StubHub released its year-end list recently for tours, and it serves as more proof that country music is one of today's most popular genres. While One Direction took the number one spot in ticket sales for their touring this year, George Strait and Luke Bryan were right behind the boy band. Justin Timberlake locked down the fourth slot, and even he had a big country year, performing with Garth Brooks in Nashville. Adweek looked into the list.

"I don't think we realize how huge country music is," StubHub's Glen Lehrman said. "Traditionally, we think of pop music as the one that is going to drive the most interest in ticket sales-your Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga. George Strait didn't do that many dates, but his last concert ever [at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas] was by far one of the biggest events we had in 2014."

Strait's final concert in June was a country extravaganza. Legions of fans - 104,793 to be exact - filled the stadium, which regularly houses the Dallas Cowboys. Ticket sales on StubHub for Bryan and Timberlake didn't even equal what Strait's concert made.

Farewell and reunion tours also did well, according to StubHub. Backstreet Boys and New Edition fall into that category.

Billboard's Boxscore results were a little different. One Direction was still on top, but Timberlake was number two on that list. Bryan ranked 14 and Strait hit 16. The Rolling Stones, The Eagles and Katy Perry rounded out the top five.

"I don't read as much into those [Boxscore] metrics as I do individual tours and why something is working or not working," Rob Light of One Direction's booking company, Creative Artists Agency, said. "It was another very healthy year. Music and live [performance] continue to be a cornerstone of people's entertainment mix."

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