Highest-Grossing Vegas Residencies of All Time
Las Vegas stages have become a semipermanent home for many top-name performers over the years, with Celine Dion, Cher, Britney Spears and Lady Gaga all performing residency shows in Sin City. Usher is the next big performer who will see his name in the Vegas lights, as he’s set to kick off a 12-date residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in the summer of 2021, The Hollywood Reporter reported.
It’s possible the singer-songwriter could go on to have one of the highest-grossing Las Vegas residencies of all time. Take a look at the high-grossing shows he’ll have to beat to top the list.
Last updated: Oct. 22, 2020
George Strait: 'Strait to Vegas'
Residency years: 2016-present (on hold due to the coronavirus)
Earnings: $47.9 million (as of 2018), according to Statista
George Strait kicked off his “Strait to Vegas” residency at the T-Mobile Arena in 2016. He postponed his summer shows due to the coronavirus, though they will be rescheduled for a later date, according to the show’s website.
Rod Stewart: 'Rod Stewart: The Hits'
Residency years: 2011-2018
Earnings: $57 million
Taking place at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Rod Stewart’s residency spanned seven years and 140 shows.
Bette Midler: 'The Showgirl Must Go On'
Residency years: 2008-2010
Earnings: $72 million
Prior to Stewart’s stint at The Colosseum, Bette Midler had a residency act at the venue. The famed singer and actress performed 173 shows during her time there.
Cher: 'Classic Cher'
Residency years: 2008-2011
Earnings: $97 million
Cher’s “Classic Cher” residency also took place at The Colosseum. She performed 192 shows during the nearly three years she performed at the venue.
Jennifer Lopez: 'All I Have'
Residency years: 2016-2018
Earnings: $120 million
Jennifer Lopez inked a residency deal with Planet Hollywood that would pay her $350,000 per show, TMZ reported. And in August 2016, the residency hit a milestone by bringing in over $1 million in ticket sales — the highest gross in Planet Hollywood history, Billboard reported.
Big Money: Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Other Musicians Set To Lose Millions to COVID-19
Elton John: 'The Million Dollar Piano'
Residency years: 2011-2018
Earnings: $131 million
Elton John’s residency at The Colosseum should have been called “The Multimillion Dollar Piano,” as his show hit nine-figure earnings over the course of 197 performances.
Britney Spears: 'Piece of Me'
Residency years: 2013-2017
Earnings: $138 million
The legendary Miss Britney Spears was earning $400,000 per show during her residency at Planet Hollywood, Variety reported. She had signed an even more lucrative deal with Park MGM for a new residency set to begin in February 2019, but Spears ended up canceling the show following her father’s hospitalization, VitalVegas.com reported.
Elton John: 'The Red Piano'
Residency years: 2004-2009; 2016-2018
Earnings: $164 million
John’s first stint of his “The Red Piano” residency took place from February 2004 to April 2009 at The Colosseum. He reprised the residency in January 2016 at the Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Altogether, the multitalented musician played 318 performances of the show.
Celine Dion: 'Celine'
Residency years: 2011-2019
Earnings: $245.5 million
Canadian icon Celine Dion played 427 shows of the “Celine” residency, selling 1.74 million tickets along the way, The Hollywood Reporter reported. The residency’s last leg, stretching from May 14 through June 8, 2019, grossed $18.9 million and sold nearly 68,000 tickets.
Celine Dion: 'A New Day'
Residency years: 2003-2007
Earnings: $385 million
When Dion began her Las Vegas residency in 2003, industry insiders wondered if it was a major misstep, as the Strip was seen as a place for performers nearing the end of their careers, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Dion has proved any naysayers wrong — her two residencies ended up spanning 16 years and racked up over 4.55 million tickets sold.
Now that she’s said goodbye to Vegas, Dion is set to head on a world tour. Although 2020 dates were canceled due to the coronavirus, the tour has rescheduled dates throughout 2021.
More From GOBankingRates
All earnings information was sourced from USA Today on Oct. 19, 2020, unless otherwise noted.
Photos are for representational purposes only and may not be of the Las Vegas residency mentioned.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Highest-Grossing Vegas Residencies of All Time
