Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney & Luke Bryan Named Top 25 Touring Artists Of The Millennia

Three country artists make the list.

Though it seems nearly unfathomable, with 2025 slowly coming to a close, we are just weeks away from officially closing the page on the first quarter of the 21st century. If you recall back in May, Billboard decided to go ahead and release their 21st century charts across all genres. In turn, they crowned Kenny Chesney as the Top Country Artist, Chris Stapleton’s Traveller as the Top Country Album and, unfortunately, Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s Meant to Be as the Top Country Song of the century so far.

With major tours around the country all but done for the rest of the year, Pollstar, the leading trade publication for all live entertainment including concerts globally, decided to release their data and rank the Top 25 most popular touring artist of the millennia.

This, of course, provided a detailed overview of every Top 25 artists’ concert sales/satistic, including total ticket sales, average tickets sold per concert, total gross revenue, average gross revenue, average ticket price and total concerts performed since they began tracking in 2001.

Coming in at #1 overall is none other than Coldplay with a staggering 24.8 million tickets sold this century, a full 4.6 million above second-place U2. Rounding out the Top 5 are the likes of Ed Sheeran, (19.6 million), Dave Matthews Band (19.5 million) and Taylor Swift (18.8 million).

As for country artists, there are three who crack the Top 25: Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith and Luke Bryan.

Unsurprisingly, newly-inducted Country Music Hall of Famer and Billboard’s Country Artist of the Century, Kenny Chesney, was crowned the top-selling country artist globally, coming in seventh place above the likes of global superstars, Metallica, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Beyoncé and more.

Diving into the “Summertime” singer’s total concert numbers, since 2001, he has sold a staggering 18.1 million tickets, which averages out to 18,917 attendees per concert across his 962 tracked shows this century. As for revenue, Chesney total gross was an incredible $1.357 billion dollars with an average gross revenue of $1.4 million dollars per show. Finally, the average ticket price for his show this century was $74.62 dollars.

In an official statement, Chesney expressed just how shocked he was to find out he was above the aforementioned global superstars before thanking his beloved fanbase, No Shoes Nation, for the support throughout the decades.

“When I got the news, I was shocked. I only really think about all those faces smiling, laughing, singing – it’s the most beautiful sea of love and joy imaginable. I have never really considered how many; just how much fun everyone’s having. But when you look at this list, see names of people who set the bar in so many ways, it takes your breath away.

And a list like this? The numbers don’t lie. To think we played to over 18 million people since 2001 – even with the time we had to take off – is mind-blowing for a kid from East Tennessee. But it says everything about the passion No Shoes Nation brings to this music.”

In second place, a bit surprisingly, is Luke Bryan. Being the second most popular country artist and #20 overall, the “Do I” singer has sold just over 10 million tickets this century. Averaging 14,673 attendees across his 683 tracked shows, Bryan raked in a total gross of $591.44 million and an average gross of $865,951 per show

Finally, the late, great Toby Keith would slide in as the last country artist on Pollstar’s list at #23, beating out Billy Joel and Depeche Mode. Selling over 9.39 million tickets before his tragic death in February 2024, Keith played an incredible 791 tracked shows throughout the century.

Playing smaller venues than the likes of Chesney and Bryan, the “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer averaged 11,874 attendees per concert for a total gross of $403.2 million dollars.

Pollstar’s Top 25 Touring Artists Of The Millennia

1. Coldplay
2. U2
3. Ed Sheeran
4. Dave Matthews Band
5. Taylor Swift
6. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
7. Kenny Chesney
8. Metallica
9. Bon Jovi
10. Elton John
11. P!NK
12. The Rolling Stones
13. Beyoncé
14. André Rieu
15. Madonna
16. Guns N’ Roses
17. Eagles
18. Phish
19. Iron Maiden
20. Luke Bryan
21. Roget Waters
22. Paul McCartney
23. Toby Keith
24. Billy Joel
25. Depeche Mode