Summer is almost here, and that means sunshine, ice cream and trips to the beach. But what's not only the perfect complement to all of that but also a great summer activity all on its own? Music, of course.
Summer is definitely the season for music lovers, whether you like to experience it live or just listen to it through a pair of headphones as you serenely watch the waves crash in front of you. With many major music festivals still to come this year, tons of new releases and the annual "Song of the Summer" showdown to keep us on the edge of our seats, there's plenty to perk up your ears this summer.
But let's focus on summer concert tours, shall we? There is no season like summer to catch your favorite artists on tour simply because this season is always saturated with the hottest tickets of the year. Plus, you have summer vacation days to travel near and far to see that act at the top of your concert bucket list.
This summer seems more packed than usual with some of the biggest acts around. Taylor Swift will cap off one of the biggest years of her career yet with her 1989 World Tour. One Direction will continue to tour as a quartet. The Grateful Dead will celebrate its 50th anniversary with a few farewell shows featuring the band's four original members at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Whatever your musical persuasion is, there's probably a banging concert this summer just waiting for you to attend. To give you some inspiration, here are the nine best tours of this summer that you should rush out and buy tickets for ASAP. Your ears will thank you.
1. Taylor Swift - The 1989 World Tour (May 5-Dec. 12)
In the nearly seven months since Swift released her fifth studio album 1989, she took on Spotify, murdered a cake and reportedly started dating Calvin Harris. Wow. Swift has done all that, but she hasn't been on tour yet to promote 1989? How is that even possible? Well, all of that thankfully changed Tuesday when Swift kicked off her 1989 World Tour in Tokyo. She'll make her way to the States next week where she will make stops in arenas and stadiums all over the country.
2. The Rolling Stones - Zip Code Tour of North America 2015 (May 24-July 15)
The Rolling Stones are going on a 15-city tour of stadiums across North America this summer and re-issuing the band's classic 1971 album Sticky Fingers. What a satisfying summer it will be indeed.
3. One Direction - On the Road Again (June 5-Oct. 31)
Zayn Malik may have left One Direction in March, but the British boy band is still kicking as a quartet. See Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne at stadiums across America this summer, because who knows how long we have before the men of One Direction finally go off in separate directions.
4. The Grateful Dead (July 3-July 5)
The four original members of the Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Phil Lesh and Bob Weir) are playing one final set of shows together in honor of the band's 50th anniversary. The Grateful Dead will be performing July 3 through July 5 at Soldier Field in Chicago. If you want to be a part of music history, this is where you've got to be this summer.
5. Ed Sheeran (May 6-Dec. 12)
Everyone's favorite ginger troubadour will be hitting the stage at a concert venue near you this summer in support of his sophomore album X. Who knows? You may even get to see his bestie Swift at one of his concerts this summer, if you're lucky.
6. Nicki Minaj - The Pinkprint Tour (June 4-Aug. 19)
When she's not performing at bar mitzvahs, Nicki Minaj has been known to perform for the masses every once in a while. She'll take to the stage to support her latest album The Pinkprint this summer. You never know what you're going to get from Minaj, so her string of concerts this summer should be nothing short of entertaining.
7. AC/DC - Rock or Bust World Tour (April 10-Dec. 6)
AC/DC kicked off their summer world tour early with a couple of shows at Coachella in April. Now they're ready to rock the whole world on their Rock or Bust World Tour, which lands stateside on Aug. 22 at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass.
8. Luke Bryan - Kick the Dust Up Tour (May 8-Oct. 30)
We've had a lot of rock 'n' roll so far, so how about a little bit of country? One of country music's biggest stars today, Luke Bryan, is hitting the road this summer for his Kick the Dust Up Tour, and he'll be hitting up stadiums and festivals across the country this year.
9. Ariana Grande - The Honeymoon Tour (May 14-Oct. 13)
Ariana Grande may have just gotten home from her 25-city jaunt of The Honeymoon Tour this winter and spring, but she'll soon be heading back out on the road to extend the tour to Europe and a whole bunch of new dates for the U.S.
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