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Concert film

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Taylor Swift performing at the Eras Tour in 2023
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023) is the highest-grossing concert film of all time—a feat recognized in the Guinness World Records.[1]

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]

Early history

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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.[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

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Rockumentary

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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".[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

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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

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Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which has grossed over $261 million worldwide, is the highest-grossing concert film of all time;[14][15] 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 6 December 2024 in theaters around the world.
Highest-grossing concert films[18]
Title Year Performer Type Worldwide gross
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour 2023 Taylor Swift Music $261,656,269[14][15]
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never 2011 Justin Bieber $99,034,125
Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert 2008 Miley Cyrus $70,712,099
One Direction: This Is Us 2013 One Direction $68,729,506
Eddie Murphy Raw 1987 Eddie Murphy Stand-up $50,504,655
Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé 2023 Beyoncé Music $44,389,684
The Original Kings of Comedy 2000 Steve Harvey · D.L. Hughley · Cedric the Entertainer · Bernie Mac Stand-up $38,236,338
Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip 1982 Richard Pryor Stand-up $34,970,309
Woodstock 1970 Various Music $34,699,266[19]
Katy Perry: Part of Me 2012 Katy Perry $32,700,439
Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain 2013 Kevin Hart Stand-up $32,327,255
Metallica Through the Never 2013 Metallica Music $31,900,000
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience 2009 Jonas Brothers $30,428,831
BTS: Yet to Come in Cinemas 2023 BTS $29,291,883
Madonna: Truth or Dare 1991 Madonna $29,012,935
U2 3D 2008 U2 $26,170,402
Kevin Hart: What Now? 2016 Kevin Hart Stand-up $23,591,043
Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat 2002 Martin Lawrence $19,184,820
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie 2011 Glee Music $17,462,398
Richard Pryor: Here and Now 1983 Richard Pryor Stand-up $16,156,776
Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers 2021 The Chosen Religion $13,388,000
You So Crazy 1994 Martin Lawrence Stand-up $10,184,701
Burn the Stage: The Movie 2018 BTS Music $9,881,954
U2: Rattle and Hum 1988 U2 $8,600,823
Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires 2022 Coldplay $8,400,000[20]
Kevin Hart: Laugh at My Pain 2011 Kevin Hart Stand-up $7,712,436
Mayday Life 2019 Mayday Music $7,272,220
The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall 2012 The Phantom of the Opera Stage production $7,106,631
Prima Facie 2022 Prima Facie $6,646,622
BTS World Tour: Love Yourself in Seoul 2019 BTS Music $6,587,004
Stop Making Sense 1984 Talking Heads $5,694,759
Hamlet 2015 Hamlet Stage production $5,350,452
Divine Madness 2018 Bette Midler Music $5,318,098
Les Misérables: The Staged Concert 2019 Les Misérables Stage production $5,042,935
IM Hero: The Final 2023 Lim Young-woong Music $4,514,656
National Theatre Live: The Audience 2013 The Audience Stage production $4,330,068
Romeo and Juliet (Secret Cinema 2018) 2018 Romeo and Juliet $4,282,983
André Rieu 2018 Maastricht Concert 2018 André Rieu Music $3,869,719
André Rieu: 70 Years Young 2020 $3,788,405
Miss Saigon 25th Anniversary Performance 2016 Miss Saigon Stage play $3,720,532
Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams 2018 Coldplay Music $3,500,000[21]
André Rieu 2019 Maastricht Concert 2019 André Rieu $3,495,372
National Theatre Live: Frankenstein 2011 Frankenstein Stage production $3,351,486
Let's Spend the Night Together 1983 The Rolling Stones Music $3,282,561
Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor 2017 Floyd Mayweather Jr. · Conor McGregor Sports $3,250,019
André Rieu's 2016 Maastricht Concert 2016 André Rieu Music $3,220,727
The Winter's Tale 2015 The Winter's Tale Stage production $3,097,621
André Rieu's 2017 Maastricht Concert 2017 André Rieu Music $3,097,621
The Met: Live in HD – Aida 2013 Aida $2,943,797
The Beatles Get Back: The Rooftop Concert 2022 The Beatles $2,881,726
André Rieu's 2015 Maastricht Concert 2015 André Rieu Stage production $2,862,599
Billy Elliot the Musical Live 2014 Billy Elliot the Musical $2,815,788
André Rieu: Christmas with Andre 2016 2016 André Rieu $2,809,890
André Rieu's Sydney Town Hall Concert – An Australian Celebration 2018 $2,806,603
The London Palladium: The King and I 2018 The King and I $2,692,907
Greatest Hits Live 2019 Take That Music $2,549,176
Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest 2019 Depeche Mode $2,442,030
André Rieu's 2014 Maastricht Concert 2014 André Rieu Stage production $2,190,155
Metallica & San Francisco Symphony S&M2 2019 Metallica · San Francisco Symphony Music $2,179,640
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker 2011 The Nutcracker Stage production $2,119,994
Billie Eilish Live at the O2 2023 Billie Eilish Music $2,117,195
National Theatre Live: Present Laughter 2019 Present Laughter Stage production $2,033,526
A Little Life 2023 A Little Life $2,033,043
Kinky Boots – The Musical 2020 Kinky Boots $1,997,631
National Theatre Live: A View From the Bridge 2015 A View From the Bridge $1,943,723
Met Opera: Porgy and Bess 2020 Porgy and Bess $1,913,398
André Rieu 2023 Maastricht Concert: Love is All Around 2023 André Rieu $1,897,239
National Theatre Live: Follies 2017 Follies $1,842,192
NSYNC: Bigger Than Live 2001 NSYNC Music $1,808,679
Met Opera: La Boheme 2018 La Boheme Stage production $1,774,848

References

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  1. ^ "Highest-grossing concert or performance film at the global box office". Guinness World Records. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Bailey, Jason (4 April 2016). "Glenn Ligon Deconstructs Richard Pryor's Stand-Up". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  4. ^ Wickham, Ina (October 15, 1944). "Catching the Beat in Music World Today". Quad-City Times. p. 30. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ Eil, Philip (29 July 2016). "This 1960 Jazz Film Shaped Concert Documentaries as We Know Them | NOISEY". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ Hopkins, Jerry (April 5, 1969). "'Rockumentary' Radio Milestone". Rolling Stone. No. 30. p. 9.
  10. ^ Aletti, Vince (August 31, 1972). "Our Latin Thing". Rolling Stone. No. 116. p. 42.
  11. ^ Landau, Jon (July 19, 1973). "'Let the Good Times Roll' indeed". Rolling Stone. No. 139. pp. 62–63.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ a b "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  15. ^ a b Horowitz, Steven J. (8 January 2024). "Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' Becomes Highest-Grossing Concert Film of All Time, Surpassing Michael Jackson". Variety. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour — Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  17. ^ 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).
  18. ^ "All Time Worldwide Box Office for Concert/Performance Movies". The Numbers. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  19. ^ "Woodstock". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
  20. ^ "Coldplay to Premiere Buenos Aires Concert on Veeps". IQ. 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  21. ^ "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.