Top 10 greatest music concerts in history
What were the biggest concerts in history, the free concerts that broke all spectator records, or the paid concerts with the highest turnout? From the Vasco Modena Park record for Europe to the great lives on the beach in Rio de Janeiro. Here is an exhaustive list to know.
In this ranking, we will also read the concert with the most paying spectators was. Here is the list of the 10 greatest concerts in history, from Vasco Modena Park to the Rolling Stones in Rio de Janeiro.
10. BOB MARLEY IN MILAN – 1980
Among the biggest concerts in the world, there is also the historic Bob Marley live in Milan in 1980, at the San Siro stadium. A round figure of 100 thousand spectators, which makes it one of the largest concerts in terms of the number of paying guests.
9. U2 IN REGGIO EMILIA – 1997
Also in Reggio Emilia in 1997 U2 performed with their Pop Mart Tour. Almost 150 thousand paying spectators for one of the Irish band’s record concerts, perhaps the busiest of their career.
8. LIGABUE IN CAMPOVOLO (REGGIO EMILIA) – 2015
Super record that of the Ligabue concert in Campovolo in 2015. The rocker from Correggio played at home and entered the rankings with 151,395 paying spectators. Vasco beats his record of spectators in concerts in Italy in 2017.
7. PINK FLOYD IN VENICE – 1989
The madness of Pink Floyd in the Venice lagoon has been well rewarded. 200 thousand paying spectators for one of the largest and most beautiful concerts in the history of music (and one of the most controversial ever).
6. VASCO MODENA PARK IN MODENA – 2017
This is the first Italian in the ranking of the greatest concerts in history. Modena Park 2017 was a concert performed by Vasco Rossi in Modena, Italy. It has already entered the records for the highest number of paying spectators in Europe, over 220 thousand. The event broke the world record for the most successful ticketed concert, with a total of 225,173 tickets sold (including 5,000 free tickets).
5. SIMON & GARFUNKEL IN NEW YORK – 1981
Among the concerts with more paying spectators, one of the records belongs to the historic Live in Central Park by Simon & Garfunkel in 1981, of which a beautiful live album was also recorded. A number that varies, according to the news, between 400 thousand and 500 thousand spectators.
4. QUEEN IN RIO DE JANEIRO – 1985
The Brazilian city is one of those where there are the greatest concerts of spectators in this ranking. In 1985 Queen also played there and recorded more than 700 thousand spectators (non-paying) at Rock in Rio.
3. ROLLING STONES IN RIO DE JANEIRO – 2006
The Rolling Stones could not miss the concert in Rio de Janeiro in 2006, which brought more than a million people to the beach. It is one of the most numerous concerts ever, even if this was also a free event given by Mick Jagger’s band.
2. JEAN MICHEL JARRE IN MOSCOW – 1997
Another free concert among the largest in the world was Jean Michael Jarre’s live in Moscow in 1997. Jarre played to celebrate the 850th anniversary of Moscow in front of 3.5 million people. This concert is indisputable among the most popular concerts in the history of music.
1. ROD STEWART IN RIO DE JANEIRO – 1994
The first of the 10 biggest concerts in history from Vasco Modena Park to the Rolling Stones in Rio de Janeiro is a free concert, without paying spectators: that of Rod Stewart in Rio de Janeiro on New Year’s Eve 1994, which collected the record estimated amount of 3.5 million people present.
