The ranking of the 100 greatest rock tours in music history, according to Consequence magazine

US magazine Consequence has launched its "Live Music Week", dedicated to live music. And as its first move, it has compiled its "definitive list of the 100 greatest tours of all time", updating the ranking originally published in 2019. "Sure, it's a near-impossible task," admits the Consequence team in the introduction, "there's a literally uncountable number of tours undertaken by artists in just the past year, let alone across the entire history of popular music. Some of the greatest tours of all time were probably played in basements and bars, by artists who never broke out of the local scene but who were able to play for small, deeply engaged crowds. Then there's the deeply personal relationship every fan has with live music. What we look for in concerts changes, how we feel in different venues changes, and even which tours we got to experience changes depending on our age. Every Consequence writer has their own list, and no doubt every reader does too... We took into account factors like the strength of the setlists, the quality of the performances, cultural impact and more. Above all, though, we looked for tours capable of bringing back great memories or stirring up fierce envy. However different our individual lists might be, we can all agree that every one of these 100 tours absolutely rules," Consequence concludes.

So here is the ranking of the 100 greatest music tours of all time, according to Consequence (full feature here).

100. OutKast — "2014 Reunion Tour" (2014)
99. Harry Styles — "Love On Tour" (2021-2023)
98. LCD Soundsystem — "This Is Happening Tour" (2010-2011)
97. Tom Waits — "Big Time Tour" (1988)
96. Rammstein — "Stadium Tour" (2019-2024)
95. Janelle Monáe — "The Electric Lady Tour" (2013-2014)
94. Yes — "Close To The Edge Tour" (1972-1973)
93. Jack White — "No Name Tour" (2024)
92. Alanis Morissette — "Can't Not Tour" (1998-1999)
91. Alice Cooper — "The Billion Dollar Babies Tour" (1973)
90. Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana & Pearl Jam — "1991 Tour" (1991)
89. Cher — "Do You Believe? Tour" (1999-2000)
88. The Velvet Underground — "1966 Exploding Plastic Inevitable" (1966)
87. Joanna Newsom — "Have One On Me Tour" (2010)
86. Odd Future — "Golf Wang Tour 2011" (2011)
85. Lady Gaga — "Monster Ball" (2009-2011)
84. Bee Gees — "Spirits Having Flown Tour" (1979)
83. Jay-Z & Kanye West — "Watch The Throne" (2011-2012)
82. Coldplay — "Viva La Vida Tour" (2008-2010)
81. Shania Twain — "Come On Over Tour" (1998-1999)
80. Public Enemy & Anthrax — "Bring The Noise Tour" (1991)
79. Aerosmith — "Get A Grip Tour" (1993-1994)
78. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds — "Skeleton Tree Tour" (2017)
77. Blink-182 & Green Day — "Pop Disaster Tour" (2002)
76. Depeche Mode — "Devotional Tour" (1993-1994)
75. U2 — "The War Tour" (1982-1983)
74. The White Stripes — "Elephant Tour" (2003-2004)
73. Various Artists — "Lilith Fair" (1997-1999)
72. Billy Joel & Elton John — "Face To Face" (1994-2010)
71. Various Artists — "Motortown Revue" (1962-1965)
70. Bad Bunny — "World Hottest Tour" (2022)
69. The Cure — "The Prayer Tour" (1989)
68. Phish — "Phish Destroys America" (1997)
67. The Eagles — "One Of These Nights Tour" (1975)
66. Fugazi — "1993 Fall Tour" (1993)
65. Bruce Springsteen — "The River Tour" (2016)
64. Joni Mitchell — "1974 Tour" (1974)
63. Beyoncé — "The Formation Tour" (2016)
62. Paul Simon — "The Graceland Tour" (1987)
61. Pearl Jam — "Yield Tour" (1998)
60. Diana Ross — "Up Front Tour" (1993)
59. Nine Inch Nails — "Fragility Tour" (1999-2000)
58. Bob Marley and the Wailers — "Uprising Tour" (1980)
57. Billy Joel — "An Innocent Man Tour" (1984)
56. The Police — "Synchronicity Tour" (1983-1984)
55. Little Richard — "1962 European Tour" (1962)
54. Garth Brooks — "The Garth Brooks World Tour '93-'94" (1993-1994)
53. Van Halen — "Fair Warning Tour" (1981)
52. Ozzy Osbourne — "Diary Of A Madman Tour" (1981-1982)
51. Various Artists — "Warped Tour 95" (1995)
50. Björk — "Biophilia Tour" (2011-2013)
49. Metallica — "M72 World Tour" (2023-2024)
48. Run-DMC & Beastie Boys — "Together Forever Tour" (1987)
47. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — "The So Far Tour" (1974)
46. Whitney Houston — "The Moment Of Truth World Tour" (1987-1988)
45. Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Etc. — "Up In Smoke Tour" (2000)
44. Blur, Dinosaur Jr., My Bloody Valentine & The Jesus and Mary Chain — "Rollercoaster Tour" (1992)
43. Roger Waters — "The Wall Live" (2010-2013)
42. Patti Smith Group — "1975-1976 Tour" (1975-1976)
41. Stevie Wonder — "Songs In The Key Of Life Tour" (1976)
40. Simon and Garfunkel — "Summer Evening Tour" (1983)
39. Tina Turner — "Break Every Rule World Tour" (1987-1988)
38. AC/DC — "Highway To Hell Tour" (1979-1980)
37. Elton John — "1974 North American Tour" (1974)
36. Janet Jackson — "Rhythm Nation Tour" (1990)
35. Neil Young with Crazy Horse — "Rust Never Sleeps Tour" (1978)
34. Kraftwerk — "Autobahn Tour" (1975)
33. Paul McCartney — "Out There Tour" (2013-2015)
32. KISS — "Destroyer Tour" (1976)
31. The Jacksons — "Victory Tour" (1984)
30. Talking Heads — "Speaking In Tongues Tour" (1983)
29. Nirvana — "Nevermind Tour" (1991-1992)
28. Otis Redding — "1967 European Tour" (1967)
27. Ramones — "1976 US Tour" (1976)
26. U2 — "Zootv Tour" (1992-1993)
25. The Rolling Stones — "American Tour 1969" (1969)
24. Various Artists — "Def Jam '87" (1987)
23. Led Zeppelin — "North American Tour 1968/1969" (1968-1969)
22. Radiohead — "In Rainbows Tour" (2008-2009)
21. The Clash — "Combat Rock Tour" (1982-1983)
20. Bob Dylan — "Bob Dylan World Tour 1966" (1966)
19. Pink Floyd — "The Dark Side Of The Moon Tour" (1973-1975)
18. Iggy and the Stooges — "1970 Summer Tour" (1970)
17. Fleetwood Mac — "Rumours Tour" (1977)
16. Kate Bush — "The Tour Of Life" (1979)
15. Queen — "News Of The World Tour" (1977-1978)
14. Bob Dylan — "Rolling Thunder Revue" (1975-1976)
13. The Jimi Hendrix Experience — "First UK Tour" (1967)
12. Various Artists — "Lollapalooza '92" (1992)
11. Daft Punk — "Alive 2006/2007" (2006-2007)
10. Grateful Dead — "Spring 1977" (1977)
9. Beyoncé — "Renaissance Tour" (2023-2024)
8. The Who — "The Who Tour 1970" (1970)
7. Taylor Swift — "The Eras Tour" (2023-2024)
6. The Beatles — "1965 US Tour" (1965)
5. Prince and the Revolution — "Purple Rain Tour" (1984-1985)
4. Madonna — "Blond Ambition World Tour" (1990)
3. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band — "Darkness Tour" (1978-1979)
2. Michael Jackson — "Bad World Tour" (1987-1989)
1. David Bowie — "The Ziggy Stardust Tour" (1972-1973)

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