Concert film

A concert film or concert movie is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician[1] or a stand-up comedian.[2]

Taylor Swift performing at the Eras Tour in 2023
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023) is the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

Early history
Poster for Concert Magic in 1948 at the Towne Cinema in Toronto, Ontario

One of the earliest-known concert films is the 1944 film Adventure in Music.[3] Another early film is the 1948 picture Concert Magic. This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916–1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others.[4]

The earliest known jazz concert film is the 1959 film Jazz on a Summer's Day. The film was recorded during the fifth annual Newport Jazz Festival.[5] The earliest known rock concert film was the T.A.M.I. Show, which featured acts such as The Beach Boys, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and the Rolling Stones.[6]

One of popular music's most ground-breaking concert films is Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (1972), directed by Adrian Maben, in which Pink Floyd perform a short set of songs inside the amphitheatre of Pompeii without an audience (save for the recording crew).

Examples

Rockumentary

The term "rockumentary" was first used by Bill Drake in the 1969 History of Rock & Roll radio broadcast and is a portmanteau of "rock" and "documentary".[7][8] The term was subsequently used to describe concert films containing appearances by multiple artists.[9][10] Then, in 1976, the term was used by the promoters of the live musical production Beatlemania which documented the evolving career of The Beatles.[11] The 1984 mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap notably parodied the rockumentary genre.[12]

Others

Other examples of this type of film include Menudo's 1981 film, Menudo: La Película, and Duran Duran's 85-minute 1984 video, Sing Blue Silver. The former mixes a Menudo concert (in Merida, Venezuela) with movie scenes and a plot, while the latter follows Duran Duran as they travel around Canada and the United States doing concerts and actual tourism.

Highest-grossing concert films

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023), which earned over US$128,000,000 in ticket sales as of October 5, 2023, is the highest-grossing concert film of all time; the previous record was held by Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011).[13][14][15] Michael Jackson's This Is It (2009), a posthumous tribute film which doesn't document a concert but the development and rehearsals of Jackson's canceled concert residency of the same name, is the highest-grossing documentary film of all time, with over $261,000,000 from its theatrical run.[16][17]

† Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 27 October 2023 in theaters around the world.
Highest-grossing concert films[16][13]
Rank Title Year Performer Type Worldwide gross
1 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour † 2023 Taylor Swift Music $160,488,501
2 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 2011 Justin Bieber $99,034,125
3 Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert 2008 Miley Cyrus $70,712,099
4 One Direction: This Is Us 2013 One Direction $68,233,799
5 Eddie Murphy Raw 1987 Eddie Murphy Stand-up $50,504,655
6 The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 Steve Harvey · D.L. Hughley · Cedric the Entertainer · Bernie Mac $38,236,338
7 Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip 1982 Richard Pryor $34,970,309
8 Katy Perry: Part of Me 2012 Katy Perry Music $32,700,439
9 Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing 2022 BTS $32,600,000
10 Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain 2013 Kevin Hart Stand-up $32,327,255
11 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience 2012 Jonas Brothers Music $30,428,831
12 BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas 2023 BTS $29,291,883
13 Madonna: Truth or Dare 1991 Madonna $29,012,935
14 U2 3D 2008 U2 $26,170,402
15 Kevin Hart: What Now? 2016 Kevin Hart Stand-up $23,591,043
16 Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat 2002 Martin Lawrence $19,184,820
17 Glee: The 3D Concert Movie 2011 Glee Music $17,462,398
18 Richard Pryor: Here and Now 1983 Richard Pryor Stand-up $16,156,776
19 Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers 2021 The Chosen Religion $13,388,000
20 You So Crazy 1994 Martin Lawrence Stand-up $10,184,701
21 Burn the Stage: The Movie 2018 BTS Music $9,881,954
22 Metallica Through the Never 2013 Metallica $9,082,906
23 U2: Rattle and Hum 1988 U2 $8,600,823
24 Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires 2022 Coldplay $8,421,265[18]
25 Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain 2011 Kevin Hart Stand-up $7,712,436
26 Mayday Life 2019 Mayday Music $7,272,220
27 The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall 2012 The Phantom of the Opera Stage production $7,106,631
28 Prima Facie 2022 Prima Facie $6,646,622
29 BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul 2019 BTS Music $6,587,004
30 Stop Making Sense 1984 Talking Heads 5,694,759
31 Hamlet 2015 Hamlet Stage production $5,350,452
32 Divine Madness 2018 Bette Midler Music $5,318,098
33 Les Misérables: The Staged Concert 2019 Les Misérables Stage production $5,042,935
34 IM Hero: The Final 2023 Lim Young-woong Music $4,514,656
35 National Theatre Live: The Audience 2013 The Audience Stage production $4,330,068
36 Romeo and Juliet (Secret Cinema 2018) 2018 Romeo and Juliet $4,282,983
37 André Rieu 2018 Maastricht Concert 2018 André Rieu Music $3,869,719
38 André Rieu: 70 Years Young 2020 $3,788,405
39 Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Performance 2016 Miss Saigon Stage play $3,720,532
40 Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams 2018 Coldplay Music $3,500,000[19]
41 André Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert 2019 André Rieu $3,495,372
42 National Theatre Live: Frankenstein 2011 Frankenstein Stage production $3,351,486
43 Let's Spend the Night Together 1983 The Rolling Stones Music $3,282,561
44 Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor 2017 Floyd Mayweather Jr. · Conor McGregor Sports $3,250,019
45 André Rieu's 2016 Maastricht Concert 2016 André Rieu Music $3,220,727
46 The Winter's Tale 2015 The Winter's Tale Stage production $3,097,621
47 André Rieu's 2017 Maastricht Concert 2017 André Rieu Music $3,097,621
48 The Met: Live in HD – Aida 2013 Aida $2,943,797
49 The Beatles Get Back: The Rooftop Concert 2022 The Beatles $2,881,726
50 André Rieu's 2015 Maastricht Concert 2015 André Rieu $2,862,599

Music

The following is a list of the highest-grossing music concert films of all time. The top 15 are among the highest-grossing concert films. André Rieu is the most frequent performance with 13 titles on the list.

† Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 27 October 2023 in theaters around the world.
Highest-grossing concert films[16][13]
Rank Title Year Performer Worldwide gross
1 Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour † 2023 Taylor Swift $160,488,501
2 Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 2011 Justin Bieber $99,034,125
3 Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert 2008 Miley Cyrus $70,712,099
4 One Direction: This Is Us 2013 One Direction $68,233,799
5 Katy Perry: Part of Me 2012 Katy Perry $32,700,439
6 Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing 2022 BTS $32,600,000
7 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience 2012 Jonas Brothers $30,428,831
8 BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas 2023 BTS $29,291,883
9 Madonna: Truth or Dare 1991 Madonna $29,012,935
10 U2 3D 2008 U2 $26,170,402
11 Burn the Stage: The Movie 2018 BTS $20,347,513
12 Metallica Through the Never 2013 Metallica $9,082,906
13 U2: Rattle and Hum 1988 U2 $8,600,823
14 Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires 2022 Coldplay $8,421,265[18]
15 Mayday Life 2019 Mayday $7,272,220
16 BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul 2019 BTS $6,587,004
17 Stop Making Sense 1984 Talking Heads $5,694,759
18 Divine Madness 2018 Bette Midler $5,318,098
19 IM Hero: The Final 2023 Lim Young-woong $4,514,656
20 André Rieu 2018 Maastricht Concert 2018 André Rieu $3,869,719
21 André Rieu: 70 Years Young 2020 $3,788,405
22 Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams 2018 Coldplay $3,500,000[19]
23 André Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert 2019 André Rieu $3,495,372
24 Let's Spend the Night Together 1983 The Rolling Stones $3,282,561
25 André Rieu's 2016 Maastricht Concert 2016 André Rieu $3,220,727
26 André Rieu's 2017 Maastricht Concert 2017 $3,097,621
27 The Met: Live in HD – Aida 2013 Aida $2,943,797
28 The Beatles Get Back: The Rooftop Concert 2022 The Beatles $2,881,726
29 André Rieu's 2015 Maastricht Concert 2015 André Rieu $2,862,599
30 André Rieu: Christmas with Andre 2016 2016 $2,809,890
31 André Rieu's Sydney Town Hall Concert – An Australian Celebration 2018 $2,806,603
32 Greatest Hits Live 2019 Take That $2,549,176
33 Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest 2019 Depeche Mode $2,442,030
34 André Rieu's 2014 Maastricht Concert 2014 André Rieu $2,190,155
35 Metallica & San Francisco Symphony S&M2 2019 Metallica · San Francisco Symphony $2,179,640
36 Billie Eilish Live at the O2 † 2023 Billie Eilish $2,117,195
37 André Rieu 2023 Maastricht Concert: Love is All Around † André Rieu $1,897,239
38 André Rieu Live in Dublin † $1,826,384
39 N'SYNC: Bigger Than Live 2001 NSYNC $1,808,679
40 Cliff Richard Live: 60th Anniversary Tour 2018 Cliff Richard $1,686,021
41 Rammstein: Paris 2017 Rammstein $1,658,090
42 Twenty One Pilots: Cinema Experience 2022 Twenty One Pilots $1,560,000
43 André Rieu: Christmas with André 2021 2021 André Rieu $1,559,304
44 Take That Live 2015 2015 Take That $1,553,608
45 Take That: Wonderland Live from the O2 2017 $1,422,889
46 Big Bang Made 2016 BigBang $1,404,745
47 André Rieu's: Magical Maastricht – Together in Music 2020 André Rieu $1,295,288
48 David Gilmour Live at Pompei 2017 David Gilmour $1,273,347
49 Fabrizio De André & PFM – Il Concerto Ritrovato 2020 Fabrizio De André · PFM $1,216,390
50 Westlife: The Twenty Tour Live 2019 Westlife $1,208,213

Stand-up

The following is a list of stand up shows that has surpassed $1 million.

Highest-grossing concert films[16][13]
Rank Title Year Performer Worldwide gross
1 Eddie Murphy Raw 1987 Eddie Murphy $50,504,655
2 The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 Steve Harvey · D.L. Hughley · Cedric the Entertainer · Bernie Mac $38,236,338
3 Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip 1982 Richard Pryor $34,970,309
4 Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain 2013 Kevin Hart $32,327,255
5 Kevin Hart: What Now? 2016 $23,591,043
6 Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat 2002 Martin Lawrence $19,184,820
7 Richard Pryor: Here and Now 1983 Richard Pryor $16,156,776
8 You So Crazy 1994 Martin Lawrence $10,184,701
9 Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain 2011 Kevin Hart $7,712,436
10 The Fluffy Movie 2014 Gabriel Iglesias $2,827,393
11 Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic 2005 Sarah Silverman $1,324,244

Stage production
Highest-grossing concert films[16][13]
Rank Title Year Performer Worldwide gross
1 The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall 2012 The Phantom of the Opera $7,106,631
2 Prima Facie 2022 Prima Facie $6,646,622
3 Hamlet 2015 Hamlet $5,350,452
4 Les Misérables: The Staged Concert 2019 Les Misérables $5,042,935
5 National Theatre Live: The Audience 2013 The Audience $4,330,068
6 Romeo and Juliet (Secret Cinema 2018) 2018 Romeo and Juliet $4,282,983
7 Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Performance 2016 Miss Saigon $3,720,532
8 National Theatre Live: Frankenstein 2011 Frankenstein $3,351,486
9 The Winter's Tale 2015 The Winter's Tale $3,097,621
10 Billy Elliot the Musical Live 2014 Billy Elliot the Musical $2,815,788

References
  1. Sandahl, Linda J. (1987). Rock films: A viewer's guide to three decades of musicals, concerts, documentaries and soundtracks 1955-1986. Facts on File, Inc. p. 7. ISBN 0-8160-1281-4. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  2. Bailey, Jason (4 April 2016). "Glenn Ligon Deconstructs Richard Pryor's Stand-Up". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  3. Wickham, Ina (October 15, 1944). "Catching the Beat in Music World Today". Quad-City Times. p. 30. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. "Yehudi Menuhin and Alma Trio Player Scheduled to Appear in New Concert Film". Los Gatos Times-Saratoga Observer. December 17, 1948. p. 8. Retrieved October 17, 2023. Gordon...reports that the success of "Concert Magic", the first full length concert film to be produced, prompted plans for the filming of the second picture.
  5. Eil, Philip (29 July 2016). "This 1960 Jazz Film Shaped Concert Documentaries as We Know Them | NOISEY". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  6. Richards, Kevin (16 December 2009). "Legendary T.A.M.I. Show Featuring James Brown, The Rolling Stones, and More Coming To DVD « American Songwriter". Archived from the original on 25 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  7. "The Reel Top 40 Radio Repository - The History of Rock and Roll Demo". Reelradio.com. Archived from the original on 2009-06-20. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
  8. Hopkins, Jerry (April 5, 1969). "'Rockumentary' Radio Milestone". Rolling Stone. No. 30. p. 9.
  9. Aletti, Vince (August 31, 1972). "Our Latin Thing". Rolling Stone. No. 116. p. 42.
  10. Landau, Jon (July 19, 1973). "'Let the Good Times Roll' indeed". Rolling Stone. No. 139. pp. 62–63.
  11. Spires, Shari (December 26, 1980). "A 'Rockumentary' About the Beatles Comes to Sunrise". The Palm Beach Post.
  12. Times, Los Angeles (9 May 2013). "'This Is Spinal Tap' LP to be reissued June 11 -- on black vinyl". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  13. Oi, Mariko (2023-10-06). "Taylor Swift tour film tops $100m in advance ticket sales". BBC News. Retrieved 2023-10-07. That makes it the most profitable concert film in history, overtaking Justin Bieber's Never Say Never.
  14. Moreau, Jordan; Lang, Brent (2023-10-13). "Box Office: 'Taylor Swift: Eras Tour' Kicks Off With $2.8 Million in Previews". Variety. Retrieved 2023-10-14. The movie has already made $100 million in advance ticket sales, according to its distributor AMC Theatres. That makes it the highest-grossing concert film ever, surpassing Justin Bieber's "Never Say Never" ($99 million).
  15. Peters, Mitchell (2023-10-14). "Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' Film Headed Toward $100M Opening at Box Office". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
  16. "All Time Worldwide Box Office for Concert/Performance Movies". The Numbers. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  17. "Highest-grossing documentary film at the global box office". Guinness World Records. January 11, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  18. "Worldwide Box Office – Weekend Ending October 30, 2022". Comscore. 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  19. "Documentary Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams Takes $3.5M Box Office in One Night for Trafalgar Releasing". Deadline. November 15, 2018. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
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