‘Farewell Tours’ That Weren’t Actually Farewell Tours

Have you bought a ticket to a Farewell Tour just to find out they’re “reuniting” again just a year later? It’s common with bands, and has been for a long time. The bands will say it’s their last tour to create a buzz and sell more tickets. Very few have actually stuck, and many of them inevitably get back together shortly after.

Rolling Stone compiled a list of bands that have announced Farewell Tours, and then continued to tour for years later. Have you attended any of these Farewell Tours before?

KISS (2002)

“Final” Show or Tour: Farewell Tour, Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast, Australia; 2001

Years Until Next Tour: One

Explanation: “People change their minds, and in this case that goes along with being a living, thinking person. What one says one day with total commitment may at another time turn out not to be so. Am I doing this for the money or the fans? Both, and let’s not forget I’m doing this for me.” —Paul Stanley, 2002

Ozzy Osbourne (1992)

“Final” Show or Tour: No More Tours Tour; Pacific Amphitheatre, Costa Mesa, California; 1992

Years Until Next Tour: Three

Explanation: “Retirement sucked. It wasn’t too long before I started getting antsy and writing songs again.” —Ozzy Osbourne, 1995

Nine Inch Nails (2009)

“Final” Show or Tour: Wave Goodbye Tour, Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles; 2009

Years Until Next Tour: Four

Explanation: “I think I haven’t done everything I can do — if I have something to say and a way to present it that warrants it, and I can physically pull it off, and it’s something that I think belongs under the heading of Nine Inch Nails and what that means to people, then yeah. And I’ll catch some flak for saying I wasn’t going to do that again, but I changed my mind.” —Trent Reznor, 2013

Mötley Crüe (2014)

“Final” Show or Tour: The Final Tour; Staples Centers, Los Angeles; 2015

Years Until Next Tour: Six

Explanation: “Mötley Crüe has seen a massive surge in new audience, and the band best known for making the rules has destroyed their cessation of touring contract in true Mötley Crüe fashion, by literally blowing it up.”

Slayer (2019)

“Final” Show or Tour: Wave Goodbye Tour, Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles; 2009

Years Until Next Tour: Five

Explanation: “Nothing compares to the 90 minutes when we’re on stage playing live, sharing that intense energy with our fans, and to be honest, we have missed that.” —Tom Araya, 2024.