Biggest Band/Act to play in Ireland

PTH2009

Who was the biggest band/act to play in Ireland in your opinion ???

The Beatles
Frank Sinatra played here in the 80s

Elvis Presley never played here or in europe for that matter

Oops!

Pope John Paul 11

Yamanoto

Oops! wrote: »

Pope John Paul 11

Post match, I'd be doing the old 'ah no, sure i'll jump in the shower at home'

corner of hells

Army number 1 band has about thirty soldiers in it and I think UB40 have ten members, pretty big bands.

Joe_ Public

Saw bad manners play here a few years back. That buster bloodvessel is huge.

Panda Killa

Michael Jackson..

SEPT 23 1989

After the Beatles it would be Rihanna then Jackson

the beer revolu

The Virgin Mary
AKA The Mother of God

She played Knock and Ballinspitle.
Big crowds.

Dravokivich

Must be U2 with the garrentee'd sellout of multiple nights in croke park? Would have been Garth Brooks if that was organised properly, with an easing of concerts for a few years after.

fryup

Oops! wrote: »

Pope John Paul 11

not a great gig though, didn't play many tunes...and the ones he did were all in latin :cool:

Trigger Happy

Meat loaf during his fat phase...

Upforthematch

Couldn't count U2 - they're great but not the biggest.

Queen at Slane?
Rolling Stones
The Who
Bruce Springsteen

tritriagain

Upforthematch wrote: »

Couldn't count U2 - they're great but not the biggest.

Queen at Slane?
Rolling Stones
The Who
Bruce Springsteen

How are they not the biggest?

Upforthematch

tritriagain wrote: »

How are they not the biggest?

I know that best selling doesn't equal biggest but take a look at these lists on Wiki - not even in the top 20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

rolling boh

I suppose as time showed the Beatles are still the most important band to have played here or anywhere for that matter. Massive acts like Queen the rolling stones plus heaps more would deserve a mention depending on personal taste i would say .I think in terms of history you could say the stones are the second but that is really open to debate and there are different ways to back up any choice as all the big acts have played here now unlike years ago when we not really considered .

KaneToad

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

After the Beatles it would be Rihanna then Jackson

Rihanna ??

Birneybau

Oops! wrote: »

Pope John Paul 11

I don't remember Pope John Pauls 3 through 10

Joe_ Public

Beatles are both the biggest selling and most influential band in history so it's not even close.

Birneybau

Silly thread, biggest band/artist is amorphous.

Sure, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kings of Leon were one time biggest bands in the World.

It's not like we're Albania or something.

As for Rihanna...

Your Face

Frank Sinatra.

BailMeOut

KaneToad wrote: »

Rihanna ??

7th largest ever.

1. Beatles
2. Elvis
3. Jackson
4. Madonna
5. Elton John
6. Lez Zepelin
7. Rihanna
8. Pink Floyd
9. Eminem
10. Taylor Swift

Rothko

Birneybau wrote: »

I don't remember Pope John Pauls 3 through 10

They're very underrated

Capt'n Midnight

fryup wrote: »

not a great gig though, didn't play many tunes...and the ones he did were all in latin :cool:

"huge fan of his. He gives good mass. He really knows how to work the alter. Look at that chalice work, effortless.”

dotsman

Album sales would only be one of many criteria in determining "the biggest".

U2 would be as big as it gets when it comes to bands and especially when it comes to live acts. 4 decades of being a huge band. 3 of which have seen numerous number one singles and albums. 4 decades of selling out stadia across dozens of countries across all the continents. I can't imagine any other act coming close.

Panthro

Nirvana

Rikand

BailMeOut wrote: »

7th largest ever.

1. Beatles
2. Elvis
3. Jackson
4. Madonna
5. Elton John
6. Lez Zepelin
7. Rihanna
8. Pink Floyd
9. Eminem
10. Taylor Swift

Biggest band ever to come out of France

MenloPete

Jackson Browne
They had to build a special runway just to get him down to Lisdoonvarna
Ooooh Lisdoonvarna, Lisdoon, Lisdoon, Lisdoon, Lidoonvarna

Mad_maxx

Upforthematch wrote: »

I know that best selling doesn't equal biggest but take a look at these lists on Wiki - not even in the top 20

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists

i had no idea rihanna was in that league in terms of sales , slightly surprised elton john is in the top tier too to be honest

Mad_maxx

rolling boh wrote: »

I suppose as time showed the Beatles are still the most important band to have played here or anywhere for that matter. Massive acts like Queen the rolling stones plus heaps more would deserve a mention depending on personal taste i would say .I think in terms of history you could say the stones are the second but that is really open to debate and there are different ways to back up any choice as all the big acts have played here now unlike years ago when we not really considered .

the beatles didnt really do big stadium performances , at least not in europe

i think they played a relatively small gig in dublin in their early years before they became more experimental

Mad_maxx

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Beatles are both the biggest selling and most influential band in history so it's not even close.

everyone knows that but they never played a huge gig here , thats a fact

more to a gig - concert - event ( in terms of stature ) then who is headlining

Joe_ Public

Mad_maxx wrote: »

everyone knows that but they never played a huge gig here , thats a fact

more to a gig - concert - event ( in terms of stature ) then who is headlining

Fair enough. Thats a different question than the one initially asked though.

Strumms

Mad_maxx wrote: »

the beatles didnt really do big stadium performances , at least not in europe

i think they played a relatively small gig in dublin in their early years before they became more experimental

They played the Adelphi. Good article and pics here...

https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/the-day-the-beatles-came-to-dublin-and-escaped-screaming-irish-fans-in-the-back-of-an-evening-herald-van-37502363.html

The escaping in an evening herald van is 100% true.

Fr Tod Umptious

Prior to the 2000s I think that Ireland was a bit of a backwater when it came to major recording artist tours so from my memory these were huge events in their day.

Springsteen Slane 1985
Queen Slane 1986 (I think)
Jackson PUC 1987
REM Slane 1995

Mad_maxx

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Prior to the 2000s I think that Ireland was a bit of a backwater when it came to major recording artist tours so from my memory these were huge events in their day.

Springsteen Slane 1985
Queen Slane 1986 (I think)
Jackson PUC 1987
REM Slane 1995

wacko jacko played cork in 1988 i think ?

Birneybau

Rothko wrote: »

They're very underrated

I prefer the early Pope John Pauls

Birneybau

the beer revolu wrote: »

The Virgin Mary
AKA The Mother of God

She played Knock and Ballinspitle.
Big crowds.

https://youtu.be/Fnao5SBunfI

Badly Drunk Boy

Oops! wrote: »

Pope John Paul 11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO-KIKGezCA

LaFuton

Trigger Happy wrote: »

Meat loaf during his fat phase...

he would do anything for loaf but he won't do fast...

poisonated

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

After the Beatles it would be Rihanna then Jackson

Rihanna? I don’t think so

murpho999

Severe lack of David Bowie on this thread.

Would knock Rihanna or Taylor Swift off any list.

Was huge in his day and his music still holds up.

JamieHP

Think what you want of him, but the biggest selling concert in Irish history is Robbie Williams in Phoenix Park, 135,000 tickets sold. Crazy numbers.

IAMAMORON

Bob Marley played in Dalymount park in the summer of 1980. ( and the Wailers of course)

IAMAMORON

So did Pele. I always thought it was gas that the best soccer player in the world ( after Maradona of course ) was named after the Irish word for football. :P

Ag imirt Pele :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Badly Drunk Boy

IAMAMORON wrote: »

So did Pele. I always thought it was gas that the best soccer player in the world ( after Maradona of course ) was named after the Irish word for football. :P

Ag imirt Pele :pac::pac::pac::pac::pac:

Missionaries eh?

BailMeOut

Robbie Williams, 2003 Pheonix Park with 135,000 in attendance.

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/pop-star-thrills-135000-in-park-25934279.html

Bobblehats

BailMeOut wrote: »

Robbie Williams, 2003 Pheonix Park with 135,000 in attendance

I’m loving pele instead

RobertKK

Taylor Swift is a bigger act than Rihanna and holds the record of being the first female solo act to do two nights in a row at Croke Park.

BailMeOut

RobertKK wrote: »

Taylor Swift is a bigger act than Rihanna and holds the record of being the first female solo act to do two nights in a row at Croke Park.

how do you determine who is bigger? Record sales or number of concert tickets sold?

IAMAMORON

BailMeOut wrote: »

how do you determine who is bigger? Record sales or number of concert tickets sold?

I am sorry but Taylor Swift will never be in the same league as Bob Marley.

I think it is worth clarifying before any volume arguments arrive.

To clarify my bias further, I would consider having to listen to a Taylor Swift album ( for even as little as 10 minutes )as a form of mental torture. Filling Croker twice to a gang of spoilt children does not equate to greatness, I hope so at least.

I am giving Robbie Williams a pass for the time being.

un5byh7sqpd2x0

Panthro wrote: »

Nirvana

Sir Henry's, Cork, August 20 1991

Recorded here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyj_DMVJNp4

rolling boh

The question was about the biggest act to have played here not the best so no point comparing personal favorites really as few will agree .I have no doubt myself that the Beatles are still the biggest band in popular music not my favorite by any means but the facts really point to them I think .