Pine Knob was nation's top grossing amphitheater in 2022; LCA ranked No. 10 among arenas
Pine Knob Music Theatre tallied nearly $37 million in reported ticket sales to rank as the world’s No. 1 concert amphitheater in 2022, according to year-end data released Friday by Pollstar magazine.
Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny racked up $357 million in total reported grosses this year to take Pollstar's crown for top North American tour.
He was followed by Elton John ($202 million), whose lengthy Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour wrapped up its North American run last month. The piano-pop star played three Detroit shows in 2022, including a night at Comerica Park in July, for a total of seven Michigan concerts on his five-year final tour.
Taking the No. 3 tour spot was Def Leppard-Motley Crue ($177 million), whose much-delayed stadium outing played Comerica Park in July.
The 15,040-capacity Pine Knob hosted 50 shows over the summer as it marked its 50th anniversary, including big dates from artists such as Zac Brown Band, Imagine Dragons, Jason Aldean, Stevie Nicks and a homecoming twofer by Kid Rock.
The Clarkston amphitheater also topped the Pollstar chart in 2019 — the last full year of touring before the pandemic — when it was still known as DTE Energy Music Theatre. On this year’s list, Pine Knob topped L.A.'s Hollywood Bowl ($31 million) to claim the top spot.
The venue revived the old Pine Knob name this year as it launched its high-profile anniversary campaign, with United Wholesale Mortgage, Trinity Health and Ally now aboard as naming partners. The amphitheater is overseen by 313 Presents, with most shows booked by Live Nation.
More:The man who built Pine Knob: 50 years later, a family reflects on a concert venue legacy
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Little Caesars Arena, also part of the 313 Presents stable, ranked No. 10 nationally among concert arenas, with $75.4 million in ticket sales. Highlights included sold-out shows from Post Malone, My Chemical Romance, Mary J. Blige and Anita Baker, along with a pair of Elton John dates.
New York's Madison Square Garden clocked $241 million in reported grosses to top the arenas list.
The Fox Theatre placed No. 15 among U.S. theaters, with $24.8 million in concert ticket sales.
Pollstar, a longtime concert industry trade magazine, previously based its year-end rankings on venue attendance. This is the first time the lists have been determined via ticket revenue. The data is drawn from box-office numbers provided by venues, artists and promoters, though not every show is reported, often because of competitive sensitivities and other proprietary concerns.
2023 is shaping up as another busy concert year for a touring industry that has soared despite economic headwinds coming out of the pandemic. At Ford Field, for instance, next year’s calendar already includes eight show nights, including doubleheaders from Taylor Swift and Metallica.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pine Knob is nation's top music amphitheater for 2022
