ArchivesThe American Idol 5 arena tour, which continues through Sept. 10, is “the longest and most successful Idol tour ever,” according to USA TODAY.
Citing Billboard, the paper says it earned $14.6 million “through Aug. 2,” having “been seen by more than 265,000 fans.” And that was nearly a month ago.
Billboard’s Ray Waddell tells the paper that this represents a new era in stardom. “People feel that they are invested in these personalities. It’s a product of today’s market, where an artist does their first tour at the arena level. You used to have to hone your craft in clubs and work your way up to bigger venues by becoming a strong entertainer,” he said.
Now, you just show up to audition for a reality show, and a year later you’re selling out arenas.
![The Mole [TV Soundtrack]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00005O54G.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg)
