Concert Market Rankings: No 5. Chicago

REPORTED MARKET GROSS | $86,042,731

REPORTED TICKET SALES | 1,068,037

AVERAGE TICKET PRICE | $80.56

Chicago’s big shoulders support a plethora of industry and a unique culture, given its position as a Lake Michigan port city. The Windy City has also been the source of a robust music scene over its history and is especially noted for its homegrown Chicago blues, neighborhood food and music festivals, Grant Park events like Lollapalooza and more.

So it’s probably no surprise that Genesis chose to launch the North American leg of their “The Last Domino? Tour” with shows Nov. 15 and 16 at Chicago’s 23,000-capacity United Center, selling out an allotment of 

25,128 tickets for a gross of $5,593,099. 

Despite any antiquated, fly-over stereotypes of the Midwest, Chicago proves to be a diverse city with entertainment options to match.

Los Bukis brought its blockbuster stadium show to Soldier Field, the football home of the NFL’s Chicago Bears, for two sold-out nights.

The Mexican Grupero band from Ario de Rosales, Michoacán, Mexico, played for 80,335 ticketed fans and a gross of $9,356,386 Sept. 4 and 5. 

Pancho Barraza, a Mexican singer from Mazatlán, made a mark on the Windy City, playing the area’s biggest theater show of 2021 at Chicago’s 4,400-cap Rosemont Theatre, moving 3,970 tickets for a gross of  $425,780. 

Naturally, in the home of Rush Street, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Curtis Mayfield, Donnie Hathaway and more, blues, soul and R&B continues to draw sizeable audiences. Leon Bridges brought the goods to Chicago’s Vic Theatre Oct. 1, selling out 1,405 tickets and grossing $99,642 in a show promoted by local independent powerhouse Jam Productions.

But even blue-eyed pop does well in Chicago. The Jonas Brothers performed with support artist and country music star Kelsea Ballerini Sept. 12 at the 28,630-cap Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre for one of the top shed showings of the year, selling 17,865 tickets and grossing $1,292,003.