With today's climate of what's left of the music business, what acts do you all think could sell out a 20k or more capacity venue?

The act would have to be the headliner, with perhaps one support act that is not on par with them as a co-headliner.

george michael

Prince, Beyonce, rolling stones

U2,Madonna

Bon Jovi

Black Sabbath

U2

Depeche Mode

Genesis

Garth Brooks

Rolling Stones

Paul McCartney

Madonna

Bruce Springsteen

Van Halen

Agree with all of these. And if he was alive, MJ

Just to add a different answer than those previously give.. if we were talking about in NYC or Miami, Romeo Santos and Marc Anthony.

In LA and Dallas, and perhaps a few other places with large Mexican populations, Juan Gabriel and Marco Antonio Solis and Vicente Fernandez (although he's done with touring I believe because of his age).

lezama said:

Vicente Fernandez (although he's done with touring I believe because of his age).

Mexican Singer Vicente Fernandez Says Farewell Tour To Restart In September

MickyDolenz said:

lezama said:

Vicente Fernandez (although he's done with touring I believe because of his age).

Mexican Singer Vicente Fernandez Says Farewell Tour To Restart In September

Oh wow.. I didn't know that. I think he's going to keep going until he physically can't anymore. But his voice still sounds great from the last song I heard from him

Most that have already been named along with Eminem, Aerosmith and Tina Turner.

Eric Clapton, Grateful Dead, Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan.

Veteran acts (pre-2000):

Prince

Madonna

Elton John

Billy Joel

Paul McCartney

U2

Bon Jovi

Jay Z

Beyonce

Dave Matthews Band

Tim McGraw

Kenny Chesney

Marc Anthony (in Latin-dominant areas)

Post-2000 acts:

Justin Timberlake

Coldplay

Britney Spears (?) - She easily could fill an arena in the early to mid-2000's, but I'm not sure if she could do that now

Taylor Swift

Metallica

Iron Maiden

The Foo Fighters

Muse

It's really the American TOP40 single chart acts that everyone thinks are "popular" that can't sell out stadiums (I couldn't imagine Beyonce or Rihanna doing that in most European countries). Metallica can sell out several nights in many countries.

alphastreet said:

Agree with all of these. And if he was alive, MJ

And if he was alive, Elvis

The amount of veteran/ old school artists mentioned with confidence compared to those of the present day speaks volumes on the star power of today's talent.

Loads!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/events_at_the_02_arean#Musical_events

....lists all the acts who have played there (a 20,000 capacity venue) since 2007. Obviously they won't all have been sell outs but I can't imagine that too many off then were playing to a half full hall. Even if you just looked at acts who played multiple dates as being those capable of selling out the venue, it's still a substantial number.

....and it's not all coffin dodgers, so let's remember there's always been "bad" music around, and there always will be, give young acts (and their fans) a break and stop going on about how it was better when you were young!

hw3004 said:

Loads!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/events_at_the_02_arean#Musical_events

....lists all the acts who have played there (a 20,000 capacity venue) since 2007. Obviously they won't all have been sell outs but I can't imagine that too many off then were playing to a half full hall. Even if you just looked at acts who played multiple dates as being those capable of selling out the venue, it's still a substantial number.

....and it's not all coffin dodgers, so let's remember there's always been "bad" music around, and there always will be, give young acts (and their fans) a break and stop going on about how it was better when you were young!

Well. The O2 arena is a special case. There are several artists that play at the O2 arena but could never fill a 20k seater anywhere else.

^ Good point and very true.

I looked up the capacity of what most of the current acts like Beyonce, JT, Gaga, Rihanna, and Jay Z perform at and they are mostly all 18, 000 capacity arena or stadiums with the 02 being an exception which I thought was interesting because there are 50, 000-75 stadium capacity seatings that they never perform at. There are even 35, 000 capacity seatings they never perform at or sell out.

SoulAlive said:

U2,Madonna

I agree.

The public is only limited to 5 pop touring acts the industry only chooses to market so it is not surprising most acts from this era can not sell out a stadium. With that being said, none of the current acts could sell out a 20, 000 or more stadium tour, every city 20,000 or more seating. Madonna/U2 sell out 50-75, 000 seating capacity stadium every single night of their tours. Tina Turner (during the late 80's/90's could) or the Rolling Stones could possibly do it. MJ and Madonna sold out 35, 000-80, 000 seating every single night. In today's market, I personally think the late Michael Jackson, Madonna and U2 are the only acts that could sell out a 20, 000 or more stadium every single night. MJ sold out 50 02 shows in one city, that is 1 million people in only one city, ain't nobody out now got that type demand in one city.

[Edited 9/29/14 14:20pm]

Black Keys played 2 nights at Staples Center last time around. They're one of the few modern bands that can do it.

Green Day still can fill an arena I think. At the height of American Idiot they played a 40K venue here and sold it out.

And there's always the possibility of a BARBRA STREISAND COMEBACK!

mjscarousal said:

^ Good point and very true.

I looked up the capacity of what most of the current acts like Beyonce, JT, Gaga, Rihanna, and Jay Z perform at and they are mostly all 18, 000 capacity arena or stadiums with the 02 being an exception which I thought was interesting because there are 50, 000-75 stadium capacity seatings that they never perform at. There are even 35, 000 capacity seatings they never perform at or sell out.

SoulAlive said:

U2,Madonna

I agree.

The public is only limited to 5 pop touring acts the industry only chooses to market so it is not surprising most acts from this era can not sell out a stadium. With that being said, none of the current acts could sell out a 20, 000 or more stadium tour, every city 20,000 or more seating. Madonna/U2 sell out 50-75, 000 seating capacity stadium every single night of their tours. Tina Turner (during the late 80's/90's could) or the Rolling Stones could possibly do it. MJ and Madonna sold out 35, 000-80, 000 seating every single night. In today's market, I personally think the late Michael Jackson, Madonna and U2 are the only acts that could sell out a 20, 000 or more stadium every single night. MJ sold out 50 02 shows in one city, that is 1 million people in only one city, ain't nobody out now got that type demand in one city.

[Edited 9/29/14 14:20pm]

Thing is that alot of people say its COST of tickets that people dont come out, but I mean acts like Jovi and U2 pretty much can tour on nothing and sell out the desert, Elton John I mean has no issues, can take up a residence at MSG and sell it out every night, while a few years back Alicia Keys and Beyonce toured together and didnt sell out MSG that speaks freaking volumes to me, and it SHOULD speak volumes to these artists today, stop plastering yourself all over the place, magazines, videos, other peoples albums, twitter, facebook etc... and maybe people will turn out more, and then actually PLAY LIVE that helps. As Eddie Murphy said in the 80's when he said "he didnt do commercials" he said "If people can turn on TV or open a magazine and see you everywhere why come to the theater through traffic and pay money when they can see you all over"

Im not sure if they were mentioned, but I was thinking Celine Dion definitely could in most areas,

And the U2 of the spanish speaking world Maná consistently sells out huge arenas each time they tour in pretty much every spanish speaking country.

lastdecember said:

As Eddie Murphy said in the 80's when he said "he didnt do commercials" he said "If people can turn on TV or open a magazine and see you everywhere why come to the theater through traffic and pay money when they can see you all over"

That's true. In the past, especially pre-MTV, most popular acts weren't seen much and less popular ones might not have been on TV at all. There were only 3 networks, PBS, and a few local UHF channels. A few acts might have been on shows like American Bandstand, Midnight Special, Solid Gold, Mike Douglas, or Soul Train. But those programs only came on once a week and in some cases late at night, and there were different acts every week. It was considered a big deal if a music act guested on a primetime show like B.B. King on Sanford & Son. People who bought music magazines had to go to a bookstore or subscribe to them. They generally weren't carried in the supermarket except maybe the major ones like Rolling Stone. Michael Jackson has said he didn't want to do The Jacksons variety show in the late 1970s because he thought the group could be seen for free every week, so people didn't have to go to thier concerts or even buy their records.

PatrickS77 said:

hw3004 said:

Loads!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/events_at_the_02_arean#Musical_events

....lists all the acts who have played there (a 20,000 capacity venue) since 2007. Obviously they won't all have been sell outs but I can't imagine that too many off then were playing to a half full hall. Even if you just looked at acts who played multiple dates as being those capable of selling out the venue, it's still a substantial number.

....and it's not all coffin dodgers, so let's remember there's always been "bad" music around, and there always will be, give young acts (and their fans) a break and stop going on about how it was better when you were young!

Well. The O2 arena is a special case. There are several artists that play at the O2 arena but could never fill a 20k seater anywhere else.

hw3004 said:

Loads!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/events_at_the_02_arean#Musical_events

....lists all the acts who have played there (a 20,000 capacity venue) since 2007. Obviously they won't all have been sell outs but I can't imagine that too many off then were playing to a half full hall. Even if you just looked at acts who played multiple dates as being those capable of selling out the venue, it's still a substantial number.

....and it's not all coffin dodgers, so let's remember there's always been "bad" music around, and there always will be, give young acts (and their fans) a break and stop going on about how it was better when you were young!

While I do wholeheartedly believe music was leagues better decades ago than it is now, that's not the point I was trying to make (assuming your comment was addressing me). It is a fact however, that today's stars don't hold a candle to those of decades passed when it comes to the ability to draw and overall star power and part of the reason why that's the case is because many are so ridiculously overexposed in the media.

Artists before the age of the Internet and social media (specifically the 90s on back) were a lot more elusive and that added to their mystique. The biggest most widespread features they had in those times were guest starring on primetime television and even those instances were rare which is why in almost every instance those shows drew phenomenal ratings (see MJ guest starring on Oprah in 1993). Artists also participated in interviews a lot less frequently to the point of rarity as well unlike today where you have artists being interviewed by almost every mainstream media outlet, on radio shows, podcasts, and various Internet showings. Then you have stars like Jay Z and Beyonce who get advertised to Hell and back in addition to all the aforementioned showcases and more.

^ Yes Motown! If half these so called current power house acts did not have the machine behind them, people would not be interested because they are not interesting. They need to advertise and market out the ass to keep people interested and to stay relevant.MJ, Madonna, etc did not have to overexpose themselves to stay relevant. They did not have to force people to like them.

hw3004 said:

PatrickS77 said:

Well. The O2 arena is a special case. There are several artists that play at the O2 arena but could never fill a 20k seater anywhere else.

The question was who could sell out "a" 20K capacity arena - not who could sell out a multi date tour of 20K capacity arenas (which, as it's been pointed out, there are not a lot of)! I'd argue the 02 isn't a special case in terms of the venue per se, it's that it's a venue in London - one of the largest cities in the world and a major player in the music business.

The question was who could sell out a 20k capacity venue AND more. Objectively, these current acts can not sell out a 80-90, 000 venue like acts like U2 or Madonna. Mind you Madonna/U2 do it every night, which I think is worth mentioning because they are not as overexposed or popular as some other current acts we constantly hear about. Pretty much everyone at some point has sold out that O2 arena even lesser known acts that are not popular anymore. Whoopie doo ...some could sell it but could they sell out a 20 k every night of a tour? Probably not, looking at the stats most of the current acts don't even do 20k capacity venues.

Also, good points Lastdecember glad to see you back boo! Unfornately, I don't think these current acts will stop overexposing themselves. Even if they were to disappear and then come back these acts are just simply not that interesting.

double post

[Edited 9/29/14 17:31pm]