,823 43 shows |
| Germany Europe | $99,393,225 1,538,478 57 shows |
| Brazil Latin America | $85,313,565 918,914 12 shows |
| Italy Europe | $84,400,439 1,469,115 34 shows |
| Spain Europe | $72,697,186 1,023,539 23 shows |
| Netherlands Europe | $64,233,090 1,072,687 45 shows |
| Mexico Latin America | $60,268,211 781,735 14 shows |
| Argentina Latin America | $47,264,630 569,397 10 shows |
| Belgium Europe | $35,762,636 486,523 19 shows |
| Sweden Europe | $28,063,040 462,770 18 shows |
| New Zealand Oceania | $27,596,672 493,317 16 shows |
| Japan Asia | $25,985,937 386,514 21 shows |
| Portugal Europe | $22,331,590 328,479 7 shows |
| Chile Latin America | $20,868,368 276,165 4 shows |
| Denmark Europe | $19,665,595 245,632 9 shows |
| South Africa Africa | $19,347,881 261,446 4 shows |
| Switzerland Europe | $17,621,248 332,409 12 shows |
| Austria Europe | $15,616,945 279,638 6 shows |
| Finland Europe | $12,841,495 157,303 3 shows |
| Croatia Europe | $12,700,784 124,012 2 shows |
| Singapore Asia | $12,433,310 82,557 2 shows |
| Poland Europe | $10,584,442 191,961 3 shows |
| Greece Europe | $8,046,356 132,662 2 shows |
| Russia Europe | $7,986,534 60,496 1 show |
| Philippines Asia | $6,895,277 33,721 1 show |
| Colombia Latin America | $6,449,019 39,272 1 show |
| Norway Europe | $6,433,477 122,000 4 shows |
| India Asia | $4,695,722 42,590 1 show |
| Turkey Europe | $3,775,662 54,278 1 show |
| South Korea Asia | $3,714,350 26,522 1 show |
| Israel Asia | $1,809,388 31,566 1 show |
| Hungary Europe | $1,320,000 60,000 1 show |
| Czech Republic Europe | $1,254,201 61,010 1 show |
| Bosnia Europe | $540,000 45,000 1 show |
The Sphere in Las Vegas is their highest-grossing venue with $244.5 million from 663,000 tickets sold in 40 shows, followed by Estádio do Morumbi in São Paulo ($82.7 million; 11 shows); Croke Park in Dublin ($62.2 million; 10 shows); Stade de France in Paris ($60.2 million; 7 shows); Madison Square Garden in New York ($45.1 million; 28 shows); and Wembley Stadium in London ($40.2 million; 10 shows).
The concerts at Estádio do Morumbi in São Paulo (2011) are the highest-grossing concerts of their career with $10.918 million each night, followed by Stade de France in Paris ($10.451 million; 2009); Wembley Stadium in London ($10.340 million; 2009); Stade de France in Paris ($10.175 million; 2010); and Croke Park in Dublin ($9.964 million; 2017).
The concert at Campo Volo in Reggio Emilia (1997) is the most-attended concert of their career with 150,000 tickets sold, followed by Estadio Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid (115,000 tickets; 1987); Rose Bowl in Pasadena (97,014 tickets; 2009); Estadio Azteca in Mexico City (94,326 tickets; 2011); and FNB Stadium in Johannesburg (94,232 tickets; 2011).
| U2 | Year by Year | Box Office |
| 2024 | $84,720,544 249,120 15 shows |
| 2023 | $159,758,359 413,410 25 shows |
| Total (2020-2029) | Revenue: $244,478,903 Tickets Sold: 662,530 Shows: 40 |
| 2019 | $73,787,641 566,576 15 shows |
| 2018 | $125,600,371 923,730 59 shows |
| 2017 | $316,990,940 2,713,136 50 shows |
| 2015 | $152,228,226 1,286,416 76 shows |
| 2011 | $232,362,905 2,387,535 34 shows |
| 2010 | $192,420,949 1,813,221 32 shows |
| Total (2010-2019) | Revenue: $1,093,391,032 Tickets Sold: 9,690,614 Shows: 266 |
| 2009 | $311,637,730 3,071,290 44 shows |
| 2006 | $94,252,029 1,200,479 21 shows |
| 2005 | $294,795,607 3,418,542 110 shows |
| 2001 | $143,472,379 2,179,642 113 shows |
| Total (2000-2009) | Revenue: $844,157,745 Tickets Sold: 9,869,953 Shows: 288 |
| 1998 | $33,144,315 690,926 15 shows |
| 1997 | $140,466,549 3,291,731 78 shows |
| 1993 | $71,119,636 2,499,752 53 shows |
| 1992 | $80,095,778 2,850,802 103 shows |
| 1990 | $703,000 38,500 4 shows |
| Total (1990-1999) | Revenue: $325,529,278 Tickets Sold: 9,371,711 Shows: 253 |
| 1989 | $14,903,500 676,000 43 shows |
| 1987 | $56,278,095 3,176,952 109 shows |
| 1986 | $4,041,935 116,116 6 shows |
| 1985 | $9,723,537 731,419 54 shows |
| 1984 | $4,958,618 358,678 49 shows |
| 1983 | $2,129,635 226,035 82 shows |
| 1982 | $692,500 98,700 35 shows |
| 1981 | $1,377,848 194,880 142 shows |
| 1980 | $647,026 96,475 99 shows |
| Total (1980-1989) | Revenue: $94,752,694 Tickets Sold: 5,675,255 Shows: 619 |
According to dates performed in 2023, “U2:UV Achtung Baby” (2023-24) earned a total of $159.8 million from 413,000 tickets sold in 25 shows, making $6.390 million from 16,536 tickets sold each concert. U2 ranked at #15 highest-grossing artist of the year on the 2023 Year End charts.
2017 remains as the highest-grossing year of their career, with $317.0 million from 2.713 million tickets sold in 50 shows as part of the “The Joshua Trree” (2017-19), bringing an average of $6.340 million and 54,263 tickets sold per concert. They were the #1 highest-grossing artist of the year.
2005 remains as the bestselling year of U2’s career with 3.419 million tickets sold in 110 shows as part of the “Vertigo” (2005-06), bringing an average of 31,078 tickets sold per concert.
The 2010s is the most successful decade with a total of $1.093 billion from 9.691 million tickets sold in 266 shows, bringing an average of $4.110 million and 36,431 tickets sold each concert. The were the highest-grossing touring artist of the decade and the first act in history to reach $1 billion in ticket sales in the period.
In the following table, the total revenues for each tour and one-off shows are converted based on 2024’s dollar (USD). The convertion measures the power of the revenue adapted to the past year’s inflation rate.
| U2 | Adjusted Ticket Sales | Revenue (2024) |
| U2:UV Achtung Baby (2023-2024) | $249.19 million |
| The Joshua Tree (2017-2019) | $496.20 million |
| Experience + Innocence (2018) | $156.90 million |
| Innocence + Experience (2015) | $201.47 million |
| U2 360° (2009-2011) | $1.057 billion |
| Vertigo (2005-2006) | $620.15 million |
| Elevation (2001) | $254.27 million |
| PopMart (1997-1998) | $338.32 million |
| ZooTV (1992-1993) | $333.48 million |
| Lovetown (1989-1990) | $39.38 million |
| The Joshua Tree (1987) | $155.41 million |
| The Unforgettable Fire (1984-1985) | $43.31 million |
| War (1983) | $6.71 million |
| October (1981-1982) | $4.91 million |
| Boy (1980-1981) | $4.23 million |
| 11 O’Clock Tick Tock (1980) | $0.32 million |
| Orphan (1980-2025) | $11.56 million |
| Total | Revenue: $3.973 billion Gain: $1.371 billion Price: $112.64 |
The fifteen concert tours, one residency and one-off shows grossed a total of $3.973 billion in adjusted ticket sales from 35.270 million tickets sold in 1,466 shows. This total is up by $1.371 billion added to the original number and the overall average price is now up by 52.67%, based on 2024 dollar.
The “U2 360°” (2009-11) remains as the most successful concert tour with a box office now at $1.057 billion in adjusted ticket sales, pushing the average revenue to $9.609 million for each concert and the lifetime average revenue is now at $2.710 million.
Leave a Reply