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[2] or a stand-up comedian.[3]
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Early history
edit
One of the earliest-known concert films is the 1944 film Adventure in Music.[4] 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.[5]
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.[6] The earliest known rock concert film is Rock’n’Roll, a 1959 feature film produced by the promoter Lee Gordon. As it also features some Jazz performances and was released prior to Jazz on a Summers Day, it arguably has claims to being the first Jazz concert film as well.
A latter notable concert film, the T.A.M.I. Show, featured acts such as The Beach Boys, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and the Rolling Stones.[7]
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
editRockumentary
editThe 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".[8][9] The term was subsequently used to describe concert films containing appearances by multiple artists.[10][11] Then, in 1976, the term was used by the promoters of the live musical production Beatlemania which documented the evolving career of The Beatles.[12] The 1984 mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap notably parodied the rockumentary genre.[13]
Others
editOther 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
editTaylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which has grossed $267 million worldwide,[14][15] is the highest-grossing concert film of all time; the previous record for the concert film was held by Justin Bieber: Never Say Never (2011).[16][17]
† Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 27 December 2024 in theaters around the world.
| Rank | Title | Year | Performer | Type | Worldwide gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | 2023 | Taylor Swift | Music | $267,100,000[15] |
| 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 | Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé | 2023 | Beyoncé | Music | $44,389,684 |
| 7 | The Original Kings of Comedy | 2000 | Steve Harvey · D.L. Hughley · Cedric the Entertainer · Bernie Mac | Stand-up | $38,236,338 |
| 8 | Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip | 1982 | Richard Pryor | Stand-up | $34,970,309 |
| 9 | Woodstock | 1970 | Various | Music | $34,699,266[19] |
| 10 | Katy Perry: Part of Me | 2012 | Katy Perry | $32,700,439 | |
| 12 | Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain | 2013 | Kevin Hart | Stand-up | $32,327,255 |
| 13 | Metallica Through the Never | 2013 | Metallica | $31,900,000 | |
| 14 | Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience | 2009 | Jonas Brothers | Music | $30,428,831 |
| 15 | BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas | 2023 | BTS | $29,291,883 | |
| 16 | Madonna: Truth or Dare | 1991 | Madonna | $29,012,935 | |
| 17 | U2 3D | 2008 | U2 | $26,170,402 | |
| 18 | Kevin Hart: What Now? | 2016 | Kevin Hart | Stand-up | $23,591,043 |
| 19 | Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat | 2002 | Martin Lawrence | $19,184,820 | |
| 20 | Glee: The 3D Concert Movie | 2011 | Glee | Music | $17,462,398 |
| 21 | Richard Pryor: Here and Now | 1983 | Richard Pryor | Stand-up | $16,156,776 |
| 22 | Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers | 2021 | The Chosen | Religion | $13,388,000 |
| 23 | You So Crazy | 1994 | Martin Lawrence | Stand-up | $10,184,701 |
| 24 | Burn the Stage: The Movie | 2018 | BTS | Music | $9,881,954 |
| 25 | U2: Rattle and Hum | 1988 | U2 | $8,600,823 | |
| 26 | Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires | 2022 | Coldplay | $8,400,000[20] | |
| 27 | Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain | 2011 | Kevin Hart | Stand-up | $7,712,436 |
| 28 | Mayday Life | 2019 | Mayday | Music | $7,272,220 |
| 29 | The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall | 2012 | The Phantom of the Opera | Stage production | $7,106,631 |
| 30 | Prima Facie | 2022 | Prima Facie | $6,646,622 | |
| 31 | BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul | 2019 | BTS | Music | $6,587,004 |
| 32 | Stop Making Sense | 1984 | Talking Heads | $5,694,759 | |
| 33 | Hamlet | 2015 | Hamlet | Stage production | $5,350,452 |
| 34 | Divine Madness | 2018 | Bette Midler | Music | $5,318,098 |
| 35 | Les Misérables: The Staged Concert | 2019 | Les Misérables | Stage production | $5,042,935 |
| 36 | IM Hero: The Final | 2023 | Lim Young-woong | Music | $4,514,656 |
| 37 | National Theatre Live: The Audience | 2013 | The Audience | Stage production | $4,330,068 |
| 38 | Romeo and Juliet (Secret Cinema 2018) | 2018 | Romeo and Juliet | $4,282,983 | |
| 39 | André Rieu 2018 Maastricht Concert | 2018 | André Rieu | Music | $3,869,719 |
| 40 | André Rieu: 70 Years Young | 2020 | $3,788,405 | ||
| 41 | Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Performance | 2016 | Miss Saigon | Stage play | $3,720,532 |
| 42 | Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams | 2018 | Coldplay | Music | $3,500,000[21] |
| 44 | André Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert | 2019 | André Rieu | $3,495,372 | |
| 44 | National Theatre Live: Frankenstein | 2011 | Frankenstein | Stage production | $3,351,486 |
| 45 | Let's Spend the Night Together | 1983 | The Rolling Stones | Music | $3,282,561 |
| 46 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor | 2017 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. · Conor McGregor | Sports | $3,250,019 |
| 47 | André Rieu's 2016 Maastricht Concert | 2016 | André Rieu | Music | $3,220,727 |
| 48 | The Winter's Tale | 2015 | The Winter's Tale | Stage production | $3,097,621 |
| 49 | André Rieu's 2017 Maastricht Concert | 2017 | André Rieu | Music | $3,097,621 |
| 50 | The Met: Live in HD – Aida | 2013 | Aida | $2,943,797 |
Music
editThe 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 December 2024 in theaters around the world.
| Rank | Title | Year | Performer | Worldwide gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour | 2023 | Taylor Swift | $267,100,000[15] |
| 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 | Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé | 2023 | Beyoncé | $44,043,065 |
| 6 | Woodstock | 1970 | Various | $34,699,266[19] |
| 7 | Katy Perry: Part of Me | 2012 | Katy Perry | $32,700,439 |
| 8 | Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul: Live Viewing | 2022 | BTS | $32,600,000 |
| 9 | Metallica Through the Never | 2013 | Metallica | $31,900,000 |
| 10 | Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience | 2009 | Jonas Brothers | $30,428,831 |
| 11 | BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas | 2023 | BTS | $29,291,883 |
| 12 | Madonna: Truth or Dare | 1991 | Madonna | $29,012,935 |
| 13 | U2 3D | 2008 | U2 | $26,170,402 |
| 14 | Burn the Stage: The Movie | 2018 | BTS | $20,347,513 |
| 15 | U2: Rattle and Hum | 1988 | U2 | $8,600,823 |
| 16 | Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires | 2022 | Coldplay | $8,400,000[20] |
| 17 | Mayday Life | 2019 | Mayday | $7,272,220 |
| 18 | BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul | 2019 | BTS | $6,587,004 |
| 19 | Stop Making Sense | 1984 | Talking Heads | $5,694,759 |
| 20 | Divine Madness | 2018 | Bette Midler | $5,318,098 |
| 21 | IM Hero: The Final | 2023 | Lim Young-woong | $4,514,656 |
| 22 | André Rieu 2018 Maastricht Concert | 2018 | André Rieu | $3,869,719 |
| 23 | André Rieu: 70 Years Young | 2020 | $3,788,405 | |
| 24 | Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams | 2018 | Coldplay | $3,500,000[21] |
| 25 | André Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert | 2019 | André Rieu | $3,495,372 |
| 26 | Let's Spend the Night Together | 1983 | The Rolling Stones | $3,282,561 |
| 27 | André Rieu's 2016 Maastricht Concert | 2016 | André Rieu | $3,220,727 |
| 28 | André Rieu's 2017 Maastricht Concert | 2017 | $3,097,621 | |
| 29 | The Met: Live in HD – Aida | 2013 | Aida | $2,943,797 |
| 30 | The Beatles Get Back: The Rooftop Concert | 2022 | The Beatles | $2,881,726 |
| 31 | André Rieu's 2015 Maastricht Concert | 2015 | André Rieu | $2,862,599 |
| 32 | André Rieu: Christmas with Andre 2016 | 2016 | $2,809,890 | |
| 33 | André Rieu's Sydney Town Hall Concert – An Australian Celebration | 2018 | $2,806,603 | |
| 34 | Greatest Hits Live | 2019 | Take That | $2,549,176 |
| 35 | Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest | 2019 | Depeche Mode | $2,442,030 |
| 36 | André Rieu's 2014 Maastricht Concert | 2014 | André Rieu | $2,190,155 |
| 37 | Metallica & San Francisco Symphony S&M2 | 2019 | Metallica · San Francisco Symphony | $2,179,640 |
| 38 | Billie Eilish Live at the O2 | 2023 | Billie Eilish | $2,117,195 |
| 39 | André Rieu 2023 Maastricht Concert: Love is All Around | André Rieu | $1,897,239 | |
| 40 | André Rieu Live in Dublin | $1,826,384 | ||
| 41 | N'SYNC: Bigger Than Live | 2001 | NSYNC | $1,808,679 |
| 42 | Cliff Richard Live: 60th Anniversary Tour | 2018 | Cliff Richard | $1,686,021 |
| 43 | Rammstein: Paris | 2017 | Rammstein | $1,658,090 |
| 44 | Twenty One Pilots: Cinema Experience | 2022 | Twenty One Pilots | $1,560,000 |
| 45 | André Rieu: Christmas with André 2021 | 2021 | André Rieu | $1,559,304 |
| 46 | Take That Live 2015 | 2015 | Take That | $1,553,608 |
| 47 | Take That: Wonderland Live from the O2 | 2017 | $1,422,889 | |
| 48 | Big Bang Made | 2016 | BigBang | $1,404,745 |
| 49 | André Rieu's: Magical Maastricht – Together in Music | 2020 | André Rieu | $1,295,288 |
| 50 | David Gilmour Live at Pompei | 2017 | David Gilmour | $1,273,347 |
Stand-up
edit| 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 | Martin Lawrence: 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
edit- † Background shading indicates films playing in the week commencing 27 December 2024 in theaters around the world.
| Rank | Title | Year | Performance | 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 |
| 11 | The London Palladium: The King and I | 2018 | The King and I | $2,692,907 |
| 12 | George Balanchine's The Nutcracker | 2011 | The Nutcracker | $2,119,994 |
| 13 | National Theatre Live: Present Laughter | 2019 | Present Laughter | $2,033,526 |
| 14 | A Little Life | 2023 | A Little Life | $2,033,043 |
| 15 | Kinky Boots – The Musical | 2020 | Kinky Boots – The Musical | $1,997,631 |
| 16 | National Theatre Live: A View From the Bridge | 2015 | A View From the Bridge | $1,943,723 |
| 17 | Met Opera: Porgy and Bess | 2020 | Porgy and Bess | $1,913,398 |
| 18 | National Theatre Live: Follies | 2017 | Follies | $1,842,192 |
| 19 | Met Opera: La Boheme | 2018 | La Boheme | $1,774,848 |
| 20 | National Theatre Live: One Man Two Guvnors | 2011 | One Man Two Guvnors | $1,714,891 |
| 21 | National Theatre Live: All About Eve | 2019 | All About Eve | $1,710,659 |
| 22 | Met Opera: Madama Butterfly | 2019 | Madama Butterfly | $1,696,923 |
| 23 | National Theatre Live: Good | 2023 | Good | $1,674,053 |
| 24 | National Theatre Live: Of Mice and Men | 2014 | Of Mice and Men | $1,664,500 |
| 25 | Royal Opera House: The Nutcracker | 2017 | The Nutcracker | $1,635,459 |
| 26 | National Theatre Live: The Lehman Trilogy | 2019 | The Lehman Trilogy | $1,531,395 |
| 27 | Royal Opera House: The Nutcracker | 2018 | The Nutcracker | $1,512,712 |
| 28 | Met Opera: Turandot (2018) Encore (2018) | 2018 | Turandot · Encore | $1,500,000 |
| 29 | Met Opera: Der Rosenkavalier | 2017 | Der Rosenkavalier | $1,498,974 |
| 30 | The Nutcracker Royal Ballet | 2015 | The Nutcracker | $1,494,137 |
| 31 | All My Sons | 2019 | All My Sons | $1,454,828 |
| 32 | Met Opera – Agrippina | 2020 | Agrippina | $1,453,796 |
| 33 | No Man's Land – NT Live 2016 | 2016 | No Man's Land | $1,380,144 |
| 34 | Allelujah! | 2018 | Allelujah! | $1,347,137 |
| 35 | De Club van Sinterklaas & Het Grote Pietenfees | 2020 | De Club van Sinterklaas | $1,336,192 |
| 36 | National Theatre Live: Hansard | 2019 | Hansard | $1,318,622 |
| 37 | National Theater Live 2017: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | 2017 | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead | $1,245,590 |
| 38 | NT Live: Yerma | 2017 | Yerma | $1,238,299 |
| 39 | Branagh Theatre Live: Romeo & Juliet 2016 | 2016 | Romeo and Juliet | $1,223,663 |
| 40 | National Theatre Live: Twelfth Night | 2017 | Twelfth Night | $1,210,769 |
| 41 | National Theater Live: Cyrano de Bergerac | 2020 | Cyrano de Bergerac | $1,195,764 |
| 42 | The Nutcracker – Royal Opera, London | 2016 | The Nutcracker | $1,188,225 |
| 43 | National Theatre Live: Small Island | 2019 | Small Island | $1,180,476 |
| 44 | National Theater Live Amadeus | 2017 | Live Amadeus | $1,151,772 |
| 45 | NT Live: Les Liaisons Dangereuses | 2016 | Les Liaisons Dangereuses | $1,135,686 |
| 46 | Royal Opera House Swan Lake | 2018 | Swan Lake | $1,131,961 |
| 47 | Royal Opera House The Sleeping Beauty | 2020 | Sleeping Beauty | $1,097,859 |
| 48 | National Theater Live Hedda Gabler | 2017 | Hedda Gabler | $1,085,982 |
| 49 | National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | 2018 | Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | $1,071,526 |
| 50 | Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake | 2019 | Swan Lake | $1,068,862 |
References
edit- ^ "Highest-grossing concert or performance film at the global box office". Guinness World Records. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Bailey, Jason (4 April 2016). "Glenn Ligon Deconstructs Richard Pryor's Stand-Up". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ Wickham, Ina (October 15, 1944). "Catching the Beat in Music World Today". Quad-City Times. p. 30. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Eil, Philip (29 July 2016). "This 1960 Jazz Film Shaped Concert Documentaries as We Know Them | NOISEY". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Hopkins, Jerry (April 5, 1969). "'Rockumentary' Radio Milestone". Rolling Stone. No. 30. p. 9.
- ^ Aletti, Vince (August 31, 1972). "Our Latin Thing". Rolling Stone. No. 116. p. 42.
- ^ Landau, Jon (July 19, 1973). "'Let the Good Times Roll' indeed". Rolling Stone. No. 139. pp. 62–63.
- ^ Spires, Shari (December 26, 1980). "A 'Rockumentary' About the Beatles Comes to Sunrise". The Palm Beach Post. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013.
- ^ Lewis, Randy (9 May 2013). "'This Is Spinal Tap' LP to be reissued June 11 -- on black vinyl". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
- ^ "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^ a b c D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 29, 2024). "'Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour' Writes Her Name As No. 7 In Deadline's 2023 Most Valuable Blockbuster Tournament". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour — Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
- ^ 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).
- ^ a b c d "All Time Worldwide Box Office for Concert/Performance Movies". The Numbers. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
- ^ a b "Woodstock". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
- ^ a b "Coldplay to Premiere Buenos Aires Concert on Veeps". IQ. 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ a b "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.