5 of the Largest Concerts Ever Held


Music is a universal language, and concerts are one of the best ways to bring people together to enjoy it. And when it comes to size, many concert-goers prefer to go big or go home!

These 5 impressive concerts featured a variety of different musicians with diverse styles, but all of them have one thing in common: A massive attendance record! The record-breaking turnouts of these shows attest to their memorable, striking performances and set them apart from other concerts, both in size and in cultural impact.

Let’s see who played at the top 5 largest concerts ever, and learn a little bit about what made these big gigs so memorable.

  1. The Rolling Stones

Year: 2006
Location: Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro
Attendance: 1.5 million
Event: A Bigger Bang

The Rolling Stones
Source: wikimedia.org

If there’s anything better than a life-changing rock concert, it’s a chance to see the legendary Rolling Stones for free! Millions of fans were exhilarated by the chance to do just that at “A Bigger Bang” in 2006, with plenty of people traveling many hours to make the gig.

The_Rolling_Stones_A_Bigger_Bang_Poster

One of the fans, Ricardo Soares Cabral, still remembers the concert fondly over a decade later. During a recent interview, he expressed his continued support for The Rolling Stones: “They are still the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world, better by far than U2 or Oasis or Franz Ferdinand or any of the other pretenders.”

The concert wasn’t all fun and games, however: Due to the frequency of crime in Rio de Janeiro, extensive security measures were taken to make sure that musicians, crew, and fans alike were kept safe and able to enjoy the experience.

The Rolling Stones’ stage setup in London was a sight to behold:

The_Rolling_Stones_A_Bigger_Bang_London

Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones engaging with the crowd:

Mick_Jagger

The Rolling Stones – Opening – Live On Copacabana Beach:

Did You Know?

  • To make sure that no one was left out as a result of being unable to attend the show in person, the show was broadcasted on TV in Brazil, and through satellite and internet for people around the globe.
  • The record-breaking concert at Rio de Janeiro was held in the middle of the “A Bigger Bang” tour. Other touring locations included London, New Zealand, South America, and Japan.
  • The “A Bigger Bang” concert tour turned out to be the top grossing tour of 2006. The tour brought in a staggering $437 million already by the end of 2005, before the free concert in Rio de Janeiro was played.
  • Mick Jagger promptly won over the crowd in Rio de Janeiro by introducing himself and addressing them largely in Portuguese.
  1. Paul van Dyk, Carl Cox, and Armin Van Buuren

Year: 2008
Location: Dortmund, Germany
Attendance: 1.6 million
Event: Love Parade

Paul van Dyk, Carl Cox, and Armin Van Buuren
Source: wikimedia.org

The Love Parade of 2008 in Dortmund featured bands from several other countries, including Australia, South Korea, Ukraine and Turkey. Putting a unique twist on the traditional concert, this event staged each of the music groups on one of the floats in the parade.

Specifically referred to as an “Electronic Dance Music Festival and technoparade,” this entertaining event first originated in West Berlin in 1989. The main purpose of the event was to celebrate the freedom of love and electronic music.

Many people came together in an expression of love and passion during the early years of the Love Parade:

Liebende
Liebende in Berlin, Juli 1999

Sadly, after plenty of successful years, tragedy struck in 2010 when a crowd crush took 21 lives and injured 500 other concert attendants. In honor of those departed, the Love Parade was discontinued afterwards. Some of the DJ’s present during the grim event reported that organizers told them to continue playing while the tragedy unfolded.

Love_Parade_1998

Westbam @ Love Parade 2008 Dortmund:

Did You Know?

  1. AC/DC, Metallica

Year: 1991
Location: Tushino Airfield, Moscow
Attendance: 1.6 million
Event: Monsters of Rock

AC/DC, Metallica
Source:  wikimedia.org

The first Western-style concert in Moscow, the Monsters of Rock show of 1991 drew an astoundingly large turnout. Before the late 1980’s, the regulations that restricted the Russian people banned foreign influences like Western rock music. This made for an even more enthusiastic turnout than the usual when legends such as Metallica and AC/DC entered the stage.

AC_DC_Metallica_Poster

Source: stmuhistorymedia.org

Spirits were high, and the democratic-minded youths of Moscow couldn’t get enough of the heavy, pumping sounds of western metal.

Metallica_Moscow
Monsters of Rock Moscow ’91 – Intro [HD]:

Did You Know?

  1. Rod Stewart Concert

Year: 1994
Location: Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro
Attendance: 3.5 million
Event: New Year’s Eve

Rod Stewart Concert
Source: wikimedia.org

Some people insist that over 4 million people attended this spectacular concert, but many attendants were there primarily for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display and are categorized separately as a result. Regardless of their reason for going, they were treated to a spectacular show as Rod Stewart earned his place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

He gained recognition for not only putting on the “largest live concert,” but also for the “largest free rock concert of all time”. Rod Stewart treated the crowd to a setlist of favorites with an exciting encore.

Rod_Stewart_Star
Live from Rio 1994 to a 3.5 million audience. Rod Stewart – People Get Ready:

Did You Know?

  1. Jean-Michel Jarre Concert

Year: 1997
Location: State University of Moscow, Russia o
Attendance: Over 3.5 million
Event: 850th Anniversary of Moscow

Jean-Michel Jarre Concert
Source: wikimedia.org

Jean-Michel Jarre’s concert of 1997 was the largest concert ever. Immediately following the Oxygene tour, Jean-Michel Jarre was hired by the mayor of Moscow to put on a sensational show in celebration of Moscow’s 850th anniversary. The massive attendance surpassed expectations, with audience members flocking to see the concert set against the impressive backdrop of the State University of Moscow.

Jean_Michel_Jarre_Moscow_Fireworks

Jean-Michel Jarre made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for drawing the most live spectators at an outdoor event. However, this wasn’t enough for Jarre–he then broke his own record three times! That makes the magnificent Moscow concert Jarre’s fourth record-breaker.

Jean-Michel Jarre playing a laser harp:

Jean_Michel_Jarre_Laser_Harp
Oxygen in Moscow (Full Video) – Jean Michel Jarre:

Did You Know?

  • This wonderful concert was held atop the highest hill in Moscow, enabling everyone in the city to enjoy some of the laser and light shows. Four Russian SU-27 jet planes flew overhead, expelling fireworks to start the memorable concert off with a bang.
  • A laser-controlled synthesizer brought the concert to a new, futuristic level as Jarre’s electronic music swayed the audience in Moscow.
  • To top it all off, Jarre treated the audience to a surprise: a live link to the Russian space station, Mir. The connection with the astronauts on Mir was a life-changing and inspiring sight for many in the audience, and made the concert that much more unforgettable.

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