Taylor Swift fans across the country are flocking in enormous numbers to the singer's "Eras" tour. Stadiums are sold out. Merchandise stands are empty. Concession sales are breaking records. With all the revenue being generated by the massively successful tour, a number of outlets have recently declared that Taylor will be a billionaire by the time the tour ends. It's a nice headline, but unfortunately not true.
Future Billionaire?
According to our tracking, before the "Eras" tour began, Taylor Swift's net worth stood at $400 million.
Back in December, it was estimated that based on an average ticket price of $215, the "Eras" tour would generate $600 million in revenue from tickets alone. If that happens, Taylor's cut would be around $500 million after various production and processing costs. A staggering figure, but, after taxes not quite enough to push her into billionaire status.
That $600 million figure did not factor in increased ticket prices, merchandise, concessions or future international dates. When those factors are added, the tour could generate as much as $1.5 billion. Let's conservatively estimate $1 billion. After removing 25% for costs, $750 million would be left over for Taylor.
Taylor Swift owns $150 million worth of real estate around the US but her primary residence is in Tennessee. That's smart because Tennessee residents do not have to pay a state income tax. Assuming she would pay around 37% in total taxes (the highest Federal rate), Taylor's $750 million cut of the tour revenue would net out to $472.5 million. Still not quite enough to make her a billionaire.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Highest Grossing Tours of All Time
By our count, in order for Taylor to comfortably become a billionaire, the "Eras" tour will need to gross at least $1.3 billion. At that level, if we assume 25% is removed for costs and then another 37% goes to the IRS, Taylor would be left with $615 million. That amount combined with her current $400 million net worth would safely put Taylor into billionaire territory.
Is that even possible though?
For context, the record for the highest-grossing tour of all time belongs to Elton John. His "Farewell Yellow Brick Road" tour grossed $853 million. However, Elton's tour lasted from 2018 to 2023 and consisted of 293 shows. The "Eras" tour is currently scheduled to have 52 stops.
A better comparison would be The Rolling Stones' "No Filter" tour. That tour, which ran from 2017 to 2021, generated $546 million from 58 shows. I actually saw the Stones on this tour when they came to LA and played the Rose Bowl. The 90,000-person capacity stadium was sold out two nights in a row. When Taylor comes to LA in August, she'll play four shows at SoFi stadium, which has a 70,000 person capacity. I say all of this just to point out that the Stones tour was likely very comparable to what Taylor is embarking on right now. Could she generate $600 million? Sure. $700 million? Mayyyybe. I'm highly skeptical she'll come anywhere close to the $1.3 billion mark needed to hit billionaire status.
Below is a list of the highest grossing concert tours of all time. FYI, Taylor Swift's "Reputation" stadium tour of 2018 had 53 shows and generated $345 million. That would rank it the 15th highest-grossing tour in history.
- Elton John – Farewell Yellow Brick Road (2018–2023)
- Actual Gross: $853,000,000
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $853,000,000
- Shows: 293
- Attendance: 5,500,000
- Ed Sheeran – ÷ Tour (2017–19)
- Actual Gross: $776,200,000
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $888,442,379
- Shows: 255
- Attendance: 8,796,567
- U2 – U2 360° Tour (2009–11)
- Actual Gross: $736,421,584
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $958,001,688
- Shows: 110
- Attendance: 7,272,046
- Guns N' Roses – Not in This Lifetime… Tour (2016–19)
- Actual Gross: $584,200,000
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $668,678,225
- Shows: 158
- Attendance: 5,371,891
- The Rolling Stones – A Bigger Bang Tour (2005–07)
- Actual Gross: $558,255,524
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $787,883,017
- Shows: 147
- Attendance: 4,680,000
- The Rolling Stones – No Filter Tour (2017–2021)
- Actual Gross: $546,515,799
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $625,544,701
- Shows: 58
- Attendance: 2,867,799
- Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17)
- Actual Gross: $523,033,675
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $637,764,578
- Shows: 114
- Attendance: 5,389,586
- Roger Waters – The Wall Live (2010–13)
- Actual Gross: $458,673,798
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $576,225,340
- Shows: 219
- Attendance: 4,129,863
- AC/DC – Black Ice World Tour (2008–10)
- Actual Gross: $441,121,000
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $591,975,900
- Shows: 167
- Attendance: 4,846,965
- Metallica – WorldWired Tour (2016–19)
- Actual Gross: $433,838,725
- Gross adjusted for inflation: $496,573,962
- Shows: 143
- Attendance: 4,198,613
