Bands Of The Decade Eddie Ruckus - Rockin' Blogger 18 December, 2009 - 6:26 AM

Have a think about this for a sec – just who do you reckon was the biggest touring band of the decade? Was it Pearl Jam? Green Day? AC/DC? Well, none of them came even close.

No, the biggest band of the decade, probably for the fourth time out of the last five decades, was The Rolling Stones.

The old codgers played 264 shows during the 2000s to a total of 8,236,586 fans, pulling in a cool $869,471,325. That should help look after their pensions.

Coming in a fairly close second – any guesses? – was U2. They played 288 gigs to 9,869,953 fans around the world, and also had quite the remarkable honour of selling-out every single show. That little effort earned them some extra pocket money – $844,157,925 to be exact.

Other rockers that made Billboard magazine’s list of the top 25 touring acts of the 2000s include Bruce Springsteen [at number 4], Bon Jovi [9], The Police [11], Aerosmith [14], Metallica [19] and, your personal favourite, Britney Spears [21]. Neither Pearl Jam, Green Day or AC/DC made the top 25.

While Pearl Jam didn't make Billboard's big money list, they totally dominated Rolling Stone magazine’s readers' polls, taking out both the single and album of the year awards.

ROLLING STONE READERS’ POLL 2009

Best Single

1 “The Fixer” – Pearl Jam
2 “Poker Face” – Lady Gaga
3 “Use Somebody” – Kings Of Leon
4 “Empire State Of Mind – Jay-Z
5 “Sex on Fire” – Kings Of Leon

Best Album

1 Backspacer – Pearl Jam
2 21st Century Breakdown – Green Day
3 The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga
4 No Line On The Horizon – U2
5 Merriweather Post Pavillion – Animal Collective

Do you think Rolling Stone readers get it fairly right?

(20)

• ty says

  Pearl Jam play twice as many songs as the other bands so i would give it to them... 44 songs to close wachovia in philly would have been epic.

  Posted Friday 18 December, 2009 1:10 PM
• Sally says

  Where's Pink? She's huge and and doesn't ever seem to be of the road or isn't she classed as a "band"?

  Posted Friday 18 December, 2009 3:43 PM
• simmo says

  People can say what they like, but when AC/DC hit Melbourne in Feb Etihad's roof will be blown off.

  AC/DC have sold the place out 3 times - u don't get much bigger than that. Pearl Jam 3/4s filled it, they have nothing on Accadacca!

  Posted Tuesday 22 December, 2009 4:19 PM
• ninni says

  2010... The year real rock n roll returns to Oz... Wait for it!!!! Can you hear the bell tolling... Yep da boys are back... Anyone who wants to see the real deal, get a ticket to ACDC.

  Posted Wednesday 23 December, 2009 4:25 PM
• neil says

  You lot down under should give Biffy Clyro a listen.

  Posted Monday 28 December, 2009 4:28 AM
• ty says

  ACDC is alright but you can't say they have it over Pearl Jam as a live band. It's not uncommon for Pearl Jam to play up to 150 different songs on tour and nail every one of em.ACDC plays the same 15 songs every concert...sure they are good songs but i think they should try something new..have a go..its why i have only seen acdc once. Besides Brian's voice has nothing on Vedder, you can't even hear the guy sing in concert. Love acdc on cd but i think they should learn a thing or two from Pearl Jam when it comes to a real rock show.

  Posted Tuesday 29 December, 2009 11:05 PM
• Lucy says

  Green Day definitely should have made the top 25 bands of the decade, they have come so far and have been consistently fantastic all the way through.

  Posted Wednesday 30 December, 2009 12:17 PM
• victoria says

  yah greenday and def leppard should get in for sure

  http://rock.com

  Posted Tuesday 5 January, 2010 12:12 AM
• Mikayla says

  AC/DC should definately be up there for sure! They may play the same 15 songs every concert, but hey, if they manage to have their concert tickets sell out in 10 minutes it must mean that those same 15 songs are amazing and fans are wanting more and more of it. That's why their my favourite band, I can never get sick of any of their songs,both released and un-released ones. Greenday should be up there too.

  Posted Tuesday 5 January, 2010 3:51 PM
• Megan says

  Glad to see U2 took out the number two position but I believe they should be number one - they played to more people than the Stones and are much nicer people than them!
  

  Although they better not say that they "cannot come to Australia due to the GFC". If so boys I will be VERY disappointed in you!

  Posted Thursday 7 January, 2010 12:21 PM

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