1986’s 20 Biggest Rock Tours

A prog band turned pop colossus led to a record-breaking year as Pollstar estimated total 1986 revenue from the 40 leading tours to be $438 million. Still, it wasn’t all wine and roses: A stadium ballad act unwittingly began its final tour with the soaring vocalist who hurtled them to superstardom.

That’s not all. One of thrash’s leading lights lost a core member in a tragic accident while on tour. Another metal act fired their drummer. A huge act saw his backing band fall apart. One of the megastars of Live Aid played their final shows with their signature frontman.

At the same time, 1986 was home to new beginnings. An American rock band switched out lead singers and somehow became bigger than ever. Perhaps the most recognizable hair band of them all mounted their first world tour. The biggest albums in several groups’ careers were followed by their biggest shows to date.

Who Made 1986’s Most Unlikely Comeback?

Two of the early classic-rock era’s biggest names formed an unlikely pairing out on the road, while one of the same era’s biggest goofball bands made perhaps the most unlikely comeback of them all.

A familiar name rode a one-off soundtrack song up the charts – and cashed in with one of 1986’s 20 biggest rock tours. Two different acts slipped behind the Steel Curtain to play well-received shows as the Cold War began to wind down.

READ MORE: The 20 Best Hard Rock and Metal Albums of 1986

Of course, huge multi-act events were suddenly defining the era. A year after Live Aid, Amnesty International’s Conspiracy of Hope tour concluded with a star-studded 1986 concert that included U2, Sting, Peter Gabriel and many others. The U.K.’s sprawling Glastonury Festival was held just five days later in June. Farm Aid II with Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys followed in July.

The following list of 1986’s 20 biggest rock tours, however, focuses solely on headliner dates.