Harry Styles Honored for Top Tour of the Year at Pollstar Awards

variety.com:

Chris Willman Music WriterHarry Styles’ success as an arena headliner was celebrated with an award for major tour of the year Tuesday night at the Pollstar Awards, held annually to honor the tours, festivals, venues, promoters, agents, managers, talent buyers and others judged to have achieved the greatest success in the live music sphere in the past year.Other artists singled out at the 33rd annual ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom as part of the Pollstar Live!

conference, included Lady Gaga, Chris Stapleton, Foo Fighters, J. Cole, Maroon 5, Dave Chappelle, Sebastian Maniscalco and Billy Strings.Artists typically make their acceptance speeches on video, as Styles did this year (although Elton John showed up to accept the top prize in the flesh two years ago).

But there were big whoops and cheers for the dozens of industry pros who gave brief acceptance speeches in person, including reps for venues ranging from the venerable Troubadour and Ryman Auditorium to Inglewood’s new SoFi Stadium.

Said Ray Waddell, president of media and conferences for Oak View Group, Pollstar’s parent company: “2021 will be remembered as the year that artists were able to once again connect with fans at live events around the world, and Pollstar is thrilled to be able to recognize the artists, venues, events and executives who were able to make that happen at the highest level, as determined by their peers.