Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular and successful country music stars of the past 15 years. Since winning American Idol in 2005, Underwood has released multiple chart-topping albums, sold out arenas around the world, and established herself as one of the genre’s most beloved artists.
One of the things that has made Underwood so successful is her ability to put on an amazing live show. Underwood is known for her stellar vocals, high-energy performances, and dazzling production. Her concerts consistently receive rave reviews from critics and fans alike.
But how much does Carrie Underwood actually make from her live shows? As one of country music’s biggest superstars, Underwood likely commands a massive paycheck for each concert she performs. In this article, we’ll take a close look at Carrie Underwood’s net worth, her touring history, average ticket prices, and other factors to estimate just how much the singer earns per show.
Carrie Underwood’s Net Worth
While exact numbers are hard to confirm, most sources estimate Carrie Underwood’s net worth to be around $140 million as of 2023. This takes into account her record sales, touring revenue, business ventures, real estate, endorsements and other income sources.
As one of the biggest names in country music, Underwood has sold over 66 million records worldwide. She’s released 9 studio albums, with all but one reaching number one on the Billboard charts. Her albums have been certified Platinum over 15 times by the RIAA.
In addition to album sales, Underwood likely earns millions each year through touring. According to Pollstar, her four headlining tours – Carnival Ride Tour, Play On Tour, Blown Away Tour, and Storyteller Tour – grossed over $250 million combined. We’ll take a closer look at her touring income shortly.
Outside of music, Underwood has earned healthy paychecks from serving as a spokesperson for brands like Olay, Almay and Skechers. She also has her own fitness apparel line, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, in partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Other income streams include her book deal, hosting the CMA Awards, equity in properties, and various other business ventures. The fact that she has built a net worth approaching $150 million speaks volumes about her earning power.
Carrie Underwood’s Touring History
As mentioned above, touring has been a significant source of income throughout Underwood’s career. She has embarked on 6 major concert tours since winning American Idol in 2005. Here’s a quick overview of each tour:
Carnival Ride Tour (2008)
– 97 shows
– Over 1 million tickets sold
– $55 million total gross
Play On Tour (2010)
– 132 shows
– Over 1 million tickets sold
– $62 million total gross
Blown Away Tour (2012-13)
– 112 shows
– Nearly 1 million tickets sold
– $50 million total gross
Storyteller Tour (2016)
– 85 shows
– Over 1 million tickets sold
– $56 million total gross
Cry Pretty Tour 360 (2019)
– 113 shows
– Over 1 million tickets sold
– $66 million total gross
Denim & Rhinestones Tour (2022)
– 43 shows so far
– Ongoing tour through 2023
As you can see, Underwood has made touring a central part of her career over the past 15 years. She routinely sells over 1 million tickets per tour while grossing $50 million+ each time out. Her loyal fanbase is willing to pay top dollar to see her live shows around North America.
Now let’s take a closer look at what Underwood has earned per show.
Average Setlist Length & Production
The length of Underwood’s setlist and overall production can impact how much she earns per show. Her recent tours have featured setlists averaging around 20 songs, along with multiple costume changes, pyrotechnics, and state-of-the-art video screens.
Here’s a breakdown of her typical show:
– Setlist length: 18-22 songs
– Costume changes: 5-7 unique looks
– Production: Elaborate light displays, pyrotechnics, HD video walls
– Show length: Approximately 1.5-2 hours
Underwood is known for her stellar live vocals, so she sings the entire show without relying on backing tracks or lip-syncing. Her band and backup singers are also showcased throughout the performance.
The production value contributes to the overall concert experience for fans. Underwood and her team spare no expense to put on an unforgettable show each night.
Carrie Underwood Average Ticket Prices
In order to estimate Underwood’s earnings per show, we need to know how much fans are paying to see her in concert.
According to data from Pollstar, the average ticket price for the Cry Pretty Tour 360 was $89.54. Her previous Storyteller Tour saw an average ticket price of $82.04.
These ticket prices vary based on the specific venue and city. Underwood often plays at major arenas holding 15,000+ fans per show. Premium floor seats and VIP packages can cost several hundred dollars each.
Based on her touring history, we can estimate an average ticket price of $85-90 for Carrie Underwood concerts. This provides significant box office gross potential.
Putting It All Together
Now let’s combine the setlist details, production value, and average ticket prices to estimate Underwood’s earnings per show:
– Average ticket price = $90
– Average venue capacity = 15,000
– Gross ticket revenue per show = $90 x 15,000 = $1,350,000
Next, we should factor in Underwood’s likely take of the gross ticket receipts. Major artists often earn 85-90% of total ticket revenue, with the remainder going to the venue, promoters, managers and other costs.
If we estimate Underwood earns 90% of gross receipts, her earnings per show come out to approximately $1,215,000.
This means Carrie Underwood can make well over $1 million per concert on her major tours. With 100+ shows per tour scheduled, that adds up to massive earnings.
And this doesn’t even account for merchandise sales at shows, which can often generates millions in additional revenue for headlining acts. Considering variables like VIP packages and secondary market sales, some shows could earn Underwood over $2 million per night.
How Underwood’s Per Show Earnings Compare
To put Underwood’s estimated $1+ million per show into perspective, let’s see how she compares to other top female artists.
Artist | Average Per Show Earnings |
---|---|
Taylor Swift | $2 million |
Beyonce | $2 million |
Katy Perry | $1.5 million |
P!nk | $1 million |
Lady Gaga | $1 million |
Celine Dion | $500,000 |
As you can see, Underwood’s estimated per show income is comparable to the top female pop stars. Taylor Swift and Beyonce currently lead the way by commanding over $2 million per show. Veterans like Celine Dion tour for lower amounts, closer to $500,000 per show.
Underwood’s country fanbase and production value allow her to earn per-show amounts on par with pop contemporaries like Katy Perry, P!nk and Lady Gaga. It’s a testament to Underwood’s star power and outstanding live performances.
How Underwood’s Tour Income Has Grown
Another way to view Underwood’s earning power is to see how her per show income has grown over the years:
Tour | Est. Per Show Earnings |
---|---|
Carnival Ride Tour (2008) | $500,000 |
Play On Tour (2010) | $750,000 |
Blown Away Tour (2012-13) | $700,000 |
Storyteller Tour (2016) | $800,000 |
Cry Pretty Tour 360 (2019) | $1 million |
Denim & Rhinestones Tour (2022-23) | $1.25 million |
Early in her career, Underwood earned around $500,000 per show as she established herself as a headliner. She saw growth to $700-800K per show through the early 2010s.
Within the past 5 years, her per show income has grown to $1 million+ territory. For her latest Denim & Rhinestones tour, projections put her around $1.25 million per concert.
As her stageshows continue to increase in production value, and ticket prices rise, Underwood’s nightly gross will likely continue its upward trajectory. She’s elevated herself to the upper echelon of country music tours.
Key Factors in Underwood’s Per Show Earnings
In summary, here are the key factors allowing Carrie Underwood to make over $1 million per tour stop:
– Massive fanbase with high ticket & merchandise sales
– Her status as a top female headliner in country music
– Elaborate stageshows with costume changes
– VIP experiences and secondary market driving up prices
– Prime venue choices – large arenas & stadiums
– Higher ticket prices than early in her career
– Strong touring track record over 15+ years
At just 40 years old, Underwood is still in her touring prime with many more highly profitable years ahead. As long as she maintains her level of popularity, she should have no problem continuing to earn 7-figure paydays per concert.
Underwood combines a level of vocal talent, production value, and fan loyalty possessed by only the very top artists across genres. That’s enabled her to become one of the highest-paid women in country music history.
Conclusion
Based on the available data, reasonable estimates put Carrie Underwood’s per show concert earnings between $1 million and $1.25 million for her current tours.
This factors in elements like average ticket prices, venue size, gross receipts percentage, and production costs. Underwood’s income places her among the top-earning female live performers in any genre.
As one of country music’s premier artists, Underwood can command massive crowds in arenas across North America year after year. For the foreseeable future, she appears locked in as a top touring act with the popularity to earn 8-figure paydays from the concert stage.