U2: Estimated Revenue from Sphere Residency

U2 brought their Sphere residency in Las Vegas to a close over the weekend. As expected, the total amount of money brought in by the legendary band is mind-blowing.

Per Ultimate Classic Rock, the revenue for the 40-show residency is estimated to be $256 million. The outlet also noted 661,456 tickets were sold for the residency. Additionally, tickets were going for upwards of three times their face value on the secondary market. Needless to say, U2's Sphere residency was a massive success.

As previously reported, the venue cost $2.3 billion to build. In December 2023, The Hollywood Reporter noted the 17 shows U2 performed through Nov. 30 generated $30.7 million in revenue, which is an average of $1.8 million per show.

Additionally, The Sphere has screened Darren Aronofsky's film Postcards From Earth. Through Nov. 30, the state-of-the-art venue has hosted 111 screenings of the film, which has resulted in $44.5 million in revenue. This averages to $400,000 per screening. Altogether, these two attractions have generated over $75 million in revenue for the new venue.

With U2's residency officially in the books, Phish will be the next band to perform at The Sphere. Their show dates are currently April 18-21. After Phish, Dead & Company's "Dead Forever" residency will begin on May 16 and include the following dates.

-May 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 30 and 31.
-June 1, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22.

After Dead & Company, it's unknown who will have the next Sphere residency. However, rumors surfaced last week that The Eagles could be next. The band is in talks for a Sphere residency, but a deal has yet to be finalized.

The Eagles, of course, are currently in the middle of their farewell tour, which is appropriately called "The Long Goodbye." The band announced their farewell tour in July 2023. They confirmed the tour is "currently in the planning stages" and will be rolling out dates and venues once they are confirmed.

As of publishing, there is no set end date for the tour.

U2 has been one of the biggest bands of the past 50 years and for good reason: Their catalog is a prime example of a band evolving and growing up before the eyes of the world.

So far, U2 has released 14 studio albums. Their catalog also features live releases, box sets, compilations and more. In total, they have sold over 175 million records worldwide.

The legend of U2 had humble beginnings. Its four members -- Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. -- were all students at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin.

One day in 1976, Mullen Jr. put a flyer on the school's bulletin board searching for musicians to start a band. He was only 14 at the time. Among the people who responded were Bono (16), The Edge (15) and Clayton (16). The band's first practice was on September 25, 1976 in the kitchen of Mullen Jr.'s childhood home.

Who would've thought all of this success started with a just simple post on a bulletin board and a practice in a kitchen?!

U2's list of accolades is nothing short of insane. They've won 22 Grammy Awards out of 46 nominations. In 2005, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The band received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2022.

In addition to those awards, they've been a massive tour draw. Per Pollstar, U2 has sold over 26 million tickets since 1980. Their tours have grossed a staggering $2.12 million. The only other act to make more money on the road is the Rolling Stones with $2.16 million.

With all of this mind, we thought we'd take on the daunting task of ranking U2's best song. Scroll through the list below to see which songs from their vast catalog we think are their 50 best!