Summer is officially over and the fall concert season is upon us.
StubHub, the world’s largest ticket marketplace, released its third annual ranking of the most in-demand U.S. fall concert tours, with Bruno Mars taking the number one spot — and boasting a huge lead over his competitors — with 35 show dates.
Coming in second was Ed Sheeran (proving that fans do still want to see his face after that “Game of Thrones” cameo) with 23 show dates and Lady Gaga was third with 13 show dates. The fall season is considered to be from Labor Day to Thanksgiving.
Classic acts such as Paul McCartney, U2, Depeche Mode, Billy Joel, Janet Jackson and Bob Seger rounded out the top nine, with One Direction heartthrob and “Dunkirk” actor Harry Styles grabbing the number 10 slot.
“This fall, the touring lineup is really led by pop acts,” Jessica Erskine, head of U.S. consumer communications for StubHub, said. “Beside some more contemporary acts, we see some classic acts like Paul McCartney, U2 and Billy Joel who always make this list when they hit the road as their legacies and large music catalogues make for a can’t-miss show, time and time again.”
See StubHub’s breakdown by the numbers below.
Bruno is King
– Total sales for the fall leg of Bruno Mars’ 24K Gold Tour are nearly double that of the #2 most indemand act, Ed Sheeran (Ed Sheeran’s sales double that of Lady Gaga in the #3 spot) – Four of the top 10 biggest single show dates this fall are Bruno Mars showsFall Pop: Shifting from the Summer’s Rock-Dominated List, Pop Acts Stand Out
– U2 topped this year’s summer top-10 list, but the fall tour scene continues its historical shift toward pop – with Bruno Mars at the top this year (Taylor Swift led the fall tours in 2015 and Adele in 2016) – Two more pop acts, Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga round out the top three positions, even with considerably fewer show dates than Bruno Mars
– Janet Jackson is showing the newer acts what hard work is all about: her tour is hitting the road for the most shows between Labor Day and Thanksgiving, helping secure her spot on the top ten list. She is also the fall’s best deal, with the lowest average ticket price on the list. Those looking to see the pop queen will find tickets available for just $25 on StubHub
– Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga all maintain positions on the top-10 from this summer’s list, meaning a busy and well-performing tour for two demanding concert seasonsNostalgic Performers with Large Catalogues Continue to be a Draw
– Bob Seger’s busy show schedule this fall and rumored retirement are fueling his position in the top ten, but he is also the second most affordable act to see
– For the final show of his tour, Seger is returning to his hometown of Detroit to headline the final show ever at the legendary local venue The Palace, making this ticket a must-have – U2 is the only ‘nostalgic legacy’ act from the summer to maintain a position on the top-10 list
– Billy Joel is often a fall favorite, having also appeared on the top-10 list in 2015Solo Breakthrough: Harry Styles
– Harry Styles’ fans are eager to see their favorite boy band star in his breakout solo tour: his fall shows have nearly double the per-show sales of Seger and nearly triple those of Janet Jackson – Styles commands the highest average ticket price of any other artist this fall. Average ticket prices for his shows are nearly 200% higher than Bruno Mars’ shows