bruce springsteen tour 2022 europe

Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band announce European stadium tour

Mainland European dates announced for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - UK, Belgium and US arena dates to follow

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have announced a run of European stadium shows. The tour is scheduled to kick off at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona on April 28, 2023, and climax at the Monza Racing Circuit in Italy on July 25.

More dates are to be announced in The UK and in Belgium, and the European dates will be preceded by a string of as-yet-unannounced US arena dates.

"After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year," says Springsteen. "And I’m looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year – and beyond."

The dates will be the first for the E Street Band since the 14-month tour celebrating 1980 album The River concluded in Australia in February 2017. The touring line-up will include longstanding band members Roy Bittan, Nils Lofgren, Patti Scialfa, Garry Tallent, Max Weinberg and Stevie Van Zandt, alongside Soozie Tyrell, Jake Clemons and Charlie Giordano.

For ticket details, visit the Bruce Springsteen website . 

Bruce Springsteen European Tour 2023 

Apr 28: Barcelona Estadi Olímpic, Spain May 05: Dublin RDS Arena , Ireland May 07: Dublin RDS Arena, Ireland May 13: Paris La Défense Arena, France May 18: Ferrara, Parco Urbano G. Bassani, Italy May 21: Rome Circo Massimo, Italy May 25: Amsterdam Johan Cruijff ArenA, The Netherlands Jun 11: Landgraaf Megaland, The Netherlands Jun 13: Zurich, Stadion Letzigrund Switzerland Jun 21: Düsseldorf Merkur Spiel Arena, Germany Jun 24: Gothenburg Ullevi, Sweden Jun 26: Gothenburg Ullevi, Sweden Jun 30: Oslo Voldsløkka, Norway Jul 11: Copenhagen Parken, Denmark Jul 13: Copenhagen Parken, Denmark Jul 15: Hamburg Volksparkstadion, Germany Jul 18: Vienna Ernst Happel Stadion, Austria Jul 23: Munich Olympiastadion, Germany Jul 25: Monza Prato della Gerascia, Autodromo di Monza, Italy

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Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.  

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Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band to tour in US, Europe

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boss is hitting the road again, and the E Street Band band is coming with him.

The rockers announced Monday that they will begin an arena tour in February in the United States, followed by stadium shows beginning in April in Europe.

Details on the cities the rockers will visit in the U.S. will be announced later, but it’ll be the first time the group has toured since wrapping The River Tour in Australia in February 2017.

“After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year,” Springsteen said in a statement.

The European concerts will begin April 28th in Barcelona, the announcement said. Other stops in Europe will include Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen with the last European show announced so far happening July 25 in Monza, Italy. Concerts in Britain and Belgium will also be announced later.

The North American dates will be split into two segments, with a second leg beginning in August.

The group’s last release was the 2020 album “Letter to You.”

Online: brucespringsteen.net.

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Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band to tour in US, Europe

By The Associated Press

Posted May 23, 2022 9:03 pm.

Last Updated May 23, 2022 9:16 pm.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boss is hitting the road again, and the band is coming with him.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band announced Monday that they will begin an arena tour in February in the United States, followed by stadium shows beginning in April in Europe.

Few details about cities the rockers will visit were announced, but it’ll be the first time the group has toured since wrapping The River Tour in Australia in February 2017.

“After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year,” Springsteen said in a statement.

The European concerts will begin April 28th in Barcelona. Other stops in Europe will include Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and Copenhagen. The tour plans several shows in Britain, but exact cities weren’t announced.

No details on which U.S. cities the tour will travel to were announced, but North American dates will be split into two segments. The second leg of that tour will begin in August.

The group’s last release was the 2020 album “Letter to You.”

The Associated Press

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Bruce Springsteen: ‘You’ll Be Seeing the E Street Band Pretty Soon’

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Bruce Springsteen phoned up SiriusXM’s E Street Radio Wednesday and gave host Jim Rotolo an update on his touring plans.

“We’ll be out there,” he said. “We hoped to be out there this year, but I just didn’t have the confidence or want to take the risk for my audience that it was going to be OK. We put it off a little while. But we’re working on plans to get it all together now, so you’ll be seeing the E Street Band pretty soon.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band originally planned on touring in 2020 behind Letter to You , but the pandemic made anything besides a two-song appearance on Saturday Night Live an impossibility. Late last year, as the Delta wave subsided, plans began coming together for a 2022 world tour. A handful of posters advertising upcoming dates appeared across Europe, including a June 10th, 2022 show at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany .

The shows were scuttled once Omicron hit near the end of 2021 and the prospects for major concerts this year once again seemed questionable. But Omicron has largely subsided and the concert calendar is packed with major tours and festivals.

Springsteen hasn’t played a show with the E Street Band since their River tour wrapped up with an Australia/New Zealand run in February 2017. Once that tour ended, he focused his energies on his successful Broadway show and his new albums Western Stars and Letter to You . But this is the longest he’s gone without an E Street Band tour since he reformed the band in 1999, and fans are very eager to see them back in action.

It’s unclear when exactly that’s going to happen, and it’s still possible it won’t happen until 2023. But “we’re working on plans to get it together now” and “you’ll be seeing the E Street Band pretty soon” gives fans good reason to hope that they’re going to find a way to gear up before the year wraps. There are still nine months left in 2022, and plenty of big venues that would be happy to host a Springsteen show with little notice.

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Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band to tour in U.S., Europe

NEW YORK (AP) — The Boss is hitting the road again, and the E Street Band band is coming with him.

The rockers announced Monday that they will begin an arena tour in February in the United States, followed by stadium shows beginning in April in Europe.

Details on the cities the rockers will visit in the U.S. will be announced later, but it’ll be the first time the group has toured since wrapping The River Tour in Australia in February 2017.

“After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year,” Springsteen said in a statement.

The European concerts will begin April 28th in Barcelona, the announcement said. Other stops in Europe will include Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen with the last European show announced so far happening July 25 in Monza, Italy. Concerts in Britain and Belgium will also be announced later.

The North American dates will be split into two segments, with a second leg beginning in August.

The group’s last release was the 2020 album “Letter to You.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen)

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Bruce Springsteen, born September 23, 1949, is an American rock singer and songwriter. Hailing proudly from the Jersey Shore, he is known for his literate and poetic lyrics, working-class sentiments, and marathon live shows.

Springsteen is lauded as one of the best songwriters of all time. His lyrics deal with working-class struggles, values, and desires. The verses in Springsteen's songs often tell stories about people who have fallen on hard times. Known for his political and social activism, his song lyrics repeatedly address those issues within the context of the everyday struggles of the common man.

Springsteen is considered an originator of heartland rock, a subgenre of rock music associated with the working class in the Rust Belt and Midwestern US. Other prominent heartland rock musicians include Tom Petty and Bob Segar.

Springsteen grew up in Freehold, New Jersey, with his parents and two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela. His father held numerous working-class jobs during his lifetime and struggled with mental health issues that became more severe as he aged. Springsteen was a loner throughout his childhood and adolescence, preferring to play his guitar over socializing with his classmates and peers. His family eventually moved to California when Springsteen was 19 years old, but he chose to remain in New Jersey.

After watching an Elvis Presley performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956, a 13-year-old Springsteen felt inspired to take up music, and his mother bought him his first guitar. Springsteen began to play publicly at trailer parks and local venues like Elks Lodges. In his early 20s he performed in a string of bands, including the Beatles-influenced Castiles, the hard rock bands Earth and Cream, and the big band Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom. He later created the Bruce Springsteen Band, which was the first group to feature legendary saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

Springsteen signed to Columbia Records in 1972 and released two albums in 1973: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. The albums were both recorded with his backing band, featuring Danny Federici, Vini Lopez, David Sancious, Garry Tallent, and Clemon. The two albums were met with critical acclaim, but neither was a financial success. Lopez and Sancious soon departed, making way for drummer Max Weinberg and pianist Roy Bittan. The revised line-up, now dubbed The E Street Band, made its debut on Springsteen’s breakthrough album Born to Run in 1975.

Following years of financial and contractual legal disputes with producers, Springsteen didn’t release any material until 1978 with the album Darkness of the Edge of Town. Despite a fresh wave of heartland rock musicians and a new trend toward the punk/new wave scene, the album performed well in the charts and earned good reviews.

Springsteen’s career took off in the 80s. He released the two-LP The River in 1980, featuring the hits “Hungry Heart” and “Fade Away,” the experimental Nebraska in 1982, and the hugely-popular and internationally-acclaimed Born in the U.S.A. in 1984. All performed well, and Born in the U.S.A. sold over 15 million copies and earned the songwriter his first of 20 Grammy Awards.

At the same time, Springsteen and the band staged a long series of impressive and energetic live shows. Springsteen released a five-LP CD box set titled Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live/1975-85, which became certified platinum 13 times.

With a swelling fan base, consistent critical acclaim, and considerable commercial success, it seemed Springsteen could do no wrong. The singer continued this trend with the release of Tunnel of Love in 1987, then simultaneously released Human Touch and Lucky Town in 1992. The latter two were recorded with a new back up after Springsteen dissolved the E Street Band in 1989.

Following the release of a Greatest Hits album in early 1995 and another low-key folk album in the same vein as Nebraska titled The Ghost of Tom Joad, Springsteen released a whopping four-CD box set of unreleased material that highlighted the songwriter’s prolific talents. The E Street Band returned for a performance upon Springsteen’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which was followed by a world tour and the album Live in New York City.

Springsteen subsequently released the albums The Rising in 2001, a reflection on the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the folk-styled Devils & Dust in 2005, the rock-inspired Magic in 2007 Working on a Dream in 2009; a box-set rerelease of Darkness on the Edge of Town in 2010, Wrecking Ball in 2012, and High Hopes in 2014.

Springsteen released a compilation album titled Chapter and Verse in September 2016 that contained previously-unheard material dating back to the mid-1960s. Following the album's release, Springsteen embarked on The River 2016 Tour. The tour became the highest-grossing global tour of 2016, pulling in nearly US $3 million worldwide. Springsteen penned an autobiography in 2016 as well. The book, titled Born to Run, climbed to the top of the New York Times Best Sellers List.

In late 2018, a live album Springsteen on Broadway was released. The album reached number 11 on the US Billboard chart.

In 2020, Springsteen released the singles "Letter to You" and "Ghosts," leading up to the release of his 20th studio album, Letter to You.

On December 14, 2021, Springsteen gave a surprise performance at the John Henry's Friends benefit concert for autistic children.

Following the release of the singles "Turn Back the Hands of Time," "Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)," "Don't Play That Song," and "Nightshift," Springsteen's most recent studio album was announced in September 2022 and was released that November. Only the Strong Survive featured multiple covers of classic soul songs from the ’60s and ’70s.

After 40 years of cultivating a reputation as a relentless, high-energy performer, Springsteen is still touring regularly. He's headlined nearly 20 tours over the course of his musical career, and is known for his marathon performances. One of his shows at Citizens Bank Park lasted an astonishing 4 hours and 4 minutes.

The singer and musician has maintained remarkable popularity over his prolific career, selling over 64 million albums in the US, 120 million albums worldwide. He has earned 20 Grammy awards, two Golden Globes, and is an inducted member of both the Rock & Roll and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. President Barack Obama awarded Springsteen the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

In May 2022, Springsteen announced a 2023 international tour with the E Street Band, the first since 2017. The tour will continue across the US through 2023 before heading to Europe. To keep up with Bruce Springsteen tour dates and venues, check out his official website.

Live reviews

True to his ‘everyman’ image, Springsteen is obviously the master of ceremonies no matter who is on stage with him, but he manages to do so without grandstanding. Steven Van Zandt (who will always be Silvio Dante to me) and Nils Lofgren were always at the mic with him. Jake Clemons was allowed to shine on sax in tribute to his late uncle as well. Max Weinberg was always projecting from the big screens that hung above, all while holding things down from the back of the stage. Even when the crowd was yelling “Bruuuuuuce” as he came down the platform into the audience for some crowd surfing during “Hungry Heart”, there was no doubt that the whole thing was a group effort – a true family affair. The audience was the tenth member of the E Street Band as well. When Springsteen’s fingers weren’t on his guitar or snapping and waving around, he used them to slap and shake every outreached hand available to him. “Denver, I got a crush on you!” “I’ve got one question, where are the marijuana gummy bears!” “Let me hear all you mountain girls out there!” I’m sure every audience receives the same treatment, but when he’s in your city, it truly is the only city that matters.

At one point the crowd was tricked into supporting young love; the kind “without consequence or responsibility”. “It doesn’t exist! What are you applauding for?!” he joked, before reassuring the young couples in the crowd with “It’s not the real thing, but it’s a good place to start.” It was just another one of those simple, but profound truths Springsteen is famous for. The production value of the show was simple as well. The open stage allowed the audience to see the band from every angle. The trio of screens were situated up high and were there to augment the view for those in the 300 sections. No pyrotechnics or technological enhancements are need at a Bruce Springsteen show; it really is all about the music. That’s why I couldn’t help but wish the setting had been some place like Red Rocks instead of Pepsi Center. There is something just so real and human and natural about what he does, so it’s kind of sad that it had to take place in a corporate arena. But no matter the venue, we all continued the journey through the second half of The River without pause.

- See more at: http://ilistensoyoudonthaveto.com/2016/04/01/bruce-springsteen-pepsi-center-03-31-16/#sthash.sGvrl3UH.dpuf

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Bruce never disappoints! The usual 31/2 show was 4 hours last night. An apparently Christmas in jersey this year is in August because Santa Claus is coming to town.

Tenth avenue freeze out had Bruce walk/run to ( for the 2nd time in the night) to a platform in the middle of the floor, while the giant screens had a great tribute to band members who left us too soon.

4 lucky fans had a dream come true when Bruce allowed them on stage to sing/dance. The funniest being a sign that said 'who wants to dance with this old bald guy' to which Bruce said, 'I do!' And he danced with him to dancing in the dark... Class act in my opinion.

Now I know he can't play everything, however, no thunder road, glory days or trapped left this fan a little disappointed.

Bruce closed out the show with 'shout' as only Bruce does with a great firework display.

My advice? If you ever have a chance to go to a Bruce show--GO! His shows and set list are different every time and it's one of the best shows you will ever see!! Ive never actually counted but last night was probably somewhere between my 30-40th show and I may just go back next Tuesday. Hope to see you all there!

You can say "there's nothing like seeing this band in concert" about almost any band if you like them enough, but Bruce Springsteen is on a completely different level.

This isn't just a musician. This is The Boss. This is Bruce Springsteen. A Springsteen concert is a unique experience every time. He's not afraid to go deep into his repertoire of songs, but he's also not scared to bust out the big hits when he feels like it. Whether it's 'Thundercrack' or 'I'm on Fire', he tears through every song like a man with true purpose.

It's clear, from the very beginning until the end, that this is a true musician, a true artist. Especially for someone who has been consistently performing for decade after decade, it's a rare and beautiful thing to see someone who still cares about what they do, even when it's a song that he has been performing for more than three decades. There's a reason why he will be remembered for a long, long time.

If you get a chance to see him the way I have, the way that millions have, please do not pass the chance up. If you never see Bruce perform live, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

Very very disappointing, we feel a bit cheated.

Stadium (standing) full of way too drunk people who constantly banged into you and barged in front of you spilling and throwing beer as they went. Folk standing have a full on conversation about Eastenders (honestly!) and shouting and bawling over the top of the "music". Impossible to see The Boss on the stage and struggled to see the big screens (due to said drunks pushing in and standing right in front of you and then point blank refusing to move, some getting stroppy when politely asked to move aside, one woman had her water completely knocked out of her hand beside us by a drunk girl who when reprimanded let loose a tirade of abuse to poor woman - who incidentally had got a shock as the girl came flying from nowhere)

The sound was terrible! The sound seemed to bounce off the stands and caused a really bad echo, which was actually painful to listen to! I struggled to make out which song he was singing quite a few times. Never ever going to Hampden again for a gig, been twice and both were bad. Waste of our hard earned money :( Only plus was the sun shone!

Every concert I have been to to see Bruce has been amazing - Wembley, Milton Keynes, 2 nights running at the Arsenal Stadium (the highlight!), Cardiff, Hyde Park and Coventry. I have been a fan of his since 1980 when I was studying in Freiburg, Germany and met a group of American students doing a Junior Year Abroad - one in particular was a fan and played Bruce to me - I was hooked.

My first concert was at Wembley, "Born in the USA", but the lyrics of earlier albums were the ones that had already seized my heart, especially 4th July, Asbury Park (Sandy). I have experienced so many emotions and especially great happiness listening to his music. It has been impossible to find anyone who can match him live, although I have been to many concerts by other great artists. There is no-one so incredible live as THE BOSS!

Magnificent! There are very few artists who can play non stop for over three hours and leave you wishing it hadn't finished. I'd go again tomorrow.

He played lots of songs I know, most of his greats, but could have done another hour with some top songs he left out (Born in the USA, I'm on fire, Brilliant Disguise, etc). His voice is as good as it ever was (unlike Rod, Elton, Macca and others of similar age)

Audience interaction was fantastic. One guy came in a Santa suit. Bruce spotted him, got him up on stage and changed the set to do Santa Claus is coming to town, which just rocked the stadium. Lots of other examples throughout the night. A great gig from a great showman, true legend. Seen him twice, about 30 years apart, much better now than he was then.

34 song setlist.

3 hours 24 minutes on stage without a break.

Crowd surfing at 66 years of age.

20,000 fans on their feet.

What more is there to say?

The man is THE BOSS !!!

Meet Me in the City

The Ties That Bind

Sherry Darling

Jackson Cage

Independence Day

Hungry Heart

Out in the Street

Crush On You

You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)

I Wanna Marry You

Point Blank

Cadillac Ranch

I'm a Rocker

The Price You Pay

Drive All Night

Wreck on the Highway

Darlington County

Because the Night

She's the One

Backstreets

Thunder Road

Born to Run

Dancing in the Dark

Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)

Tenth Avenue Freeze-out

Thank you for an awesome consert experience! Intense and very moving. It was a amazing evening. I had a great time! Don't remember the weather only the music! Please come back soon!

Only the Boss cold make the rain stop, and IT did at 21:30 pm. IT was altså of great songs an 3 hours and 10 min. Is impressiv. What A energy The Boss and the ESB has is amazing. It's A lifetime experience you wouldn't miss ever! Everything song is A highlights and it's hard to single out just noe or to. I was jumping up an down, with my hands in the air for 3 hours and 10 min. I had the best time ever...!

OMG——HAVE LOVED BRUCE FOREVER!!! The River was my 1 st concert; I think The Rising was next, Devils and Dust, his acoustic tour etc etc. I think It’s been about 6 or 7. NEVER ENOUGH!!! I live in Wisconsin, read that one of our senators—Jon Erpenbach took a second job to follow Bruce’s concerts around. Don’t I wish!! Remember the old master card ads?? Here’s my version concerning Bruce: Tickets—75 dollars, Parking—20 dollars, Feeling like a teenager again for 3 hours: PRICELESS!!!

I first saw Bruce in 1976 at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Next, was at the Hanger in Hazlet, NJ where he just popped in and ended up jamming with Gary US Bonds. Next, saw him in San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium. Then, he followed me (lol) to Italy where I saw him in Torino. Then he followed me to Iowa (lol) where my husband & I took our daughter to see him in Des Moines. Her first concert. I am waiting to see him again soon, where I will hold a sign saying, I AM A JERSEY GIRL!

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Bruce springsteen and e street band to tour in us, europe.

Associated Press

NEW YORK – The Boss is hitting the road again, and the E Street Band band is coming with him.

The rockers announced Monday that they will begin an arena tour in February in the United States, followed by stadium shows beginning in April in Europe.

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Details on the cities the rockers will visit in the U.S. will be announced later, but it'll be the first time the group has toured since wrapping The River Tour in Australia in February 2017.

“After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year," Springsteen said in a statement.

The European concerts will begin April 28th in Barcelona, the announcement said . Other stops in Europe will include Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Copenhagen with the last European show announced so far happening July 25 in Monza, Italy. Concerts in Britain and Belgium will also be announced later.

The North American dates will be split into two segments, with a second leg beginning in August.

The group's last release was the 2020 album “Letter to You."

Online: brucespringsteen.net.

Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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• May 23, 2022

UPDATED: Springsteen announces 2023 European dates, U.S. to come

After the Associated Press posted, and then removed, a story on Bruce Springsteen's 2023 tour (oops), Springsteen Inc. has officially announced the European dates for the long-awaited return of Bruce and the E Street Band.

Unclear if "to-be-announced" is today or at some point later for the U.S. dates — check back for more information as it becomes available!

Full release, via brucespringsteen.net :

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band will mark their return to the road in early February, 2023 with a string of to-be-announced US arena dates, followed by European stadium shows kicking off on April 28th in Barcelona and a second North American tour leg starting in August.

Said Springsteen: “After six years, I’m looking forward to seeing our great and loyal fans next year. And I’m looking forward to once again sharing the stage with the legendary E Street Band. See you out there, next year — and beyond.”

The planned European stops are Barcelona, Dublin, Paris, Ferrara, Rome, Amsterdam, Landgraaf, Zurich, Düsseldorf, Gothenburg, Oslo, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Vienna, Munich and Monza. Additional cities and shows in the UK and Belgium will be announced at a later date.

These 2023 dates will mark the first live shows for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band since the conclusion of their 14-month, worldwide The River Tour in Australia in February, 2017. The River Tour was named 2016’s top global tour by both Billboard and Pollstar.

Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band last reconnected to perform on Saturday Night Live in December 2020, where they launched live versions of two songs from their most recent studio album ‘Letter To You’ (Columbia Records), which reached #1 in eleven countries and marked the band’s first time recording live together in decades. Last year, Springsteen unveiled his never-before-released “The Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts” film, collaborated with President Barack Obama on the book ‘Renegades: Born In The USA’ and reprised his record setting show ‘Springsteen On Broadway’ to help reopen New York City theaters last summer.

The E Street Band’s members are: Roy Bittan – piano, synthesizer; Nils Lofgren – guitar, vocals; Patti Scialfa – guitar, vocals; Garry Tallent – bass guitar; Stevie Van Zandt – guitar, vocals; and Max Weinberg – drums; with Soozie Tyrell – violin, guitar, vocals; Jake Clemons – saxophone; and Charlie Giordano – keyboards.

For more info and tickets, visit brucespringsteen.net/shows .

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Bruce Springsteen Concert Setlists & Tour Dates

Springsteen & e street band 2024 world tour, bruce springsteen, upcoming shows.

• Date and Venue Doors Scheduled
• May 05 2024 Principality Stadium Cardiff, Wales Add time Add time Add times
• May 09 2024 Boucher Road Playing Fields Belfast, Northern Ireland Add time Add time Add times
• May 12 2024 Nowlan Park Kilkenny, Ireland Add time Add time Add times
• May 16 2024 Pairc Ui Chaoimh Cork, Ireland Add time Add time Add times
• May 19 2024 Croke Park Dublin, Ireland Add time Add time Add times
• May 22 2024 Stadium of Light Sunderland, England Add time Add time Add times
• May 25 2024 Orange Vélodrome Marseille, France Add time Add time Add times
• May 28 2024 Prague Letňany Airport Prague, Czechia  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jun 01 2024 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Milan, Italy Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 03 2024 Stadio Giuseppe Meazza Milan, Italy Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 12 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 14 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time  –  Scheduled: 9:00 PM Add time Add times 9:00 PM
• Jun 17 2024 Estadio Metropolitano Madrid, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 20 2024 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Barcelona, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 22 2024 Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Barcelona, Spain Add time Add time Add times
• Jun 27 2024 Goffertpark Nijmegen, Netherlands  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jun 29 2024 Goffertpark Nijmegen, Netherlands  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 02 2024 Festivalpark Werchter, Belgium  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 05 2024 Heinz von Heiden Arena Hanover, Germany  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 09 2024 Dyrskuepladsen Odense, Denmark  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 12 2024 Olympiastadion Helsinki, Finland Doors 5:00 PM  –  Start time: 6:37 PM (Est.) 5:00 PM 6:37 PM Estimated
• Jul 15 2024 Friends Arena Solna, Sweden  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 18 2024 Friends Arena Solna, Sweden  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Jul 21 2024 Dokken Bergen, Norway Add time Add time Add times
• Jul 25 2024 Wembley Stadium London, England Add time Add time Add times
• Jul 27 2024 Wembley Stadium London, England Add time Add time Add times
• Aug 15 2024 PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 18 2024 PPG Paints Arena Pittsburgh, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 21 2024 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Aug 23 2024 Citizens Bank Park Philadelphia, PA, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 07 2024 Nationals Park Washington, DC, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 13 2024 Oriole Park at Camden Yards Baltimore, MD, USA  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Sep 15 2024 Sea.Hear.Now Festival 2024 Asbury Park, NJ, USA Add time Add time Add times
• Oct 31 2024 Centre Bell Montreal, QC, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 03 2024 Scotiabank Arena Toronto, ON, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 06 2024 Scotiabank Arena Toronto, ON, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 09 2024 Canadian Tire Centre Ottawa, ON, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 13 2024 Canada Life Centre Winnipeg, MB, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 16 2024 Scotiabank Saddledome Calgary, AB, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 19 2024 Rogers Place Edmonton, AB, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times
• Nov 22 2024 Rogers Arena Vancouver, BC, Canada  –  Find tickets Add time Tickets Add time Add times

Bruce Springsteen at Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH, USA

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Bruce Springsteen at JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA

• Lonesome Day
• No Surrender
• Darlington County
• Growin' Up
• The Promised Land
• Spirit in the Night
• Hungry Heart
• Atlantic City
• My City of Ruins

Bruce Springsteen at MVP Arena, Albany, NY, USA

• Candy's Room
• Adam Raised a Cain
• Letter to You
• Racing in the Street

Bruce Springsteen at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, CT, USA

• Roll of the Dice

Bruce Springsteen at Kia Forum, Inglewood, CA, USA

• Open All Night
• Prove It All Night
• Death to My Hometown
• Tougher Than the Rest
• Sherry Darling

Bruce Springsteen at Chase Center, San Francisco, CA, USA

• Light of Day
• Darkness on the Edge of Town
• Something in the Night

Bruce Springsteen at Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA, USA

• Don't Play That Song (You Lied)
• Mary's Place

Bruce Springsteen at T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV, USA

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Most played songs

• Born to Run ( 1824 )
• Thunder Road ( 1529 )
• The Promised Land ( 1485 )
• Badlands ( 1286 )
• Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out ( 1190 )

More Bruce Springsteen statistics

100 gecs 3 Mile Island 3JS The 413s 4onthefloor The 4onthefloor 8TRACK BAND 9sundays A-Meezing Coverband Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties Jennie Abrahamson AC/TC Adamantium Bryan Adams Ryan Adams Advance Base Afterhours Afterpartees Manuel Agnelli The Airborne Toxic Event Tim Akkerman Laith Al-Deen Alabama Shakes Gli Alberi Jason Aldean Art Alexakis Alien Clouds Alkaline Trio Nicholas Allbrook John Allen Nathan Allen Peter Allen Will Allinson The Allman Betts Band Devon Allman Band Altameda The Altered Hours AM Taxi The Amazons American Aquarium American Babies Vanessa Amorosi Tori Amos Amsterdam Ana Carolina Matt Andersen Jason Anderson Joe Anderton Rick Andrade Andreas Millradt

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Artists covered

? and the Mysterians [traditional] The A’s AC/DC The Ad Libs Bryan Adams Thomas S. Allen The Animals Arcade Fire The Archies Artists United Against Apartheid Burt Bacharach Bentley Ball Hank Ballard and the Midnighters The Band Dave Bartholomew The Beach Boys The Beatles Bee Gees Irving Berlin Chuck Berry Richard Berry Big Maybelle Bill Deal & The Rhondels Bon Jovi Gary “U.S.” Bonds Mars Bonfire Booker T. & the MG’s David Bowie The Box Tops John Henry ‘Perry’ Bradford Brinsley Schwarz James Brown Les Brown and His Orchestra Roy Brown Harry C. Browne Jackson Browne Boudleaux Bryant Tim Buckley Solomon Burke Robert Burns The Byrds Glen Campbell Johnny Cash The Champs Harry Chapin Ray Charles Los Chimberos Clarence Clemons & The Red Bank Rockers Claudine Clark

View artists covered statistics

Gigs seen live by

21,931 people have seen Bruce Springsteen live.

shajack1 dfpatch orangecat12 MMorgan429 alangens Seanmickey1 gcaratzas HazyDavy17 sliebler DannyDMac jdps stab329 katiekyaz Amuursepp jcstella HawksFord tcowulich TheClarks photogphotog Bmizgala Dperkins620 asrocks7 Gavinmac44 pfechoes CNYeric Garybizz68 janchuns18 zdorf16 linspj boo9radley linn-27 Khanada23 emisch24 sbuck23 TBen billw17 Chtaylor Holmes013 Party BuildMasterAMP Oakleyd2 grindstone2 rjmdds mjbupp TullyNY20 gaddzilla Doc32 johnr831 steverubin Stefan8

Bruce Springsteen on the web

Music links.

• Bruce Springsteen Lyrics (de)
• Official Homepage

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Just a Few of the Biggest Concert Tours of 2024, from Olivia Rodrigo to Bad Bunny

Posted: April 19, 2024 | Last updated: April 20, 2024

Listening to your favorite musician at home is fun, but there's nothing quite like the experience of singing along with them, and tons of more fans, live. And as luck would have it, 2024 is shaping up to be a massive year for some of the world's top musical acts, so chances are your favorite performer might be stopping at a city near you soon.

Ahead, we rounded up some of the biggest concert tours of 2024, ranging from Taylor Swift's mega-popular Eras Tour to Drake and J. Cole's exciting It's All A Blur Tour - Big as the What?—set to kick off this winter. You can also expect tour dates from classic icons like Stevie Nicks, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and more.

1) Taylor Swift

Undoubtedly one of the biggest concert tours ever, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour will continue right through 2024. The international leg of the tour kicked off in Japan, where she played four shows in Tokyo. She'll also stop in Melbourne, Singapore, Paris, Madrid, London, Milan, and more before returning to the States to play in the fall.

There's nothing like seeing T. Swift IRL, but don't fret if you're unable to nab tickets—the Eras Tour movie is now available to stream from the comfort of your home.

2) Olivia Rodrigo

This is not a drill—"Drivers License" singer Olivia Rodrigo will be hitting the road on tour starting at the end of February. The Guts World Tour runs from February through mid-August and has dates in Nashville, Toronto, Chicago, and New York City, among others. Even cooler? Rodrigo will have a stacked list of special guests—like PinkPantheress, Remi Wolf, The Breeders, and Chappell Roan—with her.

3) Red Hot Chili Peppers

Did you hear the good news? The Red Hot Chili Peppers have extended their global tour through summer 2024. The buzzy stadium tour, which kicked off in June 2022, will now run until July 2024 and bring the California-based band to places like Los Angeles, Tampa, Toronto, and Salt Lake City.

4) Bad Bunny

It's fitting that "Monaco" rapper Bad Bunny titled his tour Most Wanted —it's slated to be one of the year's hottest tours. Planned to help promote his latest studio album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana , Most Wanted will kick off in Salt Lake City on February 21 and run through May 26.

5) Billy Joel

If you haven't yet seen Billy Joel perform live, there's still time! The Piano Man has added more tour dates to his schedule, stopping in cities like Tampa, New York, Denver, and St. Louis this year. Even more exciting? He'll share the stage with fellow iconic performers Sting and Stevie Nicks for some of these dates.

Mitski recently announced that she's expanding her North American tour dates , and we couldn't be more excited. The months-long tour, which supports her 2023 studio album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, has a long list of stops, including Miami Beach, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Paris.

There's nothing quite like a Madonna concert, that's for sure. The singer's Celebration Tour , which started last October, continues straight through the spring with dates in Seattle, San Francisco, Mexico City, and more. Besides her eye-catching sets, chart-topping songs, and impressive choreography, concertgoers also get a glimpse of the performer's fantastic costumes, which include looks from Versace and Jean Paul Gaultier.

8) Bleachers

The New Jersey-founded rock band, which is fronted by Jack Antonoff—known for producing albums for top acts like Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Lana Del Rey—not only has announced a new album but a new tour , too. The tour will start in the UK in March, ending fittingly in the band's home state of New Jersey in mid-June. Check out their newly released music video for "Tiny Moves" if you need a Bleachers fix in the meantime.

9) Nicki Minaj

Nicki fans rejoice: the rapper and singer might be coming to a city near you soon as part of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour. The massive tour will include performances in Brooklyn, Oakland, and Baltimore, with stops at Dreamville Festival and Rolling Loud California along the way.

10) Blink 182

Live out all of your nineties and early aughts pop-punk dreams with one of Blink 182's One More Time Tour dates. The tour, which supports the band's ninth studio album, One More Time..., will bring the trio to cities all over the globe, including Sydney, Santiago, Portland, and Boston. The tour's supporting act is Pierce the Veil, which is also worth checking out.

11) Stevie Nicks

The oh-so-magical Stevie Nicks continues her touring streak with a bunch of 2024 concert dates . Set to begin in Atlantic City, NJ on February 10, Nicks will visit a dozen cities throughout the U.S. this year, such as New Orleans, Omaha, and Chicago. "Let's keep this party going in 2024," the singer-songwriter posted on her Instagram in September to announce the newly added tour dates.

12) The 1975

The 1975 is showing no signs of slowing down. The British band, famous for hits like "Somebody Else" and "Robbers," has extended their 2023 tour through 2024. Titled Still...At Their Very Best , the 22-date tour will open in Glasgow on February 8 and conclude in Amsterdam on March 24.

13) Drake and J. Cole

Rap greats Drake and J. Cole come together for the It's All a Blur Tour – Big As the What? which is guaranteed to be a good time. Drake, fresh off his 2023 It's All a Blur tour with 21 Savage, is set to hit dozens of cities starting in February, many of which J. Cole will also be in tow for. Scoop up tickets ASAP, as Drake's shows are known to sell out.

14) Janet Jackson

Superstar Janet Jackson is also extending her 2023 tour, Together Again , into 2024 with dates in Anaheim, Austin, New Orleans, and Hartford. Even cooler? Jackson's supporting act is the 2000s southern rap legend Nelly.

15) Rolling Stones

If you've ever dreamed of seeing the Rolling Stones perform live in person, now's your chance. The iconic rockers, who released their studio album Hackney Diamonds this past fall, are returning on the road for a 16-date tour with shows throughout the United States and Canada. Concertgoers can expect a mix of new tunes and Stones classics.

16) Bruce Springsteen

Famous for countless listenable hits like "Born to Run" and "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen is set to embark on a massive world tour this year with his band, The E Street Band. The much-anticipated tour will take the Boss and his crew to cities such as Phoenix, San Diego, Dublin, and Madrid, from March through November.

17) John Mayer

Be sure to catch John Mayer's solo tour this year, which will bring the guitarist and crooner to cities throughout Europe. This leg, an extension of his popular 2023 solo tour, will kick off in Stockholm on March 13 and finish in Dublin on March 29.

18) Shania Twain

Okay, this one is technically a residency , but we're excited nonetheless. Shania Twain, most known for her incredible outfits (her hooded leopard print look, anyone?) and hits like "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is setting up shop in Vegas starting May 10. Twain's residency will take place at the Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood on and off throughout December 2024.

All good things must come to an end. The Eagles, known for "Hotel California" and other amazing rock songs, began their final concert tour this winter. It launched in Phoenix on January 20, with March 16 as its last date in the United States. Eagles fans won't want to miss this one.

20) Alanis Morisette: The Triple Moon Tour

Alanis Morisette joins forces with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts for their 2024 Triple Moon Tour , which has dates in North America and Canada. This tour is a great one to catch this summer, as it's slated to run from June through August.

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The U.S. is reportedly preparing to sue Ticketmaster over the monopolistic behavior that outraged Swifties last year

The Department of Justice is reportedly preparing an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment , the parent company of Ticketmaster, as soon as next month , marking a swing against the world’s biggest ticket seller and another chapter in the Biden administration’s ambitious antimonopoly efforts. 

The specific claims regulators would allege are unclear, but according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the suit, it will concern how the concert-promoting company has leveraged its dominance to undermine its competitors. 

Neither Ticketmaster nor the Justice Department responded to Fortune ’s request for comment.

The DOJ launched an investigation into Ticketmaster in the summer of 2022 to probe alleged anticompetitive practices. A Senate subcommittee also launched an investigation last year. 

While Ticketmaster has long been a target of hate for concertgoers, musicians, and some venues, the ire reached a new level in the fall of 2022, when the site crashed during a fan presale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Fans suffered through a series of unfortunate events—hours- and days-long wait times for tickets, waves of bots purchasing and upselling tickets, and unpredictable prices—only for many of them to end up without seats. The debacle saw members of Swift’s fan base suing Ticketmaster too. The government’s latest move shows that these concerns are still top of mind for regulators hoping to crack down on the ticket seller’s practices.

It’s a sharp turnaround from a decade ago, when the DOJ essentially green-lighted Live Nation’s merger with Ticketmaster. Since the 2010 deal, which merged the world’s largest live concert producer with the world’s leading live entertainment ticketing company, the group has faced international accusations of excessive ticket fees, poor customer service, and bullying of smaller competitors . At the time of the merger, the federal government cleared the deal but issued a legal order , called a consent decree, that barred the company from pressuring concert venues to use its ticketing software—something it has since repeatedly been accused of doing. The 10-year consent decree was extended in 2020, giving the Justice Department more power to regulate the company’s market dominance. 

And without a doubt, that dominance is massive. Ticketmaster processes around 500 million tickets around the world each year and reportedly controls more than 80% of the market share for major concerts, according to a report by marketing software developer HubSpot . The company has been growing, too—its revenue reached $22.7 billion in 2023, according to its annual report , up 36% from the year before. Ticketmaster’s revenue also grew 73% between the first and second quarter of 2023 and the company sold a record-breaking 90 million tickets during the first five months of the year. 

Ironically, though, the company’s indisputable profits are part of why it’s now the subject of several antitrust investigations meant to tackle potentially anticompetitive practices fueling the company’s growth. 

One of those is the high price of tickets, which particularly outraged rapper Drake’s fan base over one of his March 2023 shows, where customers didn’t expect tickets to sell for hundreds of dollars. The year before, tickets to see rocker Bruce Springsteen reached as high as $5,000 on the platform, thanks to its pricing algorithm.

Ticketmaster has maintained that ticket prices are set by artists and their teams, and said in a blog post that “the venue normally gets around two-thirds of the service charge and in many cases a facility fee as well.” Still, the company has come under fire for those high service fees , which often tack on extra hundreds of dollars to ticket orders.

Beyond that, Ticketmaster’s heavyweight status has a stranglehold on the live events industry: Nearly 78% of the highest-grossing arenas and 64% of the highest-grossing amphitheaters in the country operate using Ticketmaster’s services, according to an American Economic Liberties Project report from June 2023. With fewer competitors to buy from, that means customers often can’t avoid paying the service fees Ticketmaster tacks on. 

In a 2022 statement, Live Nation wrote that the market for secondary ticketing is “extremely competitive, with Ticketmaster competing with StubHub, SeatGeek, Vivid, and many others,” and that “no serious argument can be made that Ticketmaster has the kind of market position in secondary ticketing that supports antitrust claims.”

Some analysts, like Brandon Ross of LightShed Ventures, said in a post on X that the lawsuit is likely to end in a settlement rather than a breakup of the company, since the government will likely target the company’s business practices rather than its model. 

The federal lawsuit is one of several led by the Justice Department under Biden’s administration, which sued Apple in March for allegedly abusing its dominant position in smartphone and app markets and has sued Google several times since 2020.

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Kiss, Springsteen, Katy Perry: Why music's biggest names are selling their catalogues

Last week, rock band Kiss sold their catalogue, brand name and IP to a Swedish company for an estimated $US300 million ($456 million).

They're the latest in a growing list of iconic musicians selling their back catalogues and music rights for eye-watering prices, including everyone from Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac to Justin Bieber and Shakira.

But who's buying? What's driving this ongoing trend and who's benefiting in these multi-hundred-million-dollar deals?

What are music catalogues and rights?

Generally speaking, the value of a music catalogue boils down to two things: rights to the masters and publishing.

Masters is shorthand for master recordings, which is the original sound recording of a piece of music. All other copies are derived from that master recording (thus the name).

Record labels typically own an artist's masters – historically that's been the standard when signing to a major label like Universal, Sony and Warner Bros, who maintain ownership of the music they're producing in exchange for the resources and marketing they give the artist.

Publishing rights concern the rights to the musical composition and lyrics. These are typically owned by the songwriter (rather than the performer) and essentially encompass who gets credit and royalties to a song.

Publishing determines who gets paid whenever and however a piece of music is used: for streaming, live performance, or being licensed for film, tv and adverts for example.

Typically, publishing rights have stayed with publishers and songwriters, and masters belong to labels and performers. But in recent years, investment companies have begun snapping up rights to big name music catalogues.

OK, so who's buying?

Two new major players kicked off the current acquisition boom – Hipgnosis Songs Fund and Primary Wave.

Together, these two companies own rights to catalogues from Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, John Lennon, Shakira, Justin Bieber, Prince, Whitney Houston, Dire Straits, James Brown and many, many more.

Like investment firms, they've paid huge sums up front in order to reap money long-term from song royalties, licensing, commercial deals and other revenue streams that would typically go to the artist or label.

The trend kicked off around 2018, when Hipgnosis spent millions on the catalogues of two successful songwriter-producers, The-Dream and Poo Bear, who between them penned hits for Rihanna, Beyoncé, Kanye West and Bieber.

That same year, Primary Wave bought up Bob Marley's publishing rights for $US50 million ($75.4 million). And the prices have only surged from there.

What drove this trend?

Like nearly everything currently shaping the music industry, the answer is COVID-19.

With musicians stuck at home during the pandemic, the touring industry essentially evaporated, but streaming numbers skyrocketed. And users dramatically favoured older music, turning to popular artists and classic songs for comfort.

The Recording Industry Association of America's 2022 year-end report showed that two-thirds of all music streamed is made up of catalogue music, and streaming accounts for 84 per cent of all music industry revenue.

Owning the publishing rights to a hugely popular catalogue means getting streaming royalties and, as COVID demonstrated, that is a safer investment and more dependable revenue stream than other parts of the music industry.

In 2020, Hipgnosis read the tea leaves and went on a buying blitz, acquiring rights associated with Bon Jovi, Blink-182, Blondie, Mark Ronson, Jack Antonoff, Barry Manilow, and Rick James.

They also acquired Kobalt Music Copyright for $322.9 million, giving them access to the rights of around 33,000 songs, including hits from Skrillex, Enrique Iglesias, 50 Cent, George Benson and the co-write of Mariah Carey's Christmas blockbuster All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Major labels cottoned on and began throwing lump sums at artists on their roster to ensure startups like Hipgnosis and Primary Wave didn't snatch their prized assets.

Sony bought up Bruce Springsteen's catalogue for roughly $US550 million ($830m), as well as Paul Simon's publishing for his solo work and Simon & Garfunkel songs for an undisclosed amount.

Universal Music Group got Bob Dylan's publishing rights for somewhere between $US300 million and half-a-billion dollars , and spent an estimated $US300 million on Sting's output as a solo artist and with The Police.

David Bowie's estate sold the formidable artist's publishing catalogue to Warner for a rumoured $US250 million ($377 million).

By the end of 2021, the music industry had spent $US5.3 billion on catalogue acquisitions, up 180 per cent from the previous year, according to Midia Research .

If it's so valuable, why would an artist sell their catalogue?

The short, most obvious answer? It's a massive, immediate pay day.

Although they are relinquishing their rights to future revenue, selling rights and taking the money up front means musicians can rid themselves of uncertainty.

Given the current music landscape feels like more of a gamble than ever, a guaranteed cash out looks increasingly more appealing than continuing to roll the dice.

As is the case for many legacy artists, the industry is unrecognisable from the one they came up in, powered less by sales of physical media and press and more with a fascination for internet trends and algorithms.

Who knows when another technological innovation such as Spotify and TikTok, like Napster and Limewire before them, will completely disrupt the way music business works?

Or as Gene Simmons from Kiss put it in an interview with People ,  "We've all seen boxers and artists who will stay in the ring too long and get knocked out by some amateur. You don't want to do that, you want to go out on top."

Kiss are effectively retiring from touring, having completed a farewell tour in December, and sold their music catalogue to Pophouse Entertainment Group .

A Swedish company who owns the rights to works from Cyndi Lauper and EDM stars Avicii and Swedish House Mafia, Pophouse are the brainchild behind ABBA's Voyage hologram tour and are planning a similar project for Kiss now that they own the band's masters, publishing rights and – in a unique twist – intellectual property related to their onstage personas, make-up and likeness.

There's also the banal reality that aging stars like Dylan (age 82), Springsteen (74) and Stevie Nicks (75) are spending as much time thinking about retirement and estate plans as their next album campaign.

It's morbid, but dividing up a lump sum fortune among the beneficiaries of a will is far simpler leaving mourning families to fight over the messy paperwork of managing a lifetime's worth of recording and publishing copyright contracts.

Just ask Dolly Parton.

"That's taken several years to do, and it is really a hard thing to do and put it all in order," the country superstar told Music Week in 2020. "You don't want to be simply leaving a mess behind."

Parton has owned her music catalogue for "years and years" (her songs are currently licensed to Sony/ATV) but said "it's very possible that, for business reasons, estate planning and family things, I might sell the catalogue I have now."

Companies are in it for the long haul

What investment start-ups and major label corporations have that most mid-to-late career artists don't is the patience to reap long-term returns on publishing and recording ownership.

It makes sense that more musos are cashing out when you consider how traditional sources of income (CD sales, digital downloads) have been replaced by the small, slow gains of the over-saturated streaming market.

Opting for instant income takes the financial pressures out of having to market and tour their music, which is more costly than ever post-pandemic. It might even get them out of a bad deal.

Colombian superstar Shakira recently reached a settlement with Spanish authorities over a tax-evasion trial , paying a fine of more than 7.3 million euros in place of serving jail time. The ruling comes nearly three years after she sold her publishing rights for an undisclosed amount to Hipgnosis.

In September, Katy Perry struck a $225 million deal with litMUS music, who now own and manage the master and publishing rights to all five of her studio albums made with Capitol Records.

Having been less commercially successful in recent years (her last big hit was arguably 2013's Dark Horse), Perry's deal prompted speculation that she wanted a better deal with a new company. Or perhaps, as some have speculated, she got a bad deal from Capitol to begin with.

Music rights (Taylor's Version)

There are financial benefits for musicians controlling their artistic output. A host of big-ticket artists own (or bought back) their master recordings: U2, Metallica, Jay-Z, Rihanna, The Weeknd and Frank Ocean among them

Not all artists have had control of their catalogues or consented to their sale.

Taylor Swift is nearing the end of re-recording her first six albums after her former label Big Machine Records sold its masters and rights to music manager Scooter Braun in 2019 for an estimated $300 million… without her approval.

She owns the masters to the re-imagined 'Taylor's Version' albums , which quickly became more popular than the originals, a masterstroke of narrative revenge and a massive commercial success .

Not since Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in the 90s as a protest against Warner Bros (a wild tale worthy of its own deep dive ) has an artist done more to educate the wider public on music ownership and the exploitative nature of the music biz.

Swift signed a new record deal in 2018 with Universal subsidiary Republic Records, which has a binding condition that ensures she retains ownership of all future master recordings and licenses them to the label — a similar model used by the likes of Lana Del Rey and Kylie Minogue.

Swift's power play set an industry precedent — these days, major labels insert clauses into artist contracts to stop them pulling the same 're-recording' trick — and influenced other acts, particularly young female artists, to take ownership of their output.

Gen Z star Olivia Rodrigo and Swedish singer Zara Larsson both cited Swift as an influence in retaining ownership of their masters in their contracts.

In 2023, Dua Lipa bought back the rights to her songs from TaP Publishing, a division of the management company she split from in early 2022.

Has the catalogue sale bubble burst?

Late last year, Sony bought up half of Michael Jackson's coveted publishing and masters catalogue — valued somewhere between a whopping $US1.2 to 1.5 billion dollars ($1.8 to 2.2 billion). Meanwhile, Queen is preparing to close the sale of its catalogue (including rights to biopic blockbuster Bohemian Rhapsody) to the tune of $US1.2 billion.

You've got wonder how acts who sold early feel about these astronomical sums. Like, say, the Bob Marley estate's $US50 million deal. Though, given the film Bob Marley: One Love is on track to become the biggest music biopic of all time , maybe not so bad.

It might seem that the buy-up of these superstar catalogues will only continue, but business insiders believe there are signs the boom times are coming to an end.

Joe Brenner, the venerated lawyer who brokered the headline-grabbing sales of Springsteen, Sting and Bowie catalogues, says the post-pandemic "feeding frenzy" is over.

"The business will continue, but I don't think it will be quite the same," Brenner told Billboard .

"I don't think the appetite is the same… But look, music publishing is a great business. There's always going to be an opportunity to do these sorts of deals. And there are more and more potential buyers."

In Penny Fractions, his newsletter of music business criticism, David Turner predicted the music catalogue boom was over , only to admit he was wrong. It had simply slowed down and diversified.

"Deals aren't over, but the investment story subtly shifted from a boom period of riding streaming strength to now searching for niches within more unproven markets," he wrote in a follow-up piece titled Can't Stop, Won't Stop .

"This is why more headlines feature deals done across Europe, South Korea, and Latin America," he wrote, with investors looking towards potential in undervalued catalogues — such as electronic, Latin music or the burgeoning K-pop genres — which "may be less thrilling, and revenue-generating, than owning major pop hits."

Even Hipgnosis has found its power waning, going public on the London Stock Exchange and seeing its stock prices dip and sway.

British singer Rod Stewart backed out of selling his catalogue to Hipgnosis after two years of negotiations, saying "it became abundantly clear … this was not the right company to manage my song catalogue, career or legacy."

In February, Stewart sold for $US100 million to Iconic Artists , whose folio includes the Beach Boys, Cher, Joe Cocker and more.

Late last year, Hipgnosis also failed to sell a fifth of its catalogue – including songs by Nelly and Shakira – at a discounted rate of $US440 million ($675 million) to a private equity investor. It later sold 20,000 "non-core" songs for $US23.1 million ($35.4 million) to help pay off mounting debt and, in March, cut the value of its folio by 26 per cent .

The unanswered question is where these songs end up in the shuffle of sales and acquisitions, and how they are used. Who's to say an iconic artist doesn't wind up soundtracking a commercial or crummy movie they'd never had approved?

The future's uncertain but it's clear the genie's out of the bottle, and likely that catalogue sales will continue to shake up the industry and the value of artists for some time.

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