Move over, Morgan Wallen, because Beyoncé now has the highest-grossing country tour of all time.
The singer just finished the Cowboy Carter Tour, and all told, she made more money than anyone has ever made in country music, and she did it in fewer shows.
Country Music’s All-Time Highest-Grossing Tours
A comprehensive list of the highest-grossing tours of all time is difficult to come by for several reasons. The first is that different companies evaluate this kind of thing using different methodology. The second is that Billboard‘s article revealing Beyoncé’s tour as No. 1 is behind a paywall.
That said, it’s possible to get an idea for what she accomplished using year-end data provided previously:
- Beyoncé’s
Cowboy Carter
- Tour — $407.6 million
- Morgan Wallen’s
One Thing at a Time
- Tour (2023) — Over $300 million
- Zach Bryan’s Quittin’ Time Tour (2024) — $321.3 million
This info was pulled from several Billboard articles.
In early 2025, the outlet called Wallen’s tour the highest-grossing country tour ever at over $300 million. That was just months after they named Bryan’s tour the highest-grossing of 2024 at $321.3 million.
At the end of 2023, the Wallen Tour was named highest-grossing ever with a figure of $260.4 million earned, but those figures were incomplete, because only dates through the end of September were included.
Luke Combs has checked in at No. 2 each of the last two years, with between $133 and $173 million gross earned.
George Strait, Jelly Roll, Shania Twain and Luke Bryan are a few more artists who have made the Top 10 in both years.
It’s worth noting that — like Beyoncé — Strait makes this list with relatively few shows. He’s played about a dozen concerts each of the last two years and ranked No. 3 and No. 4 in 2023 and 2024.
What Does This Mean?
The Cowboy Carter Tour reached $400 million in far fewer shows than any artist before her. Pollstar also confirms that she’s the first country artist to have reached $400 million on a tour.
While there were early rumors of tickets not selling well, this news makes it clear that this tour was very, very popular.
Rolling Stone points out that the end of the tour likely signals the end of this chapter in her career. That article is also behind a paywall.
Another point of comparison might be Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which grossed over $2 billion across 149 concerts.
Wildest Country Music Tour Rider Requests
Country artists reveal secrets when they submit a tour rider. Here are the wildest requests from nearly a dozen superstars, including Jelly Roll, Tim McGraw, Hank Williams Jr. and more!
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Picture of Tim McGraw
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
Tim McGraw’s Tour Rider Request: Peanut M&Ms
M&Ms aren’t a wild tour rider request unless you’re Mr. Fit, Tim McGraw. He cheats a little bit pre-show. In fact, you may even find him sipping a Mexican Coca-Cola out of a glass bottle as he pounds back a bowl full of M&Ms.
Additionally, he likes a tuna fish sandwich and muscle milk pre-show.
Picture of Riley Green
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Riley Green’s Tour Rider Request: Kim Crawford White Wine
Riley Green sips white wine out of a plastic cup on stage and tried to keep it a secret from fans, thinking they’d believe less of him if they knew the truth.
Talking to Taste of Country, he admitted he got hooked on white wine when he was being recruited by record labels, so he started to put Kim Crawford brand white on his rider.
Picture of Kid Rock
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
Kid Rock’s Tour Rider Request: Underwear
The Smoking Gun once shared that Kid Rock asks for Fruit of the Loom or Hanes underwear. He’s looking for white T-shirts (with pocket), a pack of white tank tops and a pack of white boxer shorts (size medium). Socks are also on the list.
Picture of Lady A
Brett Carlsen, Getty Images
Lady A’s Tour Rider Request: Pork Rinds
A gallon of water, Power Bars and alcohol are also on Lady A’s rider, but pork rinds stand out because nobody can remember why that’s on the list. Although there’s a theory.
Talking to Taste of Country, Charles Kelley shares that when the band was starting out, he requested pork rinds, and nobody has ever removed them. They get eaten each night by someone. Dave Haywood and Hillary Lindsey didn’t volunteer.
Picture of Jelly Roll
Amy Sussman, Getty Images
Jelly Roll’s Tour Rider Request: Socks!
Jelly Roll tells Taste of Country that his wife got him to start drinking fancy water, so he’s added that to his tour rider. Other than that it’s just socks, because new socks are “a big deal in my life.”
The “Save Me” singer is self-contained. He brings a two-person sauna with him. That led to an uncomfortable conversation about how he uses the sauna that you just have to see to believe.
Picture of Taylor Swift
Ethan Miller, Getty Images
Young Taylor Swift’s Tour Rider Request: Different Every Day
For her 2008 tour, Taylor Swift requested (per the Smoking Gun) a different package for each day of the week. Saturday was spaghetti day, Fridays were for dill pickles and Thursday was Twizzler Day.
Fast forward to 2024 and Twizzlers are still on the list. Parade shares that she asks for ice cream, soda, popcorn, Kraft macaroni and cheese, grape juice and butter on her rider.
Picture of Dan + Shay
Omar Vega, Getty Images
Dan + Shay’s Tour Rider Request: It’s Complicated
Dan + Shay are very Earth-conscious, so they really don’t request anything because they don’t want to be wasteful. That leads to some questionable decision-making.
Backstage at one show, Dan Smyers was thirsty, and given that there was no bottled water for him, he was left to sip water from the faucet like a dog. Staff begged to bring him a bottle of water and we think he obliged.
Picture of Hank Williams Jr.
Terry Wyatt, Getty Images
Hank Williams Jr.’s Tour Rider Request: A Limo
Hank Williams Jr. asks for a limo to get him to the show, but beyond that, he hopes his hosts will provide a bounty of beverages and armed security. Credit the Smoking Gun for that info.
Picture of Lainey Wilson
Amy Sussman, Getty Images
Lainey Wilson’s Tour Rider Request: Throat Coat Tea
Lainey Wilson’s wild tour rider request is very practical. In addition to Throat Coat Tea, she asks for lemon flavored Hall’s cough drops and whiskey. At the time, she recognized that she needed to up her game.
Picture of Jason Aldean
Catherine Powell, Getty Images
Jason Aldean’s Tour Rider Request: Crown Royal
Actually, since Jason Aldean partnered with Wolf Moon whiskey in 2020 it’s Wolf Moon, but the concept is the same. Talking to ToC, Aldean shared that starting in 2005 it was Crown Royal and cigarettes, but he quit smoking, so now it’s just the booze.
Picture of Jimmie Allen
Emma McIntyre, Getty Images
Jimmie Allen’s Tour Rider Request: American Eagle Underwear
Before being accused of sexual assault, Jimmie Allen talked about his tour rider. “When I get to a venue, I leave. I’m gone all day. I’m bowling. I’m either bowling or at a casino,” he tells Taste of Country. “I do have American Eagle underwear (on the rider), nine inches, size medium because I like the long ones.”
Additionally, Allen requests Nike socks, Grizzly Wintergreen pouches and longcut, Honey Bee graham crackers, Pop-Tarts, sparkling Martinelli’s apple juice and Smartwater. But about that underwear …
“I like to wear brand new underwear when I go on stage. It’s just something that feels good,” he says. “And I always forget underwear and socks. Always. Those are things you always forget. Last thing I wanna be on stage with leather pants on without underwear. It’s just not comfortable.”
12 Artists Who Are Barely Touring in 2025
Some of these artists who aren’t touring in 2025 have a very good excuse. Others just need a dang break.
We found 12 country stars with anywhere from zero to 18 dates on their 2025 calendar. These are A-list-level headliners who could sell out arenas, but for a variety of reasons, their official calendars are light.
Gallery Credit: Billy Dukes
Zach Bryan
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
Zach Bryan
Zach Bryan doesn’t have a lot of tour dates planned for 2025, but the ones he has are all very big. Stagecoach and two shows at London’s Hyde Park highlight the first half of the year. After that it’s Metlife Stadium, Notre Dame Stadium and Michigan Stadium.
Reba McEntire
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Reba McEntire
The only chance you have to see Reba McEntire in concert in 2025 is on May 29 at the new Nashville Rodeo. Aside from that, she’s got a clean schedule as she films a pair of TV shows: Happy’s Place and The Voice.
Blake Shelton
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton embarked on the 12-show Friends and Heroes Tour early in 2025, but he’s got only six dates listed on his calendar the rest of the year.
Tim McGraw
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Tim McGraw
Tim McGraw’s concert calendar is starting to fill out, but when he takes the stage for his first show on May 31, it’ll have been close to a year between shows.
Last summer he needed to cancel at least one show for knee surgery, and reports came early in 2025 that he’d had back surgery, too. In recent weeks he’s been getting fans pumped up about his live shows once again — an indication that the break is behind him, hopefully.
George Strait
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
George Strait
There are just four more chances to see George Strait live in 2025. He only scheduled five stadium shows with Chris Stapleton for the year, and the first passed by in early May. May 31, June 14, June 21 and July 19 are all that’s left.
Luke Combs
Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
Luke Combs
Luke Combs is focused on festivals in 2025. Stagecoach, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza are the three biggest he’ll play. In total he has nine dates remaining on his 2025 calendar, but he did begin the year with an aggressive Australian tour and three more American dates.
Kenny Chesney
Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Kenny Chesney
Technically, Kenny Chesney isn’t “touring,” but he does have nearly 20 more dates at the Sphere in Las Vegas planned. The future Country Music Hall of Famer has been know to take gap years between tours, so this isn’t surprising or alarming.
Carrie Underwood
John Lamparski, Getty Images
Carrie Underwood
A residency in Las Vegas kept Carrie Underwood busy during the first three months of 2025. From April 13 on, she has just four scheduled tour stops.
One is a visit to the Grand Ole Opry scheduled for June, and the other three are festival shows. American Idol was her priority this spring.
Lady A
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Lady A
Lady A’s Charles Kelley is planning a solo album in 2025, and Hillary Scott is pregnant. That’s two pretty strong reasons to play a limited number of concerts. There are just three on the trio’s official calendar, June 19, 20 and 21.
Dan + Shay
Carly Mackler, Getty Images
Dan + Shay
Dan + Shay do not have any tour dates on their calendar for the rest of 2025. Beyond that, they’ve been all but absent on social media since January 1. This probably shouldn’t alarm anyone, because fans know when Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney are taking time off (for family, to work on new music, whatever), they truly take time off.
Shaboozey
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Shaboozey
Shaboozey has a 10-date tour lined up for the fall, but before that, he only has seven concerts listed on the events tab of his Facebook page.
Dolly Parton
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton says she’s not going to do a full-scale tour ever again, but may play a few dates in any given year. Those are hard to come by in 2025, but this all comes with a slight ray of hope for those looking for one last farewell …
The reason Parton said she didn’t want to tour was because she wanted to be near her husband, whose health was in decline in recent years. Carl Dean died earlier this year.
