Beyonc, Taylor Swift, And The Biggest Concert Films Ever

Highlights

• Concert films have become a lucrative way for musicians to expand their reach and earn additional revenue in the multi-billion dollar live music industry.
• Taylor Swift's concert film, The Eras Tour , has become the highest-grossing concert film of all time, earning $178 million domestically.
• Beyoncé's concert film, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé , has also joined the top-grossing concert films, grossing over $21 million domestically to date.

The live music industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth, and concert films have become a lucrative way for musicians to expand their reach and earn additional revenue.

These cinematic captures of live performances offer fans a front-row seat to a concert's electrifying energy and camaraderie, even when they couldn't attend the show in person.

In 2023 alone, two concert films joined the top ten-grossing concert films at the domestic box office. Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film has become the highest-grossing concert film of all time, earning $178 million domestically since its debut in October 2023.

Beyoncé's Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, which was released in December 2023, also joined the list, grossing over $21 million domestically in its first week.

The film, directed and produced by Beyoncé herself, offers an intimate look at the creation and execution of her Renaissance World Tour, in support of her seventh studio Grammy-winning album Renaissance, released in 2022.

Updated, April 2024: Following the release of Beyonce's album Cowboy Carter, Time magazine published an April 4th article, reporting that fans half-jokingly begged the singer for time to "financially recover" before the singer launched a tour in support of it:

"As rumors fly, fans are begging Beyoncé to hold off on announcing a tour, joking that they still need to financially recover from her last one. The Renaissance World Tour, which wrapped up in Oct. 2023 and was her first since the On The Run Tour II in 2018.

"According to Billboard, tickets for the Renaissance Tour ranged in price depending on the reseller. The average fan could expect to pay around $400 to $550, Billboard reported, with resale tickets for her Houston show going for as low as $279."

As the outlet noted, no official announcement regarding a Cowboy Carter tour had yet been made.

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10 Glee: The 3D Concert Movie

Glee: The 3D Concert Movie's Domestic Gross: $11.9 Million

In 2011, the hit musical TV show Glee brought its riveting energy to the big screen with Glee: The 3D Concert Movie.

The film, directed by Kevin Tancharoen and Jennifer Arnold, captured the electrifying performances of the show's stars, including Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, and Dianna Agron, as they embarked on their Glee Live! In Concert! summer tour.

It featured behind-the-scenes footage and a set list of songs from the show's first and second seasons.

Despite concerns that fans might not be willing to pay to see the same performances they could watch for free on television, the concert film proved to be a commercial success, grossing over $11.9 million domestically.

9 Madonna: Truth Or Dare

Madonna: Truth Or Dare's Domestic Gross: $15 Million

The Queen of Pop unveiled an unprecedented look into her life with the epic documentary concert film Madonna: Truth or Dare.

Directed by Alek Keshishian, the film offered an unfiltered and intimate glimpse into Madonna's world on and off-stage, as she embarked on her controversial Blond Ambition World Tour.

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The film's black-and-white aesthetic, contrasting with the vibrant color of the concert performances, heightened the sense of intimacy and vulnerability.

The film impacted reality television and celebrity culture, inspiring parodies and other music-related documentaries. Truth or Dare was an immediate commercial success upon release.

On the back of a $4.5 million budget, the film collected a total revenue of $15 million in the United States.

It held the record for the highest-grossing documentary for eleven years, before being dethroned by Michael Moore's Bowling For Columbine.

8 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience

Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience's Domestic Gross: $19.1 Million

The Jonas Brothers, heartthrobs of the teen and tween demographic, captured the whirlwind of their meteoric rise to fame in the concert film Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience.

Directed by Bruce Hendricks, the film chronicled the trio's Burning Up tour, showcasing their electrifying live performances and boyish charm, as well as documentary footage on the lives of the three brothers.

The film's release coincided with the Jonas Brothers' peak popularity, with their music topping charts and their faces gracing magazine covers worldwide.

Although the film was rocked by negative reviews from critics, the band's fan base ate it up at the box office.

It grossed over $19.1 million domestically, which places it among the top-grossing concert films.

7 Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé

Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé's Domestic Gross [At Press Time]: $21,801,216

Beyoncé is simply one of the greatest entertainers of her generation, so it only makes sense that fans would jump at the opportunity to experience her concert through a film:

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Queen Bey's newest concert film, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, is a visual masterpiece that offers an intimate look at the creation and execution of her groundbreaking Renaissance World Tour.

The film, directed and produced by Beyoncé herself, was released in the U.S. on December 1, 2023.

The film depicts the creation of Renaissance and the production of the tour:

Her husband, rapper Jay-Z, and three children are featured in the film, alongside cameos from music artists Diana Ross, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar, and actress Tracee Ellis Ross.

Critics praised Renaissance for its extensive concert footage, production, and inclusion of behind-the-scenes elements.

As of December 6th, the film had grossed $21.8 million in the United States and Canada, a figure which will undoubtedly increase as its theatrical run continues.

6 Katy Perry: Part Of Me

Katy Perry: Part Of Me's Domestic Gross: $25.3 Million

Leave it to Katy Perry to light up the stage; the Queen of Camp released her concert film Katy Perry: Part Of Me in 2021, which offered a closer glimpse into the life and career of the pop superstar during her highly successful California Dreams World Tour.

Directed by Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz, the film seamlessly blends concert footage, behind-the-scenes moments, and candid interviews, providing a comprehensive portrait of Perry as an artist and a person.

Released in the wake of Perry's record-breaking album Teenage Dream – which tied with Michael Jackson's Bad for the most number one singles on one album – Katy Perry: Part of Me capitalized on Perry's immense popularity and struck a chord with audiences worldwide.

The film's financial success, grossing over $25.3 million domestically, reflected Perry's appeal as a pop culture icon.

5 One Direction: This Is Us

Domestic Gross: $28.9 Million

Since their debut in the seventh season of the British televised singing competition The X Factor in 2010, One Direction went from strength to strength until their eventual hiatus in 2016.

The pop boy band phenomenon charmed audiences with their One Direction: This Is Us concert film:

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Directed by Morgan Spurlock, the film provided an intimate and all-access look at the lives of Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, and Harry Styles as they navigated their meteoric rise to fame.

This Is Us contains live concert footage from their Take Me Home Tour stop at London’s O2 Arena and footage from their lives both pre- and post-X Factor.

The film is the highest-grossing concert film by a group; it grossed $28.9 million in North America and reportedly made a net profit of $18 million.

4 Hannah Montana And Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds Concert

Hannah Montana And Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert's Domestic Gross: $65.3 Million

The world of Disney Channel collided with pop music for the groundbreaking theatrical run of Hannah Montana And Miley Cyrus: Best Of Both Worlds Concert.

This 3D spectacle, directed by Bruce Hendricks, became the highest-grossing contemporary music concert film by a female artist at that time.

The film showcased her dual life as the pop star Hannah Montana and her teenage self, Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus).

The film also featured Miley’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, and special guests, the Jonas Brothers.

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The Best Of Both Worlds Concert was a hit at the box office, earning over $65.3 million domestically.

This success was partly fueled by the immense popularity of the Hannah Montana television series, which had garnered a massive fan base of children and young adults worldwide.

3 Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Michael Jackson’s This Is It's Domestic Gross: $72.1 Million

Of course, the greatest entertainer of all time will undoubtedly feature in a list that has to do with entertainment.

This Is It was released just four months after Michael Jackson's untimely death in 2009:

The concert film offered a poignant and intimate glimpse into the King of Pop's final preparations for his long-anticipated This Is It residency at London's O2 Arena.

This compelling documentary, directed by Kenny Ortega, went beyond a traditional concert film, delving into Jackson's meticulous process and dedication to his craft.

The film comprises interviews, dancer auditions, rehearsals, backstage footage, and groundbreaking technical elements planned for the never-to-be-seen live shows.

This Is It received generally positive reviews from critics and Jackson fans, but criticism arose due to rumors that the film was made to profit from Jackson's death.

The controversy led some fans to boycott the movie. Nevertheless, the film earned $72 million at domestic theaters.

According to Guinness World Records, This Is It is the highest-grossing documentary of all time.

2 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never's Domestic Gross: $73 Million

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never centered on the then-teen pop sensation Justin Bieber.

Directed by Jon M. Chu, the film interspersed Bieber's concert footage from his 2010 tour with intimate behind-the-scenes moments, offering a closer look into Bieber's journey from small-town Canadian boy to global pop icon.

The film also featured Boyz II Men, Miley Cyrus, Sean Kingston, and Snoop Dogg.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never resonated deeply with Bieber's large fan base, affectionately known as "Beliebers," which helped it gross over $73 million domestically.

The film's success was further fueled by the accompanying EP, Never Say Never: The Remixes, which topped the Billboard 200 chart.

1 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour's Domestic Gross: $178.9 Million

Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour concert film, released in 2023, is a cultural phenomenon, shattering records and solidifying its place as the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

Filmed over Swift's first three shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, The Eras Tour highlighted an extensive set list, featuring nearly all songs from the tour's standard repertoire.

The film's meticulous editing, condensed to under three hours, did not diminish the grandeur of the live experience, but instead intensified its impact:

Swift struck an unprecedented distribution agreement with theaters for the film, bypassing the traditional producer–distributor–exhibitor model of releasing films.

The film's unorthodox release strategy generated much commentary and controversy. Swift's dedicated fanbase, known as "Swifties," flocked to theaters in droves to relive the tour's magic and witness their idol's spellbinding stage presence on the big screen.

The film's domestic gross of $178.9 million reflects the immense popularity of Taylor Swift and the enduring appeal of her music.

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