From rock n roll veterans to spectacle straddling pop stars, 2013 has proven to be one of the biggest earning years for live tours on record. Billboard‘s Boxscores – which track the grosses of the world’s biggest live shows – demonstrate that the last 12 months saw a record $4.8 billion generated in ticket sales, a nearly 30% hike from the equally successful 2012 figures, and 9% more than in 2009, the biggest Boxscore year ever. But exactly which musicians and performers are benefiting from the live music boost? It’s time to find out (with a few surprises) with a list of the Top 25 biggest money-raking tours of 2013.

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine