George Strait Sets New Records for Highest Grossing Concerts
In yet another positive sign that the appeal for traditional country music is waxing instead of waning, and that “King” George Strait has weathered the effort by some in the country music establishment to be put out to pasture, the financial disclosures from a couple of his recent shows are not only eye popping, they’re record breaking.
We already knew that George Strait’s March 17th performance capping of Houston Rodeo’s 2019 season shattered attendance records with 80,108 tickets sold. Now it enters the history books as one of the highest-grossing concerts in history. Strait grossed $12.7 million from the performance at NRG Stadium, which is the biggest take for a performance since the stadium opened in 2002. The only artists to ever come close to this number were Houston-native Beyonce and husband Jay-Z who grossed $11.1 million over two separate days in September of 2018.
On top of that, George Strait’s show at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium two weeks later on March 30th grossed an additional $12 million. These two recent concerts give Strait his 20th #1 show on Billboard’s Boxscore chart, and his 2nd and 3rd $10 million+ grossing concerts of his career. The only other Strait show to beat these two recent concerts was the cap off to his farewell tour on June 7, 2014 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas where he grossed an incredible $18.2 million in front of 104,793 people.
Strait officially retired from touring full time in 2014, which has undoubtedly created extra interest in the few shows he still plays each year. But just with two shows, he was able to come in at #2 on Billboard’s Hot Tours chart for March, going up against artists playing a dozen shows or more. Pink was #1 on the list with 14 shows played in the month.
And George Strait’s hot streak isn’t just resigned to stadium shows. His recent album Honky Tonk Time Machine debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart with the best-selling album sales week in country music so far in 2019, and also put him at #4 on the all-genre Billboard 200. It also extended Strait’s already historic marker for the most #1 albums in country music history. Now with 27 #1 albums under his belt, that puts Strait 10 albums ahead of the nearest competition. Both Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson have 17 #1 albums to their name.
Strait is also seeing success at radio, with his current single “Every Little Honky Tonk Bar” holding steady on the charts at #18.
akus1985
April 24, 2019 @ 11:08 am
Great news! I was fortunate enough to attend the concert in Atlanta and it was amazing. The setlist was everything I hoped it would be considering he has over 300+ songs. I was particularly thrilled he played Heartland, since it’s one of my favorite songs he’s ever recorded.Thanks for all the information in this article.
Tracy
April 24, 2019 @ 11:52 am
This is extremely heartening to read! So glad to see that King George cannot and will not be put out to pasture. There are still enough of us left that prefer the traditional sound. We CAN save country music!
Rob
April 24, 2019 @ 12:15 pm
Just saw Garth Brooks in his stadium tour at the University of Florida. He sold 75,000 tickets it was insane.
Strait Country 81
April 24, 2019 @ 12:18 pm
Did it cause him to cry? Seems like something he can’t go a day without doing.
MH
April 24, 2019 @ 1:13 pm
LMAO
Rob
April 24, 2019 @ 1:30 pm
Lol there’s no doubt he’s a weird dude. I don’t view him like Cody Jinks or Merle or some of my favorites. But he definitely had some great old music and he is a bonafide entertainer. I enjoyed the concert. Chris Gaines puts on one hell of a show.
KevinWorley
April 24, 2019 @ 5:53 pm
Why do you call him weird???? KING GEORGE IS FAR FROM WEIRD!
Susie
April 24, 2019 @ 6:30 pm
They were talking about Garth
Rob
April 25, 2019 @ 4:08 am
I’m talking about Garth. George Strait is definitely not weird lol.
David Martinez
April 25, 2019 @ 7:59 am
George Strait is the best country singer of all time hands down. The song that he and Alan Jackson sang, Murder On Music Row tells all that country music is not country music has been killed by all these new supposedly country singers are a disgrace.
Strait Country 81
April 25, 2019 @ 4:15 pm
Hank Sr,Jones,Strait,Haggard and Hank Jr would be my 5 picks.
King Honky Of Crackershire
April 26, 2019 @ 10:36 am
David,
That’s cool if he’s your favorite, but he’s not even in the top 100 if you’re talking about greatest singers.
Mama&Trains&Trucks&Prison&GettinDrunk
April 24, 2019 @ 2:00 pm
Hey Trig, have you ever heard of Sean Rowe? Just recently came across his music and I think it’s pretty good. Would love to hear your thoughts on him.
Trigger
April 24, 2019 @ 4:19 pm
Thanks for the suggestion, I will check him out.
Luckyoldsun
April 24, 2019 @ 4:02 pm
This is unprecedented. None of the country legends/heroes/gods–Not ET, not Hank Snow, not Jones, not Conway, not Cash, not Willie, not Merle, not Waylon, not Loretta, not Dolly–stayed on top–or within sight of the top for 30-plus years.
King Honky Of Crackershire
April 24, 2019 @ 6:49 pm
George Jones
First top 10 hit: 1955
Last top 10 hit: 1988
That’s 33 years.
Luckyoldsun
April 24, 2019 @ 7:26 pm
You think that George Jones’ commercial success was comparable to George Strait’s? That Jones was at or near the top of the country music business continuously from 1955 through 1988? With gold albums, concert tours in the top venues of the time, all or mostly sold out?
If you believe that, that’s fine. Why would I want to tell you otherwise?
King Honky Of Crackershire
April 25, 2019 @ 9:26 am
All I did was present data that confirms a 30 year career full of top ten hits, which you said had never happened before.
Tom
April 26, 2019 @ 6:32 am
He didn’t say anything about “top ten hits”.
King Honky Of Crackershire
April 27, 2019 @ 7:50 am
Tom,
Do you not understand the implication I’m making?
Tom
April 25, 2019 @ 6:50 am
There’s a difference between scoring top 10 hits 30 years apart and truly being on top for 30 years. I saw Jones in concert in about 1988 on a package show with Merle Haggard and Conway Twitty. Three of the most legendary artists in country music history, and all of them were still getting consistent airplay on their new releases. And in spite of that, only about 2/3 of the seats in the fairly small venue were occupied. And the crowd was mostly made up of women over 50 who were there to see Conway.
George Jones is considered by many to be the greatest male vocalist in country music history and has recorded some of the genre’s most endearing songs. But his career has been filled with peaks and valleys, and he’s never had the same level of consistent commercial success that Strait has enjoyed. Eddy Arnold is probably the only country artist to come close.
Scott
April 26, 2019 @ 9:55 am
REBA. Back in 2007 Reba Duets she sold over 300,000 copies giving her another top country album, the most in her career, impressive since her career started in 1976. Turn on the radio in 2010 was a number one hit making her the only female to have number a number one hit in four different decades. Again Impressive. A hit sitcom, Broadway, movies, and of course a record breaking 16 times hosting the acm awards. The list goes on.
I’ve seen George Strait 3 times when he and Reba toured together and I just don’t get the hype. Solid singer, but there are no highs or lows, its 3hrs of similar sounding songs with no emotion. He would sing two songs, move, and repeat. He didn’t talk to the audience, interact with the band, or move. The reviews were all in Reba’s favor and rightfully so. How does his lack of stage presence earn him a entertainer of the year win in years past.
“Weathered the effort.” This suggest that George Strait has fought against the bro-country trend and he hasn’t. He’s doing what he’s always done, sing stand and let radio do the rest.
I want to be on the band wagon, but I just can’t. Can someone suggest a song from George that shows some range the same way Reba’s You Lie or Carrie Underwood’s, song that hit the emotional stakes the way She Thinks his Name was John or Alan Jackson’s Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning do. I’m not joking, if I’m missed something please let me know, I would love to find a George Strait song that surprise me.
Trust me being a country fan and not being a George Strait fan doesn’t win me any favors. Please if you disagree please comment. It kills me that I can’t be a fan with the rest of you the same way.
albert
April 26, 2019 @ 4:07 pm
i think with george , the ‘range’ you speak of is not so much in his vocal chops , as it is with reba or tammy or martina , but in his material . i’m not going to list the subject matter , but george has recorded songs about a ton of stuff over his career …..some really great ones by outside writers , some by george himself . not many songs in ANY genre have the impact and timing of a WHERE WERE YOU so i’m not sure that’s a fair comparison , but i’d say both AJ and george have mined a lot of areas when it comes to song subject matter …..and its all COUNTRY to my ears .
similar -sounding ? ..perhaps …but not similar lyrically . from rodeos to kiss-offs to ‘picking your poisin’ to heartbreak to the philosophical ‘road less travelled ‘ to the barroom enlightment of ‘ i hate everything ‘ to the lonely as it gets vibe of ‘ livin for the night ‘ , the songs about Texas , the ‘bomb’ he drops in a lyric like ‘ready for the end of the world ‘…..man i tear up everytime that lyric explodes like its the first time every time …..and on and on . you want ‘ range’ in material ? the man brings it . if you’re a fan of country songwriting , singing , instrumentation and subject matter , not to mention SUPERB productions and arrangements , george is the gold standard .
let’s face it , the ‘entertainer of the year award ‘ each and every year should just go to PINK . damn that woman delivers a show .NO country artist delivers shows like the best pop shows . NOBODY . NO ….not ever garth B-0-R-I-N-G brooks. I subjected myself to his live TV concert a few months back when i would have had more fun polishing my coin collection .
give me george and a passel of great songs ANY day . and don’t skimp on that steel guitar .
Euro South
April 24, 2019 @ 4:39 pm
I still don’t get it why you put “King” in quotation marks when using it as an epithet of George Strait. Is it to indicate he’s not real royalty? Are you doing it just for the hell of it? Should I just resign myself to never finding out?
Luckyoldsun
April 24, 2019 @ 5:36 pm
The word “King” is put in quotation marks because George Strait is not actually a king. Currently reigning kings include King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and King Philippe of Belgium, among others. But not George Strait. (The United Kingdom, of course, is under the reign of Queen Elizabeth II).
Elvis Presley, commonly referred to as “The King of Rock and Roll” or just “The King” –also, typically, in quotation marks–was also not actually a king.
Trigger
April 24, 2019 @ 5:47 pm
Yes, what he said.
Euro South
April 24, 2019 @ 6:49 pm
To me it just seems redundant since nobody in any kind of right mind will think you were implying he was real royalty if you wrote it without quotation marks, whereas writing it with quotation marks makes it look like you were putting into question his really being King of Country, which he obviously is.
Tom
April 26, 2019 @ 7:19 am
It’s just meant to show respect to people who actually are kings. Try not to lose sleep over it.
Dan
April 24, 2019 @ 4:45 pm
I regret not seeing George Strait when he toured. I doubt I’ll ever get to see a live show now as ticket prices for the few shows he does play are outrageous. Still, I’m a big fan of his music and I’m very pleased that he’s having continued success. He’s as big a legend as Willie Nelson at this point and his music will live on long after he’s gone. God bless George Strait. #Godandcountrymusic
Rhonda
April 24, 2019 @ 7:41 pm
His shows are not expensive, it’s the scalpers who buy up all the tickets and resell them at huge markup that make it appear it’s him doing it. His shows in Vegas are high but not any higher than any other Vargas show. In fact I think they’re cheaper. Ft Worth prices were 19.82 for most seats I believe.
hoptowntier94
April 24, 2019 @ 8:09 pm
No. That face value of the Atlanta show were the most expensive tickets I’ve ever seen for any artist any venue. Two nosebleeds were starting at $175 each. Ticketmaster was using an escalating pricing. The show in Columbus is more reasonably priced, but it’s 3x the seats.
Keepin it Country
April 24, 2019 @ 5:05 pm
King George is gonna save country again. Long live the king and please come to Chicago.
Kara
April 24, 2019 @ 5:43 pm
This is great news. I heard ELHTB on the radio today and thought,”Wow, did George just bring traditional country back to the radio?” I can only hope that as this song increases in popularity, people rediscover the beauty of real county again.
I think George might just do it.
Joe
April 24, 2019 @ 6:16 pm
Given these touring numbers, even in limited shows, could this make him a legit contender for an Entertainer of the Year nomination? I would have to think so considering he is turning in the best concert total in the industry combined with a #1 album. Then again, we know how much the awards shows are controlled by back-room deals so he would need someone in his corner fighting for it to make it happen.
Susie
April 24, 2019 @ 6:32 pm
It’s so refreshing to hear him played on radio again.
Trey
April 24, 2019 @ 7:30 pm
I was at the NRG concert. King George showed why he was the king…. great show.
hoptowntiger94
April 24, 2019 @ 8:06 pm
“George Strait’s show at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium two weeks later on March 30th grossed an additional $12 million” – That’s was the cost of two tickets! We looked at going, but couldn’t afford the second mortgage.
TilBillyHill
April 24, 2019 @ 9:33 pm
Yeah. A lot of money to watch a concert on tv screens. I’m glad I lucked into checking off the bucket list item of seeing George Strait live when he performed “King of Broken Hearts” AT THE RYMAN as part of the 2016 Americana Music Association Awards. That performance of one song was better for me than a whole stadium concert would be. And it’s not anywhere in my top 25 favorite songs of his.
No knock on people who enjoy a huge crowd and all day tailgating experience and who are cool with paying a 3 digit price per ticket to see an artist literally a football field away. I’ll pay what many would consider stupid ticket prices to see a great artist from great seats.
One note on the comparison of Pink’s tour $ for 14 performances vs. “King” George’s – he is playing football stadiums and she is playing basketball arenas (at least in Georgia). We had a much better experience at her show than any of show I ever saw at the Georgia Dome.
Again, no knock on people who like big stadium shows. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to see a lot of great artists in smaller venues on their way up, and now to have the chance to see favorites no longer getting airplay as they are in theater or playhouse size venues instead of arenas. And, I don’t mind the higher ticket prices relative to what I paid for arena shows 20-some years ago.
hoptowntiger94
April 25, 2019 @ 6:37 am
You lost me at Pink.
I’m 42 and am thankful I experienced the Strait Country Music Festivals from 1999-2002. They were the best concerts. We saw the tour in Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, Nashville and Atlanta. The Pittsburgh show was the best … George Strait, Tim McGraw, Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney, Mark Willis, Jo Dee Messina, and Asleep at the Wheel. That was either the day before or after Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney got into a scuffle with a Canadian mountie in Buffalo, NY and spent the night in jail.
I’ve seen Strait twice not on the music festival tours, but none since 2008. We were thinking of going to Columbus, Ohio in June, but work has been insane. I’m hoping all this success leads to a full blown tour.
TilBillyHill
April 25, 2019 @ 11:26 am
😁 Yeah, I didn’t see this as necessarily a likely gathering of Pink’s fans. But, then, here I am. All but one of the friends who have attended her concerts with us also have been to Chesney shows, and David Allan Coe shows. That group of friends ranges from mid-40s to early 50s. Most of my appreciation for a song depends on the lyrics. I like that Pink writes most of her own songs, and some of the ones I like best are ones she wrote. One of my favorite parts of her show is just her and her (amazing) guitarist with an acoustic guitar. I had high hopes for the album she made with a guy (whose name I am forgetting) that was more folk/acoustic. But, somehow it didn’t click with me. Other than the autotuned part, I grew to like her duet with Kenny Chesney, especially hearing the story behind the song. (Name-checking La Cienega Boulevard also helped, as I like the Ryan Adams song “La Cienega Just Smiled,” even though I hear he is no Mr. Congeniality.)
One of the cooler lineups my spouse and I have seen was Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and John Mellencamp. It was bittersweet. We had the tickets to the show at Lakewood (Atlanta) and we’re staying at a hotel, then flying to Miami for a night, then driving the rental car (mustang convertible) to drive to Marathon Key for our anniversary weekend. But, life happened and we ended up starting the day of the concert at the funeral of a family friend / neighbor. We hated to leave the gathering at the family home afterward, and to miss the eventual picking circle in the den after most folks had gone home. But, he of all people would have appreciated the lineup we were going to see. He and I bonded over singing “Night Rider’s Lament” and a bunch of other favorites when friends were picking around a campfire years earlier for his son-in-law’s 30th birthday.
I started listing in this post other cool tour lineups and traditional headliner and 1-2 opener shows we’ve seen. But, the more names I typed, the more it sounded like the shrimp list spoken by Bubba in Forrest Gump. LOL
I almost bit and bought tickets to George Strait at the Benz in Atlanta. If I’d had free tickets like we lucked into for some other shows, I would have gone. In addition to the man himself, there were some openers I want to see. But, I’m grateful for that one song at the Ryman. Of course, it’s called “The Mother Church,” but it still caught my by wonderful surprise to hear the wooden pews (and maybe some of our knees) creak as everyone stood in unison for some moments, and all sat in unison. Sounded just like Sunday morning growing up. (Ha Ha…even though most of my adult weekends have has less pews and more “Sunday Morning Comin’ Down” – without illicit substances or smoking).
Violet Allen
April 24, 2019 @ 9:09 pm
There is only one king jesus christ.
Tom
April 25, 2019 @ 6:58 am
And yet, you chose not to capitalize his proper name while most people capitalize pronouns when referring to Him.
Charlie
April 25, 2019 @ 4:12 am
The positivity may be waning, considering how many entertainment dollars get sucked up by big name acts–either in the direct sales or secondary ticket market, or both.
Spread those dollars around, I say. Support local music.
George Sanchez
April 25, 2019 @ 6:25 am
George Strait is a great singer 3 hours of non political entertainment. Artist should take his lead.
thebugman10
April 25, 2019 @ 7:48 am
Dosn’t hurt that the Atl show was like $150+ for nosebleed seats. (With the exception of a few $70-ish) tickets for the back few rows.
Anom
April 26, 2019 @ 12:49 pm
Hmmm, I thought George did a farewell tour several years ago? I mightt be wrong, if so he wouldn’t be the first to pull that sort of stunt. Barbara Mandrell was one of the few to say I’m retiring and actually do it.
Jared
May 1, 2019 @ 9:20 am
Anom, he only retired from doing regular tours each year. He always said he would continue to do a few dates each year.