On Saturday, July 8, Elton John bid farewell to his iconic Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, marking its grand finale. After an impressive run of nearly five years, the tour amassed a staggering $939.1 million in revenue and witnessed the sale of an incredible 6 million tickets, as confirmed by the figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.
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In January 2018, John sadly announced that he was retiring from touring. In September of the same year, he embarked on the tour, originally envisioning it as a three-year farewell. However, due to COVID-19, there was a two-year extension of the tour. Despite the unexpected circumstances, John remained committed to his promise to play for his fans one last time.
Continuing his reign as the Boxscore history’s highest-grossing tour, John further expanded his lead by adding 49 European arena dates to his already impressive repertoire. Additionally, he embarked on four separate North American legs, alternating between arenas and stadiums, along with two blocks of shows in Oceania.
Thanking his fans for following him along for the ride, he took to Instagram to share photos and videos of the tour throughout the years. “When we set off on my final tour in 2018, I couldn’t have foreseen in my wildest dreams the twists and turns and the highs and lows this tour – and the whole world – would have experienced in the next 5 years,” he wrote on Instagram.
“And every step of the way, my fans have been there. You have stuck with me, you have supported me, you have been patient and you have kept turning out for every single last show. Saturday night was magical. I’m trying to process it and I don’t think it will sink in for a while yet that I’m finally finished touring.
“I can’t tell you how much I’m going to miss you all and how much your support has humbled me – it will stay with me forever.”
John made headlines this week after he received an Emmy nomination on Wednesday morning for Best Variety Special (Live) for his Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodgers Stadium Special. The Disney + variety show showcased his final North American show.
Also taking to Instagram to celebrate, the singer noted, “It’s an honour for my Special to be recognized by the Academy. My final Dodger Stadium performance was bittersweet and an evening that I will never forget. My team @rocketentertainment, the talented @fulwell73productions, and everyone at @disneyplus went above and beyond to create a magical production, not only for me as I said goodbye to North America, but for my fans all over the world to enjoy for years to come!!”
John is now on the verge of becoming an EGOT should he win the Emmy award.
(Photo Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
