What Is Madonna’s Highest Grossing Tour?

Madonna's career accomplishments include grossing $1.376 billion and selling 11.7 million tickets across 575 shows, establishing her as the most successful female act in Boxscore history.

She’s set to break even more records with her upcoming family-fun-filled Celebration Tour, which is expected to further boost her earnings, inching closer to the $1.5 billion mark. With the tour set to kick off this weekend, let's take a look at her previous tours and rediscover her 2008 high roller that brought in nearly $450 million. 

This was Madonna's very first concert tour and it ran from April 10, 1985 to June 11, 1985. It featured just two backup dancers and a live band, serving as an initial glimpse of her career. The setlist was composed of her early hits, and the tour attracted fans who often dressed like the chart-topping artist herself.

This stadium tour from June 14, 1987, to September 6, goes back to a time when the Grammy Awards winner's image had an air of innocence. The show also exuded a particular spark and joy that has never been replicated. 

Madonna's "Madame X Tour" marked a departure from her usual stadium-sized performances, as she opted for small theaters, promising an intimate show. Unfortunately, fans got the opposite, as the “Four Rooms” screen star attempted to scale down her typical stadium production to fit the smaller venue, eliminating the expected level of intimacy. 

The tour also faced its share of cancellations, with some shows called off just hours before they were scheduled to start due to the “Swept Away” star's knee injury.

In 1990, Madonna was riding high on her success. She had just scored a big hit with "Vogue," starred in the film Dick Tracy, and launched this tour. Collaborating with choreographer Vincent Patterson and fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, she introduced her iconic cone bra, one of her most unforgettable looks. Madonna also collaborated with her brother, Christopher Ciccone, on the art direction for the show, which ran from April 13, 1990 to August 5, 1990.

After facing public backlash over her "Erotica" album and "Sex" book, Madonna began a world tour in 1993. She once again enlisted the help of her brother, Christopher, to design and direct the show. In the early stages, the Ray of Light Foundation founder even sought advice from the late singer, dancer, and actor Gene Kelly by having him watch the show. 

After The Girlie Show ended on December 19, 1993, the “4 Minutes” hitmaker took several years away from touring. During this time, she released three albums, had two children, and appeared in various Hollywood projects, including “Evita.” She eventually returned to touring with this show in 2001, providing audiences with a glimpse of her artistic evolution in recent years.

After many fans begged for more past material following the close of Drowned World on September 15, 2001, Madonna gave them their wish three years later during this tour. Re-Invention saw the mother of six promoting her "American Life" album, which was a prominent feature during the May 24, 2004 - September 14, 2004 tour dates.

The tour featured several past hits, including some that Madonna hadn't performed in a long time. Songs like "Burning Up," "True Blue," and "Deeper and Deeper" were delightful surprises for the audience.

The title track, "Rebel Heart," created a strong connection between the performer and her fans, conveying a sense of warmth and intimacy throughout the show. Its run date was from September 9, 2015, to March 20, 2016.

This tour, which came after her "Confessions on a Dance Floor" album, marked the “Filth and Wisdom” director's triumphant return to the dance floor. She breathed new life into her tracks while paying homage to the classics, offering an unforgettable experience that featured a remarkable live version of "Erotica" and a fusion of "Disco Inferno" with her 2000 hit "Music."

Madonna's "MDNA Tour" marked her return with the release of her similarly named album after a four-year hiatus. Fans were eagerly anticipating this tour, which cleverly referenced her past work and featured an updated version of the iconic Gaultier cone bra. The Golden Globe Awards winner's performance also included moments where she stripped down to her underwear, showcasing her enduring ability to push boundaries.

Despite personal challenges, Madonna maintained a sense of fun and a strong connection with her audience throughout this show, which ran from August 23, 2008 to September 2, 2009. She performed a mix of her classic hits along with new tracks from her "Hard Candy" album. The tour turned out to be a massive success and became the highest-grossing solo tour for a female artist.

Expected to run from October 14, 2023, to April 24, 2024, it's estimated that this tour would significantly increase Madonna's net worth, with earnings expected to surpass $100 million. This income would be generated from 41 shows in North America and 20 shows in Europe. Impressively, the tour showed its popularity early on, selling 600,000 tickets on the first on-sale date and boasting 35 sold-out shows.