Today is January 3rd, which means there are still 363 concert-going days left in 2018. That’s a lot of time to spend at clubs, theaters, festivals, and stadiums, and the opportunity to both take in a long-favorite act or discover something new. And while a lot of how concerts in 2018 will shape up remains a mystery at this point, there has already been a wealth of announced tours, and even more hinted at. Multiple One Directioners will hit the road solo, while artists like N.E.R.D., The Weeknd, and Arcade Fire have already unveiled their activity via festival bookings. Below, we’ve rounded up the 25 that we’re most excited about in 2018 in a list that will surely need to be amended as the year unfolds.
25. Brockhampton
Is there any musical project more primed for a breakout 2018 than Brockhampton? The Texan hip-hop collective has more members on their team than the Lakers, which by all accounts makes for an invigorating, if chaotic, live experience. It all reminds of the hype that came out on Odd Future in their early days, and if anyone remembers, those early shows when they hype was peaking were ones for the ages. Expect their name to be on a lot of festival lineups when those start coming out, but for now, it’s small venues that they will be tearing up on their ascent to the top.–Philip Cosores
01/16 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
01/17 — Houston, TX @ House of Blues
01/19 — San Antonio, TX @ Aztec
01/20 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s
01/22 — New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
01/23 — Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theater
01/25 — Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution
01/26 — Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
01/28 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
01/29 — Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theater
01/30 — Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
02/02 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
02/03 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
02/05 — Boston, MA @ House of Blues
02/06 — Montreal, QC @ Corona
02/08 — Toronto, ON @ Rebel Theater
02/10 — Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
02/11 — Detroit, MI @ Magestic
02/13 — Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
02/15 — Minneapolis, MN @ Music Hall
02/16 — Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II (Downstairs)
02/18 — Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
02/20 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
02/21 — Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
02/22 — Denver, CO @ The Ogden
02/24 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
02/26 — Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue
02/27 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
03/02 — Portland, OR @ Crystal
03/03 — San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theater
03/05 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
03/07 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
24. Foo Fighters
By now, we’re getting used to the cycle: Foo Fighters release a record, tour non-stop for nearly two years, announce they’re taking a break, confirm it’s not a break up, then emerge from the studio with another brand new record about a year later. Concrete And Gold was released a few months ago, which means we are entering the penultimate stage of the cycle, something to certainly get excited about. Over 20 years into their hit-making career, the Foos have mastered the arena rock performance, touching upon both new and old material to craft a hard-hitting marathon performance for fans. The band has plans for a massive tour of arenas and stadiums across the globe from from Perth, Australia to San Jose, California before the year is out. Although support for many of the North American dates still has yet to be announced, fans in Australia and Brazil are definitely in for a treat, as Weezer and Queens Of The Stone Age respectively will be joining the Foos on the road. Something to note: if the Foo Fighters are bringing their marathon live show to a city near you, do yourself a favor and drink a cup of coffee before heading to the gig — it’s going to be a long night.–Zac Gelfand
01/20 — Perth, AUS @ nib Stadium*
01/23 — Hindmarsh, AUS @ Coopers Stadium*
01/25 — Brisbane, AUS @ Suncorp Stadium*
01/27 — Sydney, AUS @ ANZ Stadium*
01/30 — Melbourne, AUS @ Etihad Stadium*
02/03 — Penrose, NZ @ Mt Smart Stadium
02/25 — Rio De Janeiro, BR @ Maracaña^
02/27 — São Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque^
02/28 — São Paulo, BR @ Allianz Parque^
03/02 — Curitiba, BR @ Pedreira Paulo Leminski^
03/04 — Porto Alegre, BR @ Estádio Beira-Rio
03/07 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Estadio de Velez Sarsfield
04/18 — Austin, TX @ Austin360 Amphitheater
04/19 — The Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
04/21 — Dallas, TX @ Starplex Pavilion
04/22 — Bossier City, LA @ CenturyLink Center
04/26 — West Palm Beach, FL @ Coral Sky Amphitheatre at the South Florida Fairgrounds
04/27 — Jacksonville FL @ Welcome to Rockville 2018
04/28 — Atlanta, GA @ Georgia State Stadium
05/01 — Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena
05/03 — Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum%
05/04 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
06/10 — Hamburg, HR @ Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld
06/11 — Antwerp, BE @ Sportpaleis
06/14 — Florence, IT @ Firenze Rocks Festival
06/19 — Manchester, UK @ Eithad Stadium
06/22 — London, UK @ London Stadium
06/23 — London, UK @ London Stadium
07/07 — Camden, NJ @ BB&T Pavilion
07/12 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
07/14 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater
07/16 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
07/17 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
07/19 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
07/21 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/22 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park
07/25 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
07/26 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
07/29 — Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
07/30 — Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field
09/01 — Seattle, WA @ Safeco Field
09/04 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
09/06 — Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
09/08 — Vancouver, BA @ Rogers Arena
09/10 — Portland, OR @ The Mood Center
09/12 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
* w/ Weezer
^ w/ Queens of the Stone Age
%w/ The Struts
23. Fever Ray
Fever Ray’s surprise return this past October came to the delight of longtime fans, who hadn’t heard much from the leftfield pop performer since 2010, the last time she’d hit the road. Karin Dreijer Andersson had used the break between records for one last tour with her brother in The Knife, which resulted in an incredible spectacle that saw the lines between music, dance, performer and backing band all fall away. Whether the live return of Dreijer’s solo outing will take her to similar extremes is uncertain, but how she’ll marry the pale goth material from her 2009 self-titled debut with the violent and sexual chaos of Plunge will make these tour stops essential.–Michael Rancic
02/20 — Milan, Italy @ Fabrique
02/22 — Munich, Germany @ Muffathalle
02/23 — Lausanne, Switzerland @ Les Docks
02/24 — Zurich, Switzerland @ Volkshaus
02/26 — Prague, Czechia @ Forum Karlin
02/28 — Berlin, Germany @ Columbiahalle
03/01 — Warsaw, Poland @ Klub Progresja
03/02 — Vilnius, Lithuania @ The Hall Compensa
03/04 — Helsinki, Finland @ The Circus
03/13 — Hamburg, Germany @ Docks
03/14 — Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
03/15 — Brussels, Belgium @ AB
03/17 — Cologne, Germany @ Palladium
03/19 — Paris, France @ L’Olympia
03/20 — London, England @ Troxy
03/21 — Manchester, England @ Albert Hall
03/31 — Lund, Sweden @ Mejeriet
04/02 — Bergen, Norway @ USF Verftet
04/03 — Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene
04/04 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Vega
04/06 — Stockholm, Sweden @ Nobelberget
22. Electric Light Orchestra
It’s been 35 years since Jeff Lynne’s group Electric Light Orchestra hit America for a live tour. To put that in perspective, the last time ELO played an extensive run in the US, Ronald Reagan was in his first term as President, gas was $1.35 a gallon, and Donald Trump hadn’t even filed for his first bankruptcy yet. In 2018, the ‘70s pop-rock outfit looks to break that drought with a limited run through some of the biggest municipalities in the country throughout most of the late summer. “Our audiences are amazing,” Lynne said in a statement. “It’s like they’re in the group. We can’t wait to play for them again.” Neither can we.–Corbin Reiff
08/02 — Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
08/04-05 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
08/08 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
08/10 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
08/13 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
08/15 — Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
08/16 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
08/18 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
08/21-22 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
08/24 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
21. Big KRIT
To paraphrase a great philosopher: The king has returned. It’s hard to believe that there was really a three-year gap between Big KRIT’s albums Cadillactica and his latest 4Eva Is A Mighty Long Time, but with that hiatus came wisdom, growth, and self-reflection that hasn’t dulled the high-energy infectiousness of his 808-laced sound. That bass-heavy, soulful vibe always translates to a great show, and if his stage performance is as reinvigorated as his production and lyricism is on his new album, KRIT is likely to rule the stage as well.–Aaron Williams
03/15 — Little Rock, AR @ Revolution Music Room
03/16 — St. Louis, MO @ Ready Room
03/17 — Louisville, KY @ Mercury
03/18 — Cleveland, OH @House of Blues
03/19 — Philadelphia, PA@ Union Transfer
03/20 — Boston, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
03/22 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore with Ty Dolla $ign
03/23 — New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
03/24 — Norfolk, VA @ The Norva with Ty Dolla $ign
03/25 — Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz with Ty Dolla $ign
03/27 — Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel with Ty Dolla $ign
03/28 — Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal
03/29 — Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom
03/30 — Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
03/31 — Columbia, SC @ Music Farm
04/01 — Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
04/03 — Knoxville, TN @ The International
04/04 — Memphis, TN @ New Daisy Theatre
04/05 — Jackson, MS @ Hal & Mal’s
04/06 — Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
04/07 — Atlanta, GA @ The Tabernacle
04/08 — Birmingham, AL @ Zydeco
04/11 — New Orleans, LA @ House Of Blues
04/12 — Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
04/13 — Dallas, TX @ Bomb Factory
04/14 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s
04/15 — San Antonio, TX @ Alamo City Music Hall
04/19 — Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
04/20 — San Diego, CA @ Music Box
04/21 — San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
04/22 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
04/25 — Denver, CO @ Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom
04/26 — Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
04/27 — Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
04/28 — Chicago, IL @ Metro
20. St. Vincent
St. Vincent’ Fear The Future tour is already divisive. Some complained that she used backing tracks and didn’t have a band in tow with her, while other noted the fully-formed capital-I Ideas behind the performances. Everything from the career-spanning song selection to the choreography to the costumes highlights an artist at the top of her game. In 2018, the tour will continue across America and to music festivals. And we wouldn’t be surprised if St. Vincent turned the whole thing on its head at some point.–P.C.
01/09 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
01/10 — Columbus, OH @ Express Live
01/12 — Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
01/13 — Omaha, NE @ Kiewit Concert Hall at Holland Performing Arts Center
01/15 — Denver, CO @ Filmmore Auditorium
01/19 — Seattle, WA @ The Moore Theatre
01/20 — Portland, OR @ Keller Auditorium
01/22 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
01/25 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
01/26 — Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren
01/27 — San Diego, CA @ Observatory
19. Miguel
Miguel’s War & Leisure was a politically-tinged, seductive slice of dance-pop rebellion, and he’s always been known to put on a stellar show. He takes risks, which always lends to something spectacular, even if it’s not always what he or the audience expects. But that’s why you got to shows; yes, you know all the songs, but you also want the artist to find a way to surprise you. War & Leisure did just that, so I wouldn’t expect anything less from his tour promoting it.–A.W.
02/22 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
02/23 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo
02/24 — Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum
02/26 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
02/27 — Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
02/28 — Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
03/02 — St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
03/03 — Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater
03/05 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
03/08 — Cincinnati, OH @ Taft Theatre
03/09 — Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
03/10 — Cleveland, OH @ The Agora Theatre
03/12 — Toronto, ON @ Rebel
03/13 — London, ON @ London Music Hall
03/15 — Albany, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
03/16 — New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
03/17 — Providence, RI @ The Strand Theatre
03/19 — Boston, MA @ House Of Blues Boston
03/20 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
03/21 — Baltimore, MD @The Modell Lyric
03/23 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
03/24 — Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
03/25 — Charlottesville, VA @ The Jefferson Theater
03/27 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy
03/28 — Matthews, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
03/29 — Orlando, FL @ The Plaza Live
03/30 — Miami, FL @ The Fillmore Miami Beach
04/01 — Tampa, FL @ The Ritz Ybor
04/03 — Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
04/04 — Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues Dallas
04/06 — Austin, TX @ Stubb’s
04/07 — San Antonio, TX @ The Aztec Theatre
04/09 — Tucson, AZ @ The Rialto Theatre
04/12 — Berkeley, CA @ The Greek Theatre
18. Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne spent the bulk of 2016 traveling the world with Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi bringing an end to the legendary heavy metal group Black Sabbath. With that band officially cosigned to the history books, Ozzy looks to do the same to his career as a live solo entertainer beginning in 2018 with what he’s calling his farewell tour. “This will be my final world tour, but I can’t say I won’t do some shows here and there,” the Ozzman declared in a press release announcing the run. That being said, my best advice would be to catch him now while you’re still able. Outside of a few festival appearances in the spring which have already been revealed, a full list of dates for the North American leg is expected to be announced shortly.–C.R.
04/27 — Jacksonville, FL @ Rockville Live
04/28 — Sunrise, FL @ Fort Rock Festival
05/05 — Mexico City, Mexico @ Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
05/08 — Santiago, Chile @ Pista Atletica
05/11 — Buenos Aires, Argentina @ TBA
05/13 — São Paulo, Brazil @ Allianz Parqu
05/16 — Curitiba, Brazil @ Pedreira Paulo Leminksi
05/18 — Belo Horizonte, Brazil @ Esplanada do Mineirão
05/20 — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil @ Apoteose
06/01 — Moscow, Russia @ Olympiisky
06/03 — St. Petersburg, Russia @ Ice Palace (Ledovi Dvorets)
06/06 — Finland @ TBA
06/08 — Solvesborg, Sweden @ Sweden Rock Festival
06/10 — Donington, UK @ Download Festival
06/13 — Prague, Czech Republic @ Airport Letnany
06/15 — Paris, France @ Download Festival
06/17 — Firenze, Italy @ Firenze Rocks Festival
06/20 — Halden, Norway @ Tons of Rock Festival
06/22 — Copenhagen, Denmark @ Copenhell Festival
06/24 — Dessel, Belgium @Graspop Metal Meeting
06/26 — Krakow, Poland @ Impact Festival
06/28 — Oberhausen, Germany @ König-Pilsnet Arena
06/30 — Madrid, Spain @ Download Festival
07/02 — Lisbon, Portugal @ Meo Arena
07/05 — Barcelona, Spain @ Barcelona Rock Fest
07/08 — Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel @ Live Park
17. Khalid
After going from 100 people at his first “official” show to damn near closing down the Santa Monica Pier, Khalid’s earned his place as R&B’s breakout star of 2017. Those fans on the beach were down there for a reason and repaid their frantic adulation back in spades. Khalid is a singer who sounds live the same way he sounds on records, making this one of the best investments of your time and money you’re likely to make.–A.W.
05/03 — Seattle, WA @ Wamu Theatre
05/05 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
05/06 — San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
05/07 — Davis, CA @ UC Davis Arc Pavilionphoenix
05/09 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
05/10 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
05/11 — Phoenix, AZ @ Rawhide Event Center
05/13 — West Valley City, UT @ Maverik Center
05/14 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
05/16 — Dallas, TX @ Allen Event Center
05/17 — Austin, TX @ H-E-B Center At Cedar Park
05/18 — Houston, TX @ Smart Financial Centre
05/22 — Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Center
05/23 — Charlotte, NC @ Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre
05/25 — Philadelphia, PA @ Festival Pier At Penn’s Landing
05/26 — Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
05/30 — Toronto, ON @ Rbc Echo Beach
05/31 — Toronto, ON @ Rbc Echo Beach
06/01 — Detroit, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre
06/04 — Baltimore, MD @ At Pier Six Pavilion
06/05 — Baltimore, MD @ Pier Six Pavilion
06/07 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheatre
16. Florence + The Machine
Florence + The Machine’s reputation as a boisterous live act has been well-earned, but she’s also been largely off the road over the past year, which makes sense considering she hasn’t put out an album since 2015’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. She’s talked about the new record, though, saying it’s about a “black hole” in her personal life. That, combined with a pair of European festival appearances this summer, makes it seem like Florence Welch’s return is nigh, and for that, I’m thankful.-–D.R.
06/01-02 — Warsaw, Poland @ Orange Warsaw Festival
07/13-15 — Ferropolis, Germany @ Melt! Festival
15. Shania Twain
Due to a lot of romantic turmoil involving her former husband and producer, Mutt Lange, country-pop music goddess Shania Twain was gone from our stages for far too long — but never from our hearts. After releasing her first album in fifteen years in late 2017, with Now, Shania is back and embarking on a massive tour in support of the record. This is your chance to hear all of her radio hits from back in the day, as well as the deep cuts and some new jams. And the good news is, she’s coming to almost every cit you could think of — not just the south. That’s because a Canadian like Shania knows, country is a state of mind, not a state.–C.W.
05/03 — Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
05/05 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
05/06 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
05/09 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
05/10 — Edmonton, AB @ Rogers Place
05/12 — Saskatoon, SK @ Sasktel Centre
05/13 — Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
05/15 — St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
05/16 — Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford Premier Center
05/18 — Omaha, NE @ CenturyLink Center Omaha
05/19 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
06/01 — Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BB&T Center
06/02 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
06/4 — Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Center
06/06 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
06/07 — Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center
06/09 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
06/10 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
06/12 — North Little Rock, AR @ Verizon Arena
06/13 — St Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
06/15 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
06/16 — Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
06/25 — Ottawa, ON @ Canadian Tire Centre
06/26 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
06/28 — Québec, QC @ Videotron Centre
07/01 — Hamilton, ON @ FirstOntario Centre
07/03 — London, ON @ Budweiser Gardens
07/04 — London, ON @ Budweiser Gardens
07/06 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
07/07 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
07/11 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
07/12 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
07/14 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
07/15 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Center
07/17 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena
07/18 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena
07/20 — Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center
07/21 — Nashville, TN @ TBD
07/24 — Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
07/25 — Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena
07/27 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
07/28 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
07/30 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
08/01 — Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center
08/03 — Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
08/04 — Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
14. Sylvan Esso
“Getting on the radio is like trying to join the Mafia,” Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath previously said. Pop is inherently commercial in nature, but not for Sylvan Esso, whose edgy synthpop vibes are tangent to but just left of the mainstream. Now, they’re set to take this sound on the road: The duo will be pretty busy for the first seven months of 2017, beginning with a trek through Australia in late January before heading to North America in the spring and summer for the biggest headline dates of their career.–D.R.
01/29 — Auckland, New Zealand @ Laneway Festival
01/31 — Melbourne, Australia @ Corner Hotel
02/02 — Adelaide, Australia @ Laneway Festival
02/03 — Melbourne, Australia @ Laneway Festival
02/04 — Sydney, Australia @ Laneway Festival
02/08 — Sydney, Australia @ Oxford Art Factory
02/10 — Brisbane, Australia @ Laneway Festival
02/11 — Fremantle, Australia @ Laneway Festival
02/13 — Honolulu, Hawaii @ The Republik
03/02-06 — Punta Cana, Dominican Republic @ One Big Holiday
03/09-10 — New Orleans, LA @ Buku Music & Arts Project
03/17 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
03/19 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
03/20 — Dallas, TX @ Bomb Factory
03/22 — Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
03/23-25 — Tempe, AZ @ Innings Festival
03/26 — Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
03/27 — Des Moines, IA @ Hoyt Sherman
03/29 — Grand Rapids, MI @ 20 Monroe
03/30 — Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
03/31 — North Adams, MA @ MASS MoCA
04/02 — Portland, ME @ State Theatre
04/03 — Montreal, Quebec @ Corona Theatre
04/04 — Providence, RI @ The Strand
04/06 — Richmond, VA @ The National
04/07 — Knoxville, TN @ Mill + Mine
05/27 — London, United Kingdom @ All Points East Festival
05/29 — Istanbul, Turkey @ Salon IKSV
07/10 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
07/12 — Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
07/13 — Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield Amphitheatre
07/14 — Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Amphitheater
07/16 — Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
07/17 — Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheatre
07/18 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
07/20 — Minneapolis, MN @ Surly Brewing Co.
07/21 — Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre
07/22 — Milwaukee, WI @ Pabst Theatre
07/23 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
07/26 — Washington, DC @ Anthem
07/28 — Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
07/30 — Clifton Park, NY @ Upstate Concert Hall
07/31 — Toronto, Canada @ Danforth Music Hall
08/01 — Toronto, Canada @ Danforth Music Hall
08/02 — Burlington, VT @ The Green at Shelburne Museum
13. David Byrne
Though David Byrne has kept up a steady presence in recent years on the live circuit, performing random dates at a variety of different festivals, it’s been a good four years or so since the Talking Heads frontman has embarked on an actual tour. In 2018, Byrne looks to get back at it in ambitious fashion. Last month, Byrne revealed a few upcoming dates for a six-show run through the East Coast for what he’s calling, “the most ambitious show I’ve done since the shows that were filmed for Stop Making Sense.” That’s a bold, bold proclamation to say the least, but with an artist as visionary as Byrne at the helm, he might just be able to pull it off.–C.R.
03/03 — Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Theatre
03/04 — Wilkes Barre, PA @ F.M. Kirby Center
03/06 — Buffalo, NY @ University at Buffalo Center for the Arts
03/07 — Hershey, PA @ Hershey Theatre
03/09 — Waterbury, CT @ Palace Theater
03/10 — Kingston, NY @ UPAC (Ulster Performing Arts Center)
12. Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey has been turning her concert tours into events for years, whether that meant bringing Grimes along for the ride or setting up for several days at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. But this latest run might be her greatest achievement yet. Del Rey, always strikingly self-aware, has booked a series of dates dubbed the LA To The Moon tour, with kindred spirits Jhene Aiko and Kali Uchis in tow. Playing arenas as a headliner for some of the biggest shows of her career, Lana will be providing 2018 with one of its earliest event runs. For her, it’s just par for the course.–P.C.
01/05 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center ^
01/07 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center ^
01/09 — Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center ^
01/11 — Chicago, IL @ United Center ^
01/13 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden ^
01/15 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre #
01/17 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena #
01/19 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center #
01/21 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center #
01/23 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center #
01/25 — Washington, DC @ Capitol One Arena #
01/26 — State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center #
01/30 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center #
02/01 — Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ BB&T Center #
02/02 — Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
02/05 — Atlanta, GA @ Philips Center #
02/06 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena #
02/08 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center #
02/10 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center #
02/11 — Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center #
02/13 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Arena
02/15 — San Diego, CA @ Valley View Casino Center #
02/16 — Las Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Event Center #
02/28 — Honolulu, HI @ Waikki Shell
03/16-18 — Santiago, CL @ Lollapalooza Chile
03/16-18 — Buenos Aires, AR @ Lollapalooza Argentina
03/23-25 — Sao Paulo, BR @ Lollapalooza Brasil
^ = w/ Jhené Aiko
# = w/ Kali Uchis
11. The Killers
Even when The Killers aren’t releasing albums, like last year’s underrated Wonderful Wonderful, the band always seems to be on tour. It might just be for a select handful of festival headlining dates a year or a hometown Vegas show, but scarcity isn’t what makes the band exciting. Instead, The Killers thrive on consistency, and when they bring their latest round of arena dates across the country in 2018, the sheer volume of quality tunes that the band has in tow is sure to impress. Plus, the Vegas natives are natural showmen, even if only two of the recording members of the band will be out on the road.–P.C.
01/05 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
01/06 — Laval, QC @ Place Bell
01/07 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
01/09 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
01/10 — Washington, DC @ The Anthem
01/12 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
01/13 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
01/15 — Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre
01/16 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
01/17 — Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
01/21 — Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Center
01/23 — Miami, FL @ AmericanAirlines Arena
01/24 — Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live
01/30 — San Diego, CA @ Valley View Casino Center
02/01 — Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center
02/03 — Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena
02/05 — Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center
02/06 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
10. D’Angelo
D’Angelo has long solidified himself as one of the greatest live performers in his realm of music, so much so that when Prince tragically passed last year, Jimmy Fallon tabbed him to do the honors of a Prince tribute on The Tonight Show. But D’Angelo has also proven to be one of the most reclusive acts of the modern era, only popping up randomly and disappearing for years on end. Well, now he’s hitting the road again, in Europe for a few rare live dates in March. There’s no word on whether D’Angelo plans to take his show on the row stateside, but fans have been clamoring for him to do so for the last couple years, so hopefully this is the year that materializes.–Eddie Gonzalez
03/06 — London, UK @ Eventim Apollo
03/08 — Zurich, CH @ Volkhaus
03/09 — Paris, FR @ Le Salle Pleyel
03/11 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
03/12 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
03/14 — Hamburg, DE @ The Docks
03/15 — Berlin, DE @ Columbiahalle
03/17 — Copenhagen, DK @ DR Koncerthuset
9. Travis Scott
One of the most rowdy concerts in music today is undoubtedly Travis Scott’s raucous, mischievous, flying mechanical bird-utilizing, riot-inciting live show. He’s been sued for his antics, and one fan was even partially paralyzed after infamously jumping from a balcony at a show in New York. Now, after stints opening for The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar, Travis is hitting the road as a headliner for a proposed arena tour, and maybe as a new father, so you can rest assured he’ll be looking to top the antics of previous years of touring by upping the ante and really exploring just what a live rap show can be. As his popularity continues to grow, it’ll be interesting to see if Travis can provide the same rowdy energy and carry an arena show as the main act, rather than the energetic table-setter for a superstar.–E.G.
03/01-04 — Okeechobee, FL @ Okeechobee Music Festival
07/21-22 — Paris, FR @ Lollapalooza Paris
8. Robert Plant
In 2017, Robert Plant released one of the best solo albums of his entire career, the ethereal and sonically diverse Carry Fire. The Led Zeppelin frontman looks to capitalize on that critical acclaim with a month-long swing through the US beginning in February. Look for Plant to fill out his setlist with a smattering of Carry Fire cuts, as well as a few re-worked renditions of some of his most iconic Zeppelin classics like “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You,” and “Whole Lotta Love.” “Stairway To Heaven” not included.–C.R.
02/09 — Raleigh, NC @ Raleigh Memorial Auditorium
02/11 — Charlotte, NC @ Ovens Auditorium
02/12 — Norfolk, VA @ Chrysler Hall
02/14 — New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre
02/16 — Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre
02/17 — Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
02/20 — Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
02/22 — Minneapolis, MN @ Orpheum Theatre
02/24 — Denver, CO @ Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre
02/26 — Phoenix, AZ @ Symphony Hall
02/28 — Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
03/02 — Los Angeles, CA @ Orpheum Theatre
7. SZA
Yes, I’m well aware that the CTRL tour just finished up in 2017… but listen, there’s no way that SZA is going to rest on her laurels after the impact that her incredible debut had on the industry. Whether she’s busy working on her collab album with Tame Impala and Mark Ronson, or making more chart-topping hits with Maroon 5, odds are Solana Rowe will still find the time to take her CTRL tracks back out on tour, to appease all the new fans she acquired in 2017 and beyond. After all, with as many sold-out shows as she had last year, the writing is on the wall — she needs to hit the road again. If the recently-announced Coachella lineup is any indication, we’ll get to see a good bit of her this year.–C.W.
6. Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is one of the best live performing rock bands in the world today. Though they’ve greyed a bit around the temples and lack some of the insane, scaffold-climbing energy and enthusiasm that marked some of their earliest, most memorable performance, the Seattle-based grunge rock gods still manage to regularly deliver three-hour long revues of unbridled passion and intrigue. Though they’ve yet to announce any dates through the US yet, there’s a major opening for shows just after a swing through South America and Europe this summer. Best to keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground.–C.R.
03/16 — Santiago, Chile @ O’Higgins Park
03/18 — Buenos Aires, Argenina @Hipódrome de San Isidro
03/21 — Rio de Janiero, Brazil @ Maracana Stadium
03/24 — São Paolo, Brazil @ Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace
06/12 — Amerstdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
06/15 — Landgraaf, Netherlands @ Megaland
06/18-19 — London, UK @ O2 Arena
06/22 — Milan, Italy @ Arena Expo
06/24 — Padua, Italy @ Stadio Euganeo
06/26 — Rome, Italy @ Stadio Olimpico
07/01 — Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 Arena
07/03 — Krakow, Poland @ Tauron Arena
07/05 — Berlin, Germany @ Waldbühne
07/07 — Werchter, Belgium @ Werchter Festivalpark
07/10 — Barcelona, Spain @ Palau Sant Jordi
07/12 — Madrid, Spain @ Espacio Mad Cool
07/14 — Lisbon, Spain @ Algés
5. Tyler, The Creator And Vince Staples
Accuse me of West Coast/Los Angeles bias if you want, I am unrepentant. For my money, Vince Staples puts on one of the most authentic and electrifying stage shows in hip-hop. The same can — and should — be said of Tyler. Both dropped two of the most mind-bendingly creative and unabashedly left-field albums of 2017, and to see these two mischievious rap rabble-rousers on the same bill warms not just my heart, but my whole body, from the soles of my Chucks to the top button of my flannel long sleeve shirt from the swap meet (buttoned all the way up, of course) — or maybe that’s just the lingering January sunshine. Either way, there’s no way I’m going to miss their San Diego date — the closest they’re coming to Los Angeles.–A.W.
01/26 — Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum
01/27 — Portland, OR @ Memorial Coliseum
01/29 — San Francisco, CA @ The Armory
01/31 — Sacramento, CA @ Memorial Auditorium
02/02 — San Diego, CA @ Valley View Casino Center
02/03 — Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
02/06 — Denver, CO @ 1stBank Center
02/07 — Kansas City, MO @ Arvest Bank Theatre
02/08 — Dallas, TX @ Bomb Factory
02/10 — Atlanta, GA @ World Congress Center
02/12 — Miami, FL @ James L. Knight Center
02/13 — Orlando, FL @ Orlando Amphitheatre
02/15 — Philadelphia, PA @ Liacouras Center
02/17 — Toronto, ON @ Ricoh Coliseum
02/18 — Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
02/20 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
02/21 — Rochester, NY @ Main Street Armory
02/23 — New York, NY @ The Theater at MSG
02/25 — Washington, D.C. @ The Anthem
02/27 — Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple Theatre
03/01 — Madison, WI @ Alliant Energy Center
03/02 — Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom
03/04 — Milwaukee, WI @ Eagles Ballroom
4. U2
Last year, one of the most larger-than-life concert experiences of the year came from U2 and their mammoth anniversary trek behind The Joshua Tree. Playing in stadiums, it served as a reminder of why U2 had gained such renown for the pure grandeur of their live presentations over the years. So, it’s to be expected that their next run, supporting last year’s Songs Of Experience, will once again bring new sights and installations to the music world. But for hardcore fans of the band, the draw is also to see what old songs they will dust off.–P.C.
05/02 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center
05/04 — St. Louis, MO @ Scottrade Center
05/07 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
05/08 — San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
05/11 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
05/12 — Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena
05/15 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
05/16 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
05/22 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
05/23 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
05/26 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
05/28 — Atlanta, GA @ Infinite Energy Arena
06/05 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
06/06 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
06/09 — Uniondale, NY @ NYCB Live, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
06/13 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
06/14 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
06/17 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
06/18 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
06/21 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
06/22 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
06/25 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
06/26 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
06/29 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
3. Lorde
In case you missed it, Lorde’s Melodrama was far and away our favorite album of the year, and with good reason. As if her first North American arena tour in support wasn’t already exciting enough, Lorde took steps to further break down the barriers between indie and pop by adding an incredibly diverse roster of support to the bill with Mitski, Run The Jewels and Tove Stryke, making the Melodrama tour an early contender for one of the best shows you’ll see this year. Where Pure Heroine made for a somewhat brooding and minimalist live show, Melodrama has transformed Lorde into a festival headliner and her show has adjusted to embrace the vastness of the space. Based on images from the European leg of the tour, audiences will be up and dancing for the duration, quickly realizing that this is Lorde’s world and we’re all just living in it.–Z.G.
03/01 — Milwaukee, WI @ BMO Harris Bradley Center*
03/02 — St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena*
03/03 — Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center*
03/05 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center*
03/08 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena*
03/09 — Seattle, WA @ KeyArena At The Seattle Center*
03/10 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center At The Rose Garden*
03/12 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden1 Center%
03/13 — Oakland, CA @ The Oracle Arena*
03/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center%
03/16 — Glendale, AZ @ Gile River Arena%
03/18 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center%
03/19 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center%
03/21 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center%
3/28 St. Paul, MN @ XCEL Energy Center%
03/24 — Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Arena^
03/25 — Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena^
03/28 — Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena^
03/28 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena^
03/29 — Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre^
03/31 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center^
04/02 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center^
04/03 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden^
04/04 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center^
04/06 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center^
04/07 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena^
04/08 — Washington, D.C. @ The Anthem^
04/11 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena#
04/12 — Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena^
04/14 — Duluth, GA @ Infinite Energy Center^
04/15 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena^
* Run The Jewels & Tove Stryke
^ Run The Jewels & Mitski
% Tove Stryke
# Mitski
2. Eminem
When you’re as massive as Eminem, it doesn’t matter that your two singles flopped, or that your new album was panned almost universally, or that you seem to be on the downside of your career, because a massive tour will fix all of that. While his agent said he would be doing “limited” dates, Shady hasn’t hit the road since 2014, and his gigantic legion of fans will be clamoring to see him live and in person. Jay-Z proved this year that a rapper can tour into his middle ages — even if there were some struggles to sell tickets — and Eminem’s star power should make taking his show on the road a breeze. Whether he does a few stadiums, festivals, or a series of arenas, it’s all but assumed Em will have one of the most successful and entertaining tours of 2018.–E.G.
1. Taylor Swift
The Reputation tour is going to be one of the biggest tours of the year, full stop. Even if early sales numbers have been low, and Taylor’s sorta puzzling deal with Ticketmaster has made the process of actually obtaining the tickets a little confusing, none of this red tape can halt the remarkable power of the Swifties. Plus, given all the celebrity cameos that became a regular installment of the 1989 tour, it seems like Taylor is looking to up the ante this year. And, at this point, literally no one knows what she might do — and say we made her do it. Love her or hate her, this is definitely a tour to put your 2018 bucket list.–C.W.
05/08 — Glendale, AZ @ University of Phoenix Stadium
05/12 — Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s Stadium
05/19 — Pasadena, CA @ Rose Bowl
05/22 — Seattle, WA @ CenturyLink Field
05/25 — Denver, CO @ Sports Authority Field At Mile High
06/02 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
06/30 — Louisville, KY @ Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium
07/07 — Columbus, OH @ Ohio Stadium
07/10 — Washington, DC @ FedEx Field
07/14 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
07/17 — Cleveland, OH @ First Energy Stadium
07/21 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
07/28 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
08/04 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
08/07 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Field
08/11 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium
08/14 — Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium
08/18 — Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium
08/25 — Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium
08/28 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
09/01 — Minneapolis, MN @U.S. Bank Stadium
09/08 — Kansas City, MO @ Arrowhead Stadium
09/15 — Indianapolis, IN @Lucas Oil Stadium
09/18 — St. Louis, MO @ The Dome at America’s Center
09/22 — New Orleans, LA @ Mercedes-Benz Superdome
09/29 — Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium
10/06 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium
