Westlife is one of the most popular boy bands of all time, having sold over 55 million records worldwide. The Irish pop group formed in 1998 and enjoyed huge success, particularly in the UK and Ireland, during the late 90s and 2000s. After disbanding in 2012, Westlife reunited in 2018 and have been touring again since 2019. However, despite their immense popularity across Europe, Westlife has never properly toured in the United States. This has led many American fans to wonder – will Westlife ever tour in the USA?
Why haven’t Westlife toured the USA before?
There are a few key reasons why Westlife has not embarked on a full concert tour of the United States before:
- Limited mainstream success in America – While Westlife was hugely popular in Europe, they only ever had limited mainstream success in the US. Their music style of sentimental pop ballads and classic love songs did not necessarily resonate with American pop tastes. They only managed to chart two singles in the Billboard Hot 100 during the height of their career (“Swear It Again” and “World of Our Own”).
- Focus on Europe and Asia – As Westlife saw their greatest popularity in Europe and parts of Asia like Southeast Asia, these were the markets they heavily focused on touring. Tours require significant investment and logistical planning, so the band focused on territories where demand was proven.
- As a result, they never cultivated a sizable US fanbase in the 2000s that would enable a viable American tour. Geographic distance from their Ireland home base was also a likely factor.
- Lack of US promo – Tied to the limited US success, Westlife historically did very little promotional work and media appearances in America compared to Europe. Their record label prioritized other markets, making it harder to grow US fans.
- Timing – As an arena pop boyband, the timing was not right for them to break into the US scene in the late 90s/early 2000s when pop tastes were transitioning to rock and hip-hop.
So in summary, limited mainstream popularity, an emphasis on Europe and Asia, lack of promotional investment, and timing challenges meant Westlife never gained enough momentum in the US market to justify a full tour.
Have they done any US shows before?
While they have not done a proper nationwide US tour, Westlife has performed a small handful of one-off shows in America over the years:
- Debut US performance in 2000 – They performed at the 2000 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami.
- 2003 PBS Special – Westlife sang on a PBS television special concert filmed in Detroit, Michigan which aired in 2003.
- 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting – In 2011, Westlife performed at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center in New York City.
So they have made a couple of brief US appearances on television or at events, but never an extensive multi-city tour.
What are the chances of a full US tour happening?
More likely now than ever before
Many Westlife fans feel that the chances of them finally embarking on a proper US tour are better now than ever before for several reasons:
- Renewed popularity – Westlife’s reunion and album releases in the last few years have brought renewed interest and attracted new younger fans who never saw them live the first time around.
- US market more receptive to nostalgia – There has been a wave of late 90s/2000s pop nostalgia and band reunions recently that could make the US market more receptive to their music now.
- Strong touring demand in other countries – Their 2019-2020 tours completely sold out arenas across the UK and Ireland, indicating strong interest in seeing them live.
- US fans mobilized – US fan groups have been actively petitioning online for a US tour and vowing to purchase tickets.
- Concert industry bounced back – With the concert industry mostly bounced back from the pandemic, major tours are happening again making it more feasible.
The demand appears to be there from fans, so it’s possible Westlife may finally take the plunge if they feel the US market is now prime for them to tour. Their earning potential would be greater than ever before.
What needs to happen first
However, in order for a successful US tour to realistically happen, Westlife likely needs to take a strategic approach and put certain building blocks in place first:
- Increase promo and media – They would need to embark on a round of promotion across US media, television appearances, interviews etc to raise their profile.
- Release music – Releasing new music or a compilation album tailored for American audiences could help reconnect with lapsed fans and reach new young listeners through streaming.
- Secure a strong tour promoter – Finding an experienced US tour promoter with proven success marketing nostalgia acts to audiences would be crucial.
- Sell-out smaller venue tour first – To test demand, selling out more intimate theater shows in major US cities on an initial tour would help pave the way for bigger arena dates.
- Partner with other late 90s/00s acts – Co-headlining or teaming up on tour with other reunited boy bands or nostalgic acts popular in America could help broaden their appeal.
Laying this groundwork first would give them the best shot at making a US tour a major success.
Potential Setlist for US Tour
If Westlife finally brings their reunion tour to American venues, fans would obviously hope they perform many of their classic hits. Here is a potential dream setlist the band could perform on a US tour:
Main Set
Song | Album |
---|---|
Uptown Girl | Westlife |
If I Let You Go | Westlife |
My Love | World of Our Own |
What Makes a Man | Westlife |
Queen of My Heart | Coast to Coast |
Home | Westlife |
Unbreakable | Spectrum |
Mandy | Turnaround |
You Raise Me Up | Allow Us to Be Frank |
Fool Again | Westlife |
World of Our Own | World of Our Own |
Swear It Again | Westlife |
Encore
- Flying Without Wings
- Hello My Love
- Seasons in the Sun
This dream setlist packs in many of their most beloved singles that American fans would know from radio play like “Swear It Again”, “Flying Without Wings” and “My Love”. It also showcases some of their lesser-known gems like “What Makes a Man” and “Unbreakable” from later albums. The selection spans their entire career from debut single “Swear It Again” to their 2019 reunion song “Hello My Love”. For many US fans seeing them for the first time, this setlist would be the perfect introduction to Westlife’s greatest hits.
Where could they play in the USA?
Potential Tour Stops
If Westlife finally schedules a US tour, these are some of the major cities and venues they could potentially play:
City | Venue | Capacity |
---|---|---|
New York City | Radio City Music Hall | 6,000 |
Los Angeles | The Forum | 17,000 |
Las Vegas | The Colosseum at Caesars Palace | 4,300 |
Toronto | Scotiabank Arena | 19,800 |
Chicago | United Center | 23,500 |
Boston | TD Garden | 19,800 |
Washington DC | Capital One Arena | 20,000 |
Atlanta | State Farm Arena | 21,000 |
Dallas | American Airlines Center | 21,000 |
Houston | Toyota Center | 19,000 |
Denver | Ball Arena | 20,000 |
Seattle | Climate Pledge Arena | 19,100 |
Major media markets like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago seem essential. Fan favorite Las Vegas would also be an ideal tour stop. Toronto often gets added to US tours to reach Canadian fans. They could play some of the famous arena venues like Madison Square Garden in NYC and STAPLES Center in LA. Starting in more midsize arenas between 10,000-20,000 seats would be prudent for their first US tour.
How quickly could it sell out?
Given Westlife’s immense popularity, a US tour announcement would create massive excitement and huge demand for tickets. Looking at the instant sell-outs for their 2019-2020 tours across the UK and Ireland, a US tour would likely sell out very rapidly.
Many of their biggest hits still get play on adult contemporary and pop radio in America so general awareness exists. With intense interest from loyal longtime fans and younger new fans, shows could potentially sell out within minutes or hours once announced.
Extra tour dates would probably need to be added in certain cities to meet the demand. But after waiting so long for a chance to see Westlife live, US fans would absolutely snatch up tickets the moment they went on sale.
How much could they earn from a US tour?
Westlife’s earning potential from their first proper US tour could be massive. Here is an estimate of how much revenue they could generate:
Touring Revenue Stream | Estimated Earnings |
---|---|
Ticket Sales | $30 million |
Merchandise Sales | $5 million |
Sponsorships | $2 million |
Total Gross Revenues | $37 million |
This assumes:
– 30 shows in a mix of arenas and amphitheaters
– Average of 15,000 seats per venue
– Average ticket price of $150
– 500,000 shirts and other merch items sold at $40 average price
– Sponsorship deals with brands for tour naming rights and promos
After covering production costs, band and crew salaries, and promotional expenses, Westlife could be left with $20 million in profit from a successful US tour.
Each band member would take home around $5 million, proving it very financially rewarding. The huge pent-up US demand makes a Stateside tour an extremely lucrative opportunity.
Reaction from Fans
Needless to say, Westlife fans in America would be absolutely ecstatic if the band finally brings their arena pop extravaganza to US shores. Here are some imagined reactions from excited fans:
Longtime Supporters Thrilled
“As someone who has followed Westlife’s entire career since their first single in 1999, I truly never thought I’d see the day they would tour America. I’m over the moon and already planning to fly to multiple cities to see them. I can’t wait to finally hear live versions of classics like Flying Without Wings and Seasons in the Sun!”
Younger Fans Discovering Them
“I only recently got into Westlife after my mom played me some of their CDs from her youth. Their songs are so romantic and Shane’s voice is amazing! Now they are one of my favorite bands. I asked for concert tickets for my 16th birthday so I really hope the US tour rumors are true!”
New American Fans Drawn In
“As someone who listens to mostly modern country and rap, I’ll admit I never expected to be into an Irish boy band from the 90s. But after hearing World of Our Own and Queen of My Heart on a Spotify radio station, I’m hooked! Their music is so uplifting. I can’t wait to be singing along when they come to a city near me!”
Older Fans Making it a Family Affair
“My wife and I have been fans since Westlife’s early days and it’s been so special sharing their music with our teenagers lately. We’re planning to get tickets for the whole family and make it a fun summer vacation to wherever they end up touring in the US. The kids are going to love singing along to the songs from our youth!”
Conclusion
In summary, though logistically challenging, a full US concert tour from Westlife seems more viable and anticipated now than ever before. Their reunion success has primed them for potentially breaking into the market that long eluded them at the peak of their fame. With adequate promotion and strategic planning, Westlife finally bringing their slew of uplifting pop anthems and romantic ballads to American venues could be a huge hit. After more than two decades together, US fans are more eager than ever to welcome Westlife Stateside.