The B List: 10 Acts That Can Fill Stadiums
Giants Stadium held rock concerts all the time when I was growing up. And whether you’re talking about Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson or Van Halen, there were plenty of acts big enough to fill the enormous football stadiums around the country. But over the past 20 years, the number of performers who can sell out stadiums, or even want to play places that big, has decreased significantly.
While the RIAA might try to find some way to blame file-sharing for the dramatic decline of stadium shows, we think one of the major factors surrounds all of the hassles involved with these humongous shows. Who wants pay hundreds of dollars to deal with all of the traffic, exorbitant prices for food and drinks and poor sightlines? Where’s the freakin’ intimacy?
Yet there are a few acts who could fill stadiums in the biggest of markets. So for this week’s B List, we’ll take a look at 10 bands that almost need to play stadiums to meet the heavy demand for tickets. We broke ‘em down into three categories, so read on after the jump for my thoughts and weigh in with your own…
Currently selling out stadiums:
1. The Police
2. U2
3. Bruce Springsteen
4. Green Day
5. Bon Jovi
6. Rolling Stones
7. Genesis
Could sellout stadiums if they reformed:
8. Led Zeppelin
9. Pink Floyd
Could sellout stadiums, but choose to play smaller gigs:
10. Radiohead
What other artists are capable of selling out stadium shows, or what acts are well on their way? Let us know who we missed by leaving a comment below…
we r the phish from vt! thank you very much
Hannah Montanta
Well, after they play MSG, I can see Justice moving very quickly into stadium territory!
I think the My Morning Jacket/Wilco stadium tour will take place by 2013.
Hannah Montana was on the original list, but I decided to throw Genesis in there. She could totally sell out stadiums.
I could see MMJ selling out stadiums one day.
Disco Biscuits, brah! I’m telling you, they’re about to blow up! This is their year! Go see them now!
I assume you meant just rock acts because Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underpants, Martina McBride, Garth (if he ever toured again), etc. can sure as shit sell-out the Enormo-domes in Houston, St. Louis, Denver, and other towns you probably don’t know anyone who lives in.
i’m surprised the stones are #6. i would put them ahead of that dubious band in the #1 spot.
good list.
I also figure that the Devils vs the Rangers could sell out yankee stadium… but that’s for another list.
certainly… if GNR played… they’d sell out stadiums… whole cities, even….
Garth Brooks sold out 5 consecutive nights at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, PA when I was at Penn State. It seats about 15k. 15k * 5 = 75k.
Radiohead is supposedly playing Citizen Bank Park here in Philly on their tour this year.
I saw the dueling piano tour of Billy Joel and Elton John in Veteran’s stadium before the blew it up. That was over 10 years ago though.
Justin Timberlake might be able to sell out a show at Giants Stadium if it were his only tri-state area summer gig.
Good call on G’n'R. If Axl and Slash put their bs behind them, they can take over the world.
Kenny Chesney just annouced a run of stadium shows this summer. Seems like its been a long long time since I’ve seen Soldier Field and Cleveland Browns Stadium show up on a list of tourdates. Dave Matthews Band has also been able to fill up a stadium over the years.
The Foo Fighters are playing two nights at Wembley in London in June and that place can hold up to 90K for a concert. I don’t know that they could fill a legit stadium in the States yet though.
you could make a list of exclusively country acts that could probably outsell most of these rock bands… i, of course, dont know any of them and am really not offeriing anything to this conversation
such fond memories of the GnR/Metallica shows at Giants Stadium back in the day…Axl gets hit in the nuts with a lighter and walks off during “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” Good times :)
Blur! Kasabian! Arctic Monkeys!!!
/NME hype
Talking Heads or The Smiths could easily fill stadiums if they decided to reform, but neither will ever happen. Same for the original Sabbath lineup I saw in 1999. Perhaps it’s time again?
Interest in Metallica seems to be at a fever pitch, too. They’ve always sold out though. Bunch of SELL OUTS!
And if the guy I was talking to at the bar last week was correct, SCI could, “like, TOTALLY sell out stadiums but it’d suck since there’s no camping and the scene would be overrun with custies, man.” That’s what he told me, anyway.
What about our good friend Dave Matthews?
I agree with DL, Dave Matthews Band sold out Folsom Field, and could probably still sellout stadiums in select markets.
The Eagles sold out the opening of the new Mile High stadium a few years back, and still have a ton of fans.
I bet the Talking Heads could sell out stadiums, as could Michael Jackson, with or without the Jackson 5. Madonna probably could as well, maybe David Bowie or Krudor & Dorfmeister.
As for up and coming artists, my money is on John Mayer filling stadiums someday, as well as Beck, MMJ, Wilco, and maybe even shitty bands like Fall Out Boy, or the Jonas Brothers.
Stadium Gigs these days…I would think the White Stripes could play a ballpark, especially with a really hot bill with two big openers. Perhaps with Arcade Fire or MMJ on board.
The only show I would consider seeing in a stadium, as I avoid those shows like the plague, would be Floyd. Or if that was Springsteen’s only local show for the next ten years.
Ryan
TheWeight
“I bet the Talking Heads could sell out stadiums …”
Nah, they couldn’t back then, they wouldn’t be able to now, not on their own. With Arcade Fire or such, maybe. Besides how BIG of a suit would David Byrne need to wear in a place like The Linc???
bisco can sell out planets
Dave Matthews Band can definitely sell out stadiums. Shit, they sell out two night festivals in NYC with 80K-100K in attendance.
I don’t think Radiohead could actually sell out Giants Stadium, but I could be wrong. They can definitely sell out MSG.
What about K-Fed? Where’s he on this list??
My Morning Jacket! The greatest live performance you’ll see today!
Burt Reynolds…
Good up the good work….