Despite not releasing a record for eight years – and prior to 2008's Chinese Democracy, a GnR album hadn't come out since 1993 – the band still has the popularity to draw big crowds.
Just look at its "Not In This Lifetime…Tour." Playing 25 shows in 21 cities from June 23 to August 22, Guns N' Roses made $116.8 million. That's an average of about $4.68 million PER SHOW.
Add in a couple of April shows earlier this year, plus appearances at Coachella Music Festival and two shows at the Foro Sol in Mexico, and GnR has made more than $132 million this year. They're also scheduled to play 11 shows in Latin America this fall, and have Asian and Australian dates lined up for early next year. When all is said and done, this tour could bring in more than $200 million.
This is the first time Guns N' Roses members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan have appeared onstage together since 1993. To see hits like "Sweet Child O' Mine," "Paradise City," and "Welcome to the Jungle," fans shelled out as much as $280 per ticket.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
Granted, not all that money goes directly to the band's members. There are obviously crew members to pay, but the production costs alone have been rumored to cost around half a million dollars per show. However, these numbers above account for ticket sales only; the amount of merchandise sold at each venue likely takes care of the production costs, and then some.
One band member who will not be getting any of that money is former guitarist and co-founder Izzy Stradlin. He elected not to participate in the reunion, tweeting that the band "didn't want to split the loot equally." While it's unconfirmed how much per show Guns N' Roses offered Stradlin, hopefully he's not regretting his decision after seeing these earnings.
The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. The classic lineup – Rose, Slash, McKagan, Stradlin and Steven Adler – as well as newer members Dizzy Adler and Matt Sorum are forever immortalized in the Hall, with the message, "Mainstream hard rock wasn't the same after the members of Guns N' Roses sank their teeth into it."
Just take a look at the cities that hosted more than one performance to get an idea of some of the ridiculous draws the band had:
Artist: Guns N' Roses & Lenny Kravitz
Venue: East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Date: Jul. 22nd-23rd, 2016
Gross Sales: $11,687,391
Attendance/Capacity: 100,177 / 100,177
Ticket Prices: $280, $45.50
Artist: Guns N' Roses & The Cult
Venue: Los Angeles, CA – Dodger Stadium
Date: Aug. 18th-19th, 2016
Gross Sales: $8,917,758
Attendance/Capacity: 84,634 / 87,917
Ticket Prices: $275, $45.50
Artist: Guns N' Roses & Alice In Chains
Venue: Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Date: Jul. 01st, 03rd, 2016
Gross Sales: $8,843,684
Attendance/Capacity: 82,172 / 96,088
Ticket Prices: $250, $44.50
Artist: Guns N' Roses & Lenny Kravitz
Venue: Foxborough, MA – Gillette Stadium
Date: Jul. 19th-20th, 2016
Gross Sales: $8,302,575
Attendance/Capacity: 65,472 / 71,099
Ticket Prices: $280, $50.50
