Summer was filled with a diverse group of performers traveling worldwide on tour. While some were headlining their first tour, others were music industry giants filling massive stadiums nightly. Here are some of the notable tours from the summer of 2024.
Chappell Roan - The Midwest Princess Tour
Pop singer-songwriter Chappell Roan released the album “The Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess” Sept. 22, 2023, but only gained popularity recently after opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her Guts tour starting in February 2024.
From February to April, Roan’s monthly listeners increased by more than 500% on Spotify. The pop singer and drag artist went from an underground queer icon to a global superstar seemingly overnight. Songs off the album such as “Red Wine Supernova,” “Pink Pony Club” and “Casual” are now massive commercial successes in mainstream media.
Roan has since sold out all of her headlining shows on The Midwest Princess Tour and performed at several of the biggest music festivals in the world, including Coachella in April and Lollapalooza in August. According to CNN, Roan’s set had the largest crowd in Lollapalooza history, surpassing the festival’s headliners. Roan’s set amassed approximately 110,000* audience members, who screamed her lyrics and participated in the TikTok famous “HOT TO GO!” dance.
Between her opening for Rodrigo, headlining her tour and performing at festivals, Roan’s music was heard everywhere over the summer. Roan’s success has her gearing up to be pop’s next big star.
Hozier - Unreal Unearth Tour
After releasing his third studio album “Unreal Unearth” in August 2023, indie-folk singer Hozier traveled the globe on his Unreal Unearth Tour. The tour’s initial leg started in the U.S. in April 2023 and ended in June 2023. He then announced a second leg, adding 37 shows between April and September 2024.
Between his summer shows, Hozier headlined at numerous festivals, including the Boston Calling Music Festival in May, Railbird Music Festival in June and Hinterland and Lollapalooza in August.
After gaining popularity from his hit Take Me to Church” in 2013, Hozier steadily gained a following and became known for his lyrical genius, stage presence and stunning live vocals. The “Unreal Unearth” tour is no exception – songs such as “Francesca,” “Cherry Wine” and “Work Song” were notably impressive performances, making for an unforgettable tour.
Zach Bryan - The Quittin’ Time Tour
Country singer Zach Bryan kicked off his The Quittin’ Time Tour March 2024 in Chicago, and he is set to end in Tulsa in December. As one of the biggest names in country music, Bryan consistently sells out shows, filling arenas and headlining festivals. Bryan played hits like “Something in the Orange,” “Overtime” and “Revival.”
Bryan headlined the Buckeye Country Superfest June 22 and 23 at the Ohio Stadium, along with artists like Billy Strings, Turnpike Troubadours, Charley Crockett, Charles Wesley Godwin and Levi Turner. After the release of his most recent album, “The Great American Bar Scene,” on July 4, Bryan’s discography continues to impress, making the “Quittin’ Time” tour a must-see show.
Childish Gambino - The New World Tour
Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, dropped two albums over the summer: “Atavista” and “Bando Stone and The New World." After a 6-year-long touring hiatus, Gambino’s “The New World Tour” started in August 2024 and is set to end in February 2025. However, “The New World Tour” is Glover’s final tour, as the artist confirmed his sixth album would be his last project undre the Childish Gambino name.
The show begins with songs from his new albums, mainly with songs from “Bando Stone and the New World.” For the second half of the show, Gambino travels through his immense discography, performing hits like “Les,” “Redbone,” “3005,” “Me and Your Mama” and “This is America.”
Gambino pulled out all the stops on his final tour, performing 28 songs from his expansive discography and incorporating cutting-edge technology in his set. The tour uses holograms, lasers and a new mechanism he coined the “light-binder,” which floats above the audience and moves across the stage as he performs. While his future in the music industry is unknown, “The New World Tour” is the perfect farewell to the Childish Gambino persona.
