The best gigs we never saw – from Queen’s iconic Live Aid performance to the Eras tour

More than one in five miffed gig goers said the stress of securing tickets takes enjoyment out of live music as they named their top missed gigs of all time

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Queen’s iconic Live Aid performance has been crowned the gig Brits most wish they’d seen live. Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour was the highest-ranked modern concert in the poll, with fans also dreaming of seeing Oasis at Knebworth, Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock and Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged set.

Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour came second to Freddie Mercury’s 1985 Wembley performance, while The Beatles’ famous rooftop concert in London completed the top three.

Oasis’ record-breaking Knebworth shows in 1996 ranked fourth, ahead of Nirvana’s famous MTV Unplugged performance in New York. Pink Floyd’s The Wall tour, Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour and The Rolling Stones’ Hyde Park gig also featured among the dream concerts.

It comes as many fans struggle to get tickets for today’s biggest shows. More than one in five miffed gig goers said the stress of securing tickets takes enjoyment out of live music, the study by tech company Tools for Humanity found.

Tiago Sada, of the firm, said: “These aren’t just concerts. They’re shared human experiences that become part of our collective culture.”

Nearly three quarters said concert tickets are now too expensive, while more than three in four have missed out on gigs because of soaring prices or lengthy online queues.

Dynamic pricing, bots and ticket touts are all blamed for making things worse. The average fan now spends three hours a year waiting in online queues in the hope of securing seats for their favourite artists. But almost a third believe automated bots snap up tickets before genuine music lovers get the chance.

TOP 20:

1. Queen at Live Aid (1985) – 42%
2. Michael Jackson’s Dangerous World Tour (1992-1993) – 26%
3. The Beatles rooftop concert at Apple Corps headquarters (1969) – 22%
4. Oasis at Knebworth (1996) – 17%
5. Nirvana performing at MTV Unplugged in New York (1993) – 15%
6. Pink Floyd’s The Wall Live tour (1980-1981) – 14%
7. Jimi Hendrix performing at Woodstock (1969) – 14%
8. Madonna’s Blonde Ambition Tour (1990) – 14%
9. The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park (1969) – 14%
10. Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour (2023-2024) – 14%
11. Beyonce performing at Coachella ‘Beychella’ (2018) – 13%
12. Lady Gaga’s The Monster Ball Tour (2009-2011) – 12%
13. Johnny Cash at Folsom State Prison (1968) – 12%
14. Rod Stewart at Copacabana Beach (1994) – 11%
15. Bruce Springsteen at the Hammersmith Odeon (1975) – 11%
16. Led Zeppelin performing at Madison Square Garden (1973) – 11%
17. Arctic Monkeys at Glastonbury (2013) – 10%
18. The Prodigy at the Phoenix Festival (1996) – 10%
19. Prince performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2007 – 10%
20. U2 at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre (1983) – 10%