The oldest bands still touring in 2025
29 November 2024, 12:21 | Updated: 29 November 2024, 12:24
Which of the longest-serving rock 'n' roll acts have dates on the calendar for this year? Radio X takes a look at the itinerary...
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In rock 'n' roll there's no retirement age... in fact there are a great many bands that are continuing to play some 40 or 50 years after their first hit.
But who is the oldest? In reverse order, then. here are some of the most experienced bands you'll be able to see performing soon...
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Pixies: established 1986
20 years after they reformed for Coachella 2004, the Boston alternative rock legends are now a touring force to be reckoned with. After releasing their tenth album, The Night The Zombies Came, in October, the band have planned a European tour for 2025, which reaches the UK in May. After that, Pixies head to North American and will visit Australia and New Zealand in November.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND 2025 🇦🇺🇳🇿
— PIXIES (@PIXIES) November 26, 2024
Tickets for our November 2025 tour dates are on-sale now here: https://t.co/faZ7LNoi1E pic.twitter.com/knuufzn4MK -
Red Hot Chili Peppers - established 1983
The LA rockers began their career as Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters Of Mayhem almost forty years ago, which is incredible considering the ups and downs they've had over the years. The Chilis continued their tour dates in support of their Return Of The Dream Canteen album across the summer of 2024, even cropping up at the Paris Olympics closing ceremony, where they were seen performing in Long Beach, California.
The Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at the #Paris2024 Closing Ceremony! 🌶️ | Music Monday
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Metallica - established 1981
The hardcore metal pioneers were back in 2023 with a new album 72 Seasons, and an itinerary that sees them continue to perform in North America between April and June 2025, before stopping off in Australia and New Zealand in November.
đź’Ą #M72 AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND TICKETS ON SALE TODAY đź’Ą
— Metallica (@Metallica) November 3, 2024
Grab your tickets beginning at 12 PM Local Time.
More Info 🎫 https://t.co/1QLmkJpV9g
Enhanced Experiences 🎫 https://t.co/Gwu1x0iTx5
Travel Packages 🏨 https://t.co/5QfVL2rKdE pic.twitter.com/CIQsagf8dk -
New Order: established 1980
The Mancunian masters of electronica date back, of course, to their time as Joy Division and before that, as the short-lived punk act Warsaw, who formed in 1976 after seeing the Sex Pistols play live. In their post-Ian Curtis incarnation, they first performed as New Order in July 1980. The band have announced shows in the USA, Japan and Australia for 2025.
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Madness: established 1979
The veteran British ska band have had the occasional hiatus over the past 40 years, but they began officially trading under the Madness name back in August 1979 with the single The Prince. The band have just announced epic outdoor gigs in Margate and Colchester next summer as part of their string of UK tour dates for 2025. They'll also be playing Cruel World festival in Pasadena in May and headlining Y Not festival in August!
That’s right, we’re coming back to the USA in 2025
— Madness (@MadnessNews) October 21, 2024
See you at @cruelworldfest, Pasadena CA in May.
Register at https://t.co/jNTbmN74JR
Maybe there’s more to come??? 🇺🇸
đź“· @JenRosenstein pic.twitter.com/rcqka9OM7F -
The Cure - established 1978
You could actually date the Crawley post-punk legends' earliest show back to 1976 when they were known as Malice, but '78 is the "official" start of the band as The Cure, according to Robert Smith. After a one-off show on 1st November 2024 at London's Troxy to launch their first album in 16 years, Songs Of A Lost World, Smith says he's planning on heading out again on tour in the autumn of 2025.
Robert Smith of The Cure performs during the Corona Capital music festival in Mexico City, November 2023. Picture: AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario/Alamy -
Soft Cell - established 1978
Marc Almond and Dave Ball said they were playing their last show together in 2018, but the synthpop legends are still at it, playing festival dates in Australia in April 2025.
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Def Leppard - established 1977
The British metal legends will mark four decades since the release of their landmark album Pyromania by continuing to tour across the US next year, which will take them up to August 2025, stopping off at the Illinois State Fair on the 16th of that month.
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The B52s: established 1976
Original members Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland have a Las Vegas residency set to run until 19th April 2025. They're saying this is their farewell tour!
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Iron Maiden - established 1975
The metal legends have been doing their unique thing since the mid-70s and we can't ever believe they'll call it a day - their Run For Your Lives World Tour is expected to spill into 2026, stopping off at London Stadium and other UK venues in June '25.
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Eagles: established 1971
There have been numerous line-up changes and the loss of founding member Glenn Frey in 2016, but The Eagles headlined British Summer Time in Hyde Park in June 2022, with Don Henley and Joe Walsh still present and correct. Their Long Goodbye Tour was meant to wind up in the summer of 2024, but the band have added shows at the Las Vegas Sphere right up until April 2025.
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Kool And The Gang: established 1964
The Gang may have changed a bit over the years, but Robert "Kool" Bell continues to take the band's huge funk and R&B tunes around the world, with shows in January and February 2025 lined up, plus the "Ultimate Disco Cruise" setting sail from Miami to Costa Maya in Mexico on 19th February.
Robert 'Kool' Bell at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on 19th October 2024. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello/Alamy -
The Rolling Stones: established 1962
Having picked themselves up after the death of the great Charlie Watts, AND celebrated the release of a Number 1 album in 2023's Hackney Diamonds, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood last played together on 21st July 2024 at Ridgedale, Missouri. After that, who knows?
Mick, Ronnie and Keef in Atlanta, June 2024: Still no satisfaction. Picture: Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP/Alamy -
The Beach Boys - established 1961
Death, illness and mental health issues haven’t soured the American Dream and surf seems to be continually up for this legendary act. Veteran member Mike Love and Bruce Johnston lead the current line-up, and they have announced a huge outdoor concert at Englefield, in Pangbourne, near Reading in Berkshire for June 2025. Support comes from David Essex and Lulu!
The Beach Boys will play an outdoor UK show in June 2025. Picture: Press
