November 7, 2026 - Famous Times

The Weeknd Tour Tops $1.3 Billion, Sets Historic Record

Famous Times Staff 2 on November 7, 2026

The Weeknd tour concluded in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026, with more than $1.3 billion in reported ticket revenue. The four-year After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour surpassed Elton John’s previous grossing record for a male solo artist. Its final figures reveal the scale of 176 concerts, major stadium bookings, and expanded international dates.

Key Takeaways

The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour grossed more than $1.3 billion, according to Live Nation
The tour sold over nine million tickets across 176 performances in 67 cities and 30 countries
More than $500 million in reported ticket revenue came from the 2026 concerts alone
The final Asian leg expanded from 11 to 17 stadium performances
Live Nation reported $8.5 million in charitable contributions associated with the artist’s efforts

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has completed the highest-grossing tour by a male solo artist, according to promoter Live Nation. The announcement follows the final After Hours Til Dawn Stadium Tour performance at TM Stadium Nasional in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 5.

The reported $1.3 billion total places the Canadian singer ahead of Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which earned approximately $939 million. Billboard Canada ranks The Weeknd’s completed tour third among the highest-grossing tours overall, behind Taylor Swift and Coldplay.

The revenue figure represents gross ticket sales rather than the singer’s personal earnings. It does not account for production expenses, staffing, venue arrangements, and other costs associated with operating a multi-year stadium tour.

The Weeknd Tour Surpasses Elton John’s Touring Record

After Hours Til Dawn began on July 14, 2022, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Originally planned as an arena production, the project was restructured into a stadium tour following disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The initial performances supported The Weeknd’s albums After Hours and Dawn FM. Later dates incorporated music from Hurry Up Tomorrow, released in 2025, extending the concert program across several recording periods.

That extended schedule became an important part of the tour’s commercial results. Pollstar reported in September 2026 that the tour had reached approximately $1.07 billion, with more than 8.1 million tickets sold at that stage. The final Asian concerts subsequently brought the promoter’s reported total beyond $1.3 billion.

The final figure also places the tour alongside two other major international productions. Pollstar previously reported approximately $2.08 billion in ticket revenue for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and $1.52 billion for Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres Tour.

During 2026 alone, Live Nation reported more than three million tickets sold and over $500 million in gross revenue. July was particularly significant, with more than $120 million in sales and nearly 900,000 tickets sold during that month.

The tour’s duration also distinguished it from shorter album-focused concert schedules. For comparison, Bon Jovi’s Forever Tour opening took place at Madison Square Garden in July 2026 as part of the band’s return to touring.

The Weeknd’s schedule instead continued across several years, incorporating additional stadium dates and revised setlists as new music became available.

Stadium Performances Set Records Across Multiple Countries

The Weeknd’s international schedule included performances across North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and Asia. Live Nation reported that the completed tour covered five continents and returned to several established concert markets.

In the Los Angeles area, The Weeknd performed seven shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. According to Live Nation, those performances established venue records for the most concerts and highest reported gross by a male artist.

Toronto also featured prominently in the tour’s results. The singer completed six performances at Rogers Centre, setting the venue’s reported record for the most shows by a male solo artist on one tour.

The venue milestones came during a year when other major performers were expanding their concert schedules. The Jonas Brothers’ expanded tour, announced in August 2026, grew into a 45-city North American run after three Madison Square Garden shows sold out.

In Europe, The Weeknd’s stadium performances generated substantial ticket revenue. Pollstar reported that four concerts at Stade de France near Paris in July 2026 produced approximately $47.3 million in gross receipts from 299,578 tickets sold.

Live Nation separately reported that The Weeknd became the first artist to sell out six nights at Stade de France during one tour. Across France, his 2026 performances attracted more than 500,000 attendees, according to the promoter.

The United Kingdom also contributed to the reported total. Live Nation counted more than 450,000 attendees across seven sold-out British stadium shows in 2026, while Pollstar recorded nearly 368,000 tickets sold across five Wembley Stadium concerts in London.

These figures identify specific markets that contributed to the completed tour’s overall revenue. They also distinguish verified venue attendance and reported ticket sales from broader estimates of an artist’s popularity.

Expanded Asian Dates Closed the Tour in Kuala Lumpur

The final phase of After Hours Til Dawn introduced the production to Asian stadium audiences. Initially announced with 11 performances, the regional schedule expanded to 17 concerts, including four nights in Hong Kong and three in Bangkok.

Live Nation reported nearly 200,000 tickets sold during the Hong Kong performances. The promoter described The Weeknd as the highest-selling international male solo touring artist in that market.

The Hong Kong concerts also coincided with new recorded material. On October 24, The Weeknd debuted “Hong Kong,” a song featuring Cantopop singer Faye Wong, during his performance at Kai Tak Stadium.

The track was released on October 31. It incorporates material from Wong’s 1993 recording “Monsoon,” according to Universal Music Canada, which also reported renewed streaming activity surrounding the original song.

The Kuala Lumpur finale took place across November 4 and 5 at TM Stadium Nasional. The performances featured material from multiple albums, including “Starboy,” “Blinding Lights,” “Save Your Tears,” and songs from Hurry Up Tomorrow.

Live Nation’s published setlist identifies “Moth to a Flame,” The Weeknd’s collaboration with Swedish House Mafia, as the final song performed on November 5.

The concert promoter’s final announcement also outlined charitable contributions connected to the artist’s activities during the tour. Live Nation reported that The Weeknd had donated $8.5 million to the XO Humanitarian Fund and Global Citizen, supporting initiatives involving hunger relief and children’s access to education.

Of that amount, $3 million was reported for 2026 in support of the United Nations World Food Programme and Global Citizen. Those contributions are separate from the $1.3 billion in gross ticket sales.

The completed tour’s revenue, ticket sales, and venue records provide the measurable results of a stadium production that began in Philadelphia in 2022 and ended in Kuala Lumpur four years later.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money did The Weeknd’s tour make?

The Weeknd tour generated more than $1.3 billion in gross ticket sales, according to Live Nation’s November 5, 2026, announcement. The figure represents revenue from ticket sales rather than The Weeknd’s personal earnings.

How many concerts did The Weeknd perform on the tour?

After Hours Til Dawn included 176 concerts across 67 cities in 30 countries. The tour began in Philadelphia on July 14, 2022, and concluded in Kuala Lumpur on November 5, 2026.

Did The Weeknd break Elton John’s touring record?

Yes. According to Live Nation and Billboard Canada, The Weeknd surpassed Elton John’s approximately $939 million gross from the Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, setting the reported touring gross record for a male solo artist.

Where did The Weeknd’s After Hours Til Dawn Tour end?

The final performance took place at TM Stadium Nasional in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 5, 2026. The concert followed an expanded Asian leg that included 17 stadium performances.

Which tours earned more than After Hours Til Dawn?

According to the touring figures cited by Billboard Canada and Pollstar, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres Tour generated higher overall ticket revenue. After Hours Til Dawn ranks third in that reported comparison.

From the Classroom to Entrepreneurship as Courtney Sapp Brings an Educator’s Perspective to Her Platform

Famous Times Staff on November 7, 2026

By: Brittiany Barnes, PR Rep, BBMgmt PR Agency

The former teacher, author, and speaker connects education, personal storytelling, and community through her work.

Teaching and entrepreneurship share a practical challenge: helping people understand an idea well enough to engage with it. For Courtney Sapp, whose background includes both fields, that connection provides a useful lens for understanding her work as an author, speaker, and wellness educator.

A former teacher and longtime entrepreneur, Sapp has developed a platform that brings together several interests. Through her writing, speaking, and Do It Scared mission, she explores personal growth and the decisions people face when pursuing something unfamiliar.

Her career also opens a broader conversation about the value of an educational background beyond the classroom. Explaining an idea, making it relevant, and giving people room to ask questions matter in business, public speaking, and community engagement.

Education as a Foundation for Connection

An audience brings different experiences, expectations, and levels of understanding to any conversation. In a classroom, those differences influence how a lesson is received. At a speaking engagement or community event, they can shape how people connect with a message.

Sapp’s background places education alongside entrepreneurship in her professional story. Her work offers several ways for audiences to engage: reading a book, hearing a personal account, joining a conversation, or participating in a wellness demonstration.

Each format creates a different opportunity for learning. A book gives readers time to reflect privately. An author conversation allows for questions. An interactive event brings people together around a shared experience.

For someone working across these settings, the ability to communicate clearly becomes a central part of the work.

Building a Platform Around Experience

Sapp’s professional identity includes author, speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Do It Scared. Her experiences as a wife, mother, and grandmother add another dimension to the subjects she brings to audiences.

That combination gives her platform a personal foundation. Alongside her professional background, she draws on her own experiences with adversity and rebuilding to discuss purpose and personal growth.

Her framework, “Shift. Move. Become.”, gives those conversations a structure: examine limiting beliefs, take action, and work toward a life aligned with personal values.

Within an educational setting, a framework can help make an unfamiliar subject easier to approach. In Sapp’s work, those three words provide an entry point for discussing decisions that can otherwise feel difficult to organize or explain.

Creating Opportunities for Conversation

Sapp’s interests in speaking, authorship, and wellness education create opportunities for engagement with book clubs, community groups, entrepreneurs, and wellness audiences.

The format matters. A moderated discussion can explore the experiences behind a book. A speaking event can introduce a central idea. A workshop can give participants time to consider how a topic relates to their own circumstances.

Her story offers potential hosts a connection between these formats: an educator’s background paired with the lived experience of an entrepreneur and author.

For Courtney Sapp, the classroom is one part of a professional journey that continues through new forms of communication. Her platform brings education into conversations about business, identity, and purpose, and gives audiences several ways to participate.

Follow Courtney Sapp: @KeepnupwithCourt

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Book: Do It Scared by Courtney Sapp

45Q Tax Credit Transfer Structures, How Carbon Capture Developers and Corporate Buyers Split the Risk

Famous Times Staff on November 7, 2026

Most people hear “tax credit transfer” and think it’s a clean swap. Developer earns the credit, buyer pays cash for it, everyone walks away happy. That’s the brochure version. The real version involves recapture clauses, indemnification fights, and a pricing negotiation that can drag on for months.

Here’s what’s actually happening in the 45Q tax credit market right now. Carbon capture developers are sitting on credits worth up to $85 per metric ton for point-source capture and $180 per ton for direct air capture with dedicated geologic storage. Those numbers, locked in through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed in July 2025, make the economics work on paper. But transferring those credits to a corporate buyer? That’s where the paper meets reality.

Two Paths, Very Different Risk Profiles

The tax code gives developers two distinct mechanisms to move a 45Q tax credit off their books. The first is the Section 45Q(f)(3)(B) election, which lets the equipment owner pass the credit to the party that actually disposes of, injects, or utilizes the captured carbon oxide. This is an operational handoff. The credit follows the carbon, and the party doing the sequestration work claims it directly.

The second path came through Section 6418 of the Inflation Reduction Act. This is the transferability regime, a straight cash-for-credit sale to an unrelated buyer. One transfer per credit, no intermediary buyers allowed. The developer gets cash. The buyer applies the credit against their federal tax liability. Simple enough in concept, but the risk allocation underneath it is anything but.

Where Recapture Changes Everything

And this is the part that makes deal lawyers earn their fees. The 45Q tax credit carries a recapture provision. If captured carbon oxide leaks or ceases to be properly stored within the recapture period, previously claimed credits get clawed back. Under the final IRS regulations for Section 6418 transfers, that recapture liability largely falls on the buyer, not the seller.

Read that again. You’re the corporate buyer. You paid cash for a credit generated by someone else’s equipment, stored in someone else’s geologic formation, and if something goes wrong underground three years from now, you’re on the hook.

This is why most sophisticated transfer agreements include contractual indemnification. The IRS explicitly permits sellers and buyers to negotiate indemnity arrangements between themselves. In practice, the developer agrees to make the buyer whole if a recapture event occurs. But an indemnity is only as good as the counterparty standing behind it. A developer that runs into financial trouble can’t honor an indemnification clause it signed two years earlier.

Insurance, Pricing, and the Risk Premium

Tax credit insurance has stepped in to fill that gap. Property and casualty carriers now offer policies that cover recapture risk, ITC valuation disputes, and excessive credit transfer penalties. That 20% penalty for excessive transfers, by the way, can be waived if the buyer demonstrates reasonable cause, but proving reasonable cause after the fact isn’t a position anyone wants to be in.

All of this risk gets priced into the transaction. A 45Q tax credit with strong indemnification, solid insurance coverage, and transparent documentation from a well-capitalized developer will trade at a tighter discount to par. Credits from early-stage developers with thinner balance sheets and less operating history? Those trade at steeper discounts, sometimes significantly so. The buyer’s risk appetite directly shapes the economics of every deal.

Why Structure Matters More Than Credit Value

The dollar-per-ton headline number grabs attention, but the transfer structure determines whether a project actually gets financed. Developers who understand this build their deals around it. They commission capture equipment with an eye toward the 12-year credit window. They negotiate storage contracts that minimize recapture exposure. They secure registration numbers from the IRS before approaching buyers, because no buyer wants to start the clock on due diligence without that baseline documentation in place.

For corporate buyers evaluating 45Q tax credit opportunities, the diligence process matters as much as the price. Understanding the structural advantages and emerging risk factors in this market is becoming a baseline requirement, not a nice-to-have (for a deeper look at the diligence landscape, Reunion Infra’s analysis of the structural advantages shaping this emerging credit class is worth reading).

Structuring 45Q Tax Credit Transfers for Long-Term Risk Management

The 45Q tax credit market is maturing fast. But maturity doesn’t mean simplicity. Every transfer carries embedded risk, and the developers and buyers who structure around that risk, rather than ignoring it, are the ones closing deals.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, financial, or investment advice. Tax credit eligibility, transferability, recapture provisions, and related risks may vary depending on applicable laws, regulations, and individual circumstances. Readers are encouraged to consult qualified tax advisors, legal professionals, or financial experts before entering into any tax credit transfer agreements or making financial decisions. The information presented should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional guidance.

Day: November 7, 2026