Tag Archives: pollstar

Lady Gaga To Help Drop New Year’s Ball In Times Square

Mother Monster was named Mayor Bloomberg’s special guest for the annual celebration. By James Montgomery Lady Gaga Photo: Joe Scarnici/ WireImage Back in May, ahead of the release of her Born This Way album, Lady Gaga described her hometown of New York City as her “husband,” and now, she’s been tapped to help her spouse ring in the New Year in the most traditional of ways: by dropping the ball in Times Square. Yes, according to The New York Post, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has named Gaga as his special guest at the City’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration, where she’ll ceremoniously push a Waterford Crystal button at 11:59 p.m., officially beginning the famed crystal ball’s descent over the raucous Times Square crowd. Shortly after the official announcement was made, Gaga took to her Twitter account to express her excitement, writing “I’m so looking forward to … dropping the Ball with Mayor Bloomberg! What an honor as a New Yorker!” Each year, Bloomberg chooses a guest to drop the ball and help usher in the New Year … though, to date, Gaga is his most, uh, unique pick: previous honorary button-mashers have included Bill and Hillary Clinton, Colin Powell, Muhammad Ali and Rudy Giuliani. Of course, dropping the Times Square Ball — which this year is bedazzled with 2,688 Waterford Crystal triangles and carries the theme of “Let There Be Friendship” — isn’t Gaga’s only New Year’s Eve gig. She’ll also perform at two NYE celebrations: the 40th annual “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and, of course, the Japanese program “Kohaku Uta Gassen.” MTV will also be throwing a New Year’s Eve party of its own: “NYE in NYC 2010,” a performance-packed special featuring Demi Lovato, Mac Miller, Selena Gomez, J. Cole, Jason Der

U2, Taylor Swift Top List Of 2011’s Highest-Grossing Tours

U2’s 360 Tour is the year’s most profitable in the U.S. and worldwide. By James Montgomery U2’s Bono Photo: Harry Herd/ Getty Images U2 didn’t even release an album in 2011, but that didn’t stop them raking in plenty of cash. The iconic Irish quartet topped Pollstar’s list of the year’s most profitable tours, as their massive 360 Tour moved an impressive 2.4 million tickets worldwide, grossing more than $230 million globally. Their North American dates — which were postponed (and subsequently rescheduled) last year as Bono recovered from back surgery — made $156 million, good enough to give them the highest-grossing tour on this continent, too. Taylor Swift had 2011’s second most-profitable North American tour, as her expansive Speak Now jaunt racked up $97.7 million at the box office. Swift’s country contemporary, Kenny Chesney, came in at #3, bringing in nearly $85 million in ticket sales, followed by Lady Gaga, who, despite wrapping up the North American leg of her Monster Ball tour in April, still managed to bring in $63.7 million at the box office. Bon Jovi rounds out Pollstar’s top five, grossing more than $57 million. Kanye West and Jay-Z’s Throne tour ($48 million), Lil Wayne’s “I Am Still Music” trek ($44 million), Britney Spears ($38 million) and Katy Perry ($28 million) also made the Top 25 in North America. British boy band Take That’s reunion tour came in second to U2’s 360 trek based on worldwide receipts, making $224 million. Bon Jovi grossed nearly $150 million worldwide, good enough for third, with tours by Swift ($104 million worldwide) and Roger Waters ($103 million) rounding out the top five. Also making Pollstar’s worldwide list were Rihanna, the Foo Fighters, Justin Bieber, Usher and the Kings of Leon. Did you attend any of the highest-grossing tours in 2011? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Bono And The Edge Related Photos Lady Gaga’s Madison Square Garden Performance Lil Wayne Brings ‘I Am Still Music’ Tour Home To New Orleans Britney Spears’ Femme Fatale Tour Hits Los Angeles Related Artists U2 Taylor Swift Lady Gaga

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U2, Taylor Swift Top List Of 2011’s Highest-Grossing Tours