First, American Idol's television ratings went up. So did the vote totals, then the music sales. Now, in its 10th year, the American Idols Live tour has rebounded from a soft 2010 and is once again pulling in crowds.
This year's tour, led by 17-year-old country singer Scotty McCreery, has sold out at least eight concerts since launching in Salt Lake City on July 6. Through the first 14 dates — the ones reported by promoter AEG Live to Billboard's Boxscore chart — Idols Live is selling 97% of its tickets, with an average venue size of 8,100.
Last week's schedule included sold-out hometown stops for McCreery in Raleigh, N.C., and Lauren Alaina in Atlanta, resulting in some of the tour's largest crowds. The tour finishes Sept. 10 in Rochester, N.Y.
In general, "it's a good year for touring," says Billboard touring editor Ray Waddell. That's especially true for the Idols tour: "Obviously, the tour is driven by the success of the TV show. The more compelling the acts that compete, the more charismatic they are, the tighter the competition, the better the tour will do. The whole profile of American Idol got a nice boost this year."
Last summer's cast often played to half-full arenas, prompting Live Nation, which promoted the 2010 tour, to cancel seven dates and bring the tour to an early, limping halt. At the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., an early venue both this year and last, ticket sales more than doubled — 8,695 vs. just 4,013 in 2010. An adjustment in pricing may be helping sales. The best seats, about $70-$90 for the 2010 tour, are usually $65 this year; the average ticket price is $55.
Four members of American Idol Season 10 already have record deals. McCreery has sold more than 440,000 copies of his debut single, I Love You This Big, which is now No. 17 on USA TODAY's country airplay chart. He says he expects to release his first album in early fall. Runner-up Alaina and ninth-place Pia Toscano also have released singles, and last week, 19 Recordings/Interscope announced the signing of Haley Reinhart, who finished third. McCreery takes the tour's success in stride. "It's something that every artist dreams of," he says, "touring the country and selling out arenas. So it's really cool to be doing this."