Las Vegas’ Sphere Tops Global Venue Earnings Amid Concert Trends

Las Vegas, NV — The Sphere venue in Las Vegas is making headlines again, becoming the world’s top-grossing building. With Dead & Company grossing $21.6 million from just six concerts in March, the Sphere has raked in a total of $165.3 million at midyear. This figure surpasses Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros and other major New York venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall.

The venue stands out for its unique concert experience, where fans on the floor are handed decorative pillows and encouraged to lie down during the band’s performance of “Drums/Space.” The towering video screen displays cosmic imagery, enhancing the immersive experience for attendees.

However, 2025’s concert tour earnings show a notable decline. The top 10 tours this year have grossed a combined $1 billion, down more than 28% from $1.4 billion in 2024. Similarly, the top 50 tours saw a drop from $3.2 billion to $2.5 billion, reflecting a trend of fewer concerts in 2025 with only 245 shows counted compared to 442 in 2024.

Live Nation’s CEO, Michael Rapino, indicated that many artists are postponing tours until summer, leading to fewer shows in the early part of the year. This shift could change as more artists are expected to tour in the coming months, especially with the summer season approaching.

Factors such as U2‘s residency last year significantly inflated 2024’s numbers. The reported gross of U2’s residency stood at $231.6 million from just 38 shows.

Ticket prices also played a role; Sphere’s average ticket prices are about $238, nearly double that of major competitors like Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena. With rising ticket prices stirring debates across the music industry, Sphere exemplifies a market eager to pay for top-tier entertainment experiences.

Despite the drop in total show counts, the high demand for premium concert experiences in venues like the Sphere shows that the market remains resilient. Coldplay’s “Music of the Spheres World Tour,” for instance, continues to set records and is poised to generate massive earnings as it progresses into summer shows.