Beyoncé is one of the most successful and influential artists in music history. She first rose to fame as the lead singer of girl group Destiny’s Child in the late 1990s before embarking on an extremely successful solo career. Beyoncé has released 6 solo studio albums and has headlined 6 major concert tours. Her tours have consistently broken records and grossed hundreds of millions of dollars.
Destiny’s Child World Tours
Before becoming a solo artist, Beyoncé toured the world as a member of Destiny’s Child. The group embarked on 4 major concert tours between 1998 and 2005:
- Destiny’s Child World Tour (1998-1999)
- Destiny’s Child World Tour (2000)
- Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin’ It Tour (2005)
As Destiny’s Child’s fame grew, so did the scale of their tours. Their final tour, Destiny Fulfilled…And Lovin’ It Tour, hit 16 countries and sold nearly 500,000 tickets worldwide. This impressive tour demonstrated that Beyoncé could draw huge audiences not just as part of a group, but also as a solo headlining act.
Early Solo Tours
After Destiny’s Child went on hiatus in 2006, Beyoncé embarked on her first solo concert tour to support her second studio album, B’Day. The tour was simply titled The Beyoncé Experience and it hit over 90 venues across the world in 2007. Beyoncé performed her solo material for the first time and proved she could command the stage on her own. The Beyoncé Experience grossed over $24 million.
In 2009, Beyoncé headlined the I Am… Tour to support her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce. This tour expanded to over 100 shows across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. It grossed over $103 million, more than four times The Beyoncé Experience. Beyoncé performed many of her greatest solo hits for the first time and incorporated elaborate costumes and choreography. Her career as an iconic live performer was taking shape.
The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour
Beyoncé’s career reached even greater heights with The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour in 2013-2014. This tour supported her fourth studio album and featured 123 shows across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. It grossed over $229 million, a record sum at the time for a female artist. Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime performance midway through the tour created even more anticipation for the remainder of the shows.
Some key facts and records about The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour:
- Spanned 15 months and visited 132 venues
- Sold over 2.2 million tickets worldwide
- Grossed over $229 million in total
- Broke the record for the highest grossing tour by a female artist, previously held by Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour
- Became the fourth highest grossing tour of all time at the time
- Opened the tour with four consecutive sold-out shows at The O2 Arena in London
- Performed 18 sold-out shows at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, setting a new record for the most consecutive shows at the venue
- Broke attendance records in many cities including Paris, Melbourne, Stockholm, and more
This extremely successful world tour cemented Beyoncé’s status as the reigning queen of pop. Her spectacular live show with non-stop choreographed performances established a new bar for production value in concert tours. Critics praised the tour’s energy, Beyoncé’s vocal mastery and strong connection with fans. The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour stands as one of the greatest concert tours of all time.
The Formation World Tour
After taking a break in 2015 to work on new music, Beyoncé made a triumphant return to touring with The Formation World Tour in 2016. This tour supported her critically acclaimed sixth studio album, Lemonade. It contained 49 dates across North America and Europe.
Some key facts and records about The Formation World Tour:
- Grossed over $256 million from 49 shows
- Broke the record for the highest-grossing tour by a female artist, previously held by her own Mrs. Carter Show World Tour
- Opened at Marlins Park in Miami and set record for highest attendance at the venue with over 45,000 tickets sold
- All US shows sold out immediately
- Received rave reviews from critics praising the visuals, choreography, and Beyoncé’s command of the stage and connection with the audience
- Billboard ranked it the Top Tour of 2016 and Top Draw of 2016
- Featured guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Serena Williams, and Jay Z
The Formation World Tour was more explicitly political than Beyoncé’s previous tours, with direct commentary on black women’s empowerment and the Black Lives Matter movement. The choreography and symbolism of the costumes and visuals took her live show to new heights artistically. Even in a shorter run, it became her highest grossing tour and smashed records once again.
On The Run Tour
Beyoncé’s 2014 On The Run Tour with husband Jay Z also warrants mention. While not a solo tour, she co-headlined 20 massive stadium shows across the US and Canada with Jay Z in support of their collaborative album Everything Is Love. Some key facts:
- Grossed over $109 million
- Broke the record for highest grossing tour ever by a male-female combo in history
- Opened at Sun Life Stadium in Miami with 42,035 in attendance
- Performed two sold-out shows at iconic venues like Soldier Field in Chicago, Gillette Stadium in Boston, and MetLife Stadium in New Jersey
On The Run demonstrated the tremendous draw of Beyoncé and Jay Z together on stage. The tour cemented their status as music royalty and one of the most powerful celebrity couples worldwide.
Conclusion
Based on gross revenue, Beyoncé’s highest selling solo tour is The Formation World Tour, grossing over $256 million. Her second highest grossing solo tour is The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour which grossed over $229 million. Both tours broke records and demonstrated Beyoncé’s unparalleled dominance as a live performer. She has proven herself to be an all-time great pop star who delights fans with her energy, vocals, production value and connection to the audience. Beyoncé’s tours have raised the bar for what is possible creatively and financially in the concert industry. There is no doubt that when she returns to the stage, the Queen Bey will continue breaking her own records.