The Concert For New York City benefit, which brought in over $12 million, is Amusement Business’ top-grossing concert event of 2001, capping a list that puts pop artists in seven of the year’s top 10 moneymaking positions.
Held on October 20 at New York’s Madison Square Garden, the Concert for New York City was organized to raise funds for the families of policemen and firefighters killed in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Paul McCartney, Elton John, the Who, David Bowie, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Backstreet Boys, Destiny’s Child, Jay-Z and many others performed at the concert, which was the only September 11 charity event to make the list. Tickets for the show were priced at $10,000, $5,000, $2,000 and $250.
The #2 grossing event of the year was the two-night Michael Jackson 30th anniversary tribute concert on September 7 and 10, which featured Jackson, the Jacksons, ‘NSYNC, Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child, Marc Anthony, Whitney Houston and others. The event, also at Madison Square Garden, brought in $10,072,105, according to preliminary figures from Amusement Business. Ticket prices were $2,500, $1,500, $500 and $45.
Madonna took four of the top 10 spots, the most by any artist – credit ticket prices upwards of $250 a pop and five-and six-night stints in part for her stellar showing. Her five shows at (where else?) Madison Square Garden between July 25 and 31 brought in a total $9,297,105, earning her the #3 slot, while her six performances at Earl’s Court in London between July 4 and 12 earned $8,734,149, landing her at #4. Her four concerts at the Staples Center in Los Angeles between September 9 and 15 grossed $8,303,165, cinching a #5 position. She also nabbed the #8 slot with two shows at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden on September 1 and 2, which brought in $6,503,950.
‘NSYNC and Backstreet Boys earned near-equal billing on the year-end list. ‘NSYNC’s three shows with BBMak at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, between June 3 and 5 brought in $7,364,012, landing them at #6. Backstreet’s three gigs with Krystal at Foro Sol in Mexico City between March 23 and 25 netted $7,240,702, picking up the #7 position on the chart.
Standing tall for rockers across the globe, U2 and PJ Harvey were able to sneak in at #9 with four concerts at United Center in Chicago between May 12 and 16, which brought in $6,393,525. Dave Matthews Band, Macy Gray and Angélique Kidjo nabbed the #10 slot with three shows at Giants Stadium between June 11 and 13, which netted $6,077,066.
Data for the list was provided by the Amusement Business Boxscore database and covers shows reported to the company between November 27, 2000 and November 27, 2001. The concert totals were reported the week ending November 20 and covered shows through October 20.
At the end of December, Amusement Business will release its final tally in the year-end edition of Billboard.
