Historically, when a musician or band would commit to a residency in Las Vegas, it signalled they were somewhat past their prime. Or even playing “retirement gigs” that allowed them to perform several times a week without having to be on the road.
That is no longer the case.
In recent years, artists who are at the top of the game, including Adele, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, and Drake, have done residencies in Las Vegas, some of them spanning months or even longer.
The venues have also changed over the decades. Residencies used to be limited to relatively intimate casino theaters but now bands book massive venues like The Sphere where U2, the Eagles and Dead & Co. played dozens of sell-out shows since the venue opened in 2023.
“Acts are reacting to the rigors of the road, the uncertainty of fickle audiences, and the advantages of being in one place”. This stability, paired with the ability to focus on family—as Dion did after her son’s birth in 2001—makes residencies appealing,” Grammys producer Ken Ehrlich told Spotlight Las Vegas.
The latest blast from the past adding to its Las Vegas’ legacy is the beloved party band B-52s, which has already extended its residency several times.
The B-52s have been entertaining partiers for more than 45 years.
LiveNation
B-52s add Las Vegas Strip shows in Spring 2026
Every generation has its share of “dance floor fillers,” those songs that make it impossible not to rush the dance floor, or at least make it hard not to dance in your seat.
For me, that era is the early 90s. Hearing “U can’t touch this,” “Vogue,” or “Gettin’ Jiggy with It” transports me back to the 1990s, and I can’t sit still.
Another one on my personal nostalgia playlist is “Love Shack” from B-52s, one of those bands that’s known to bring the party. And it slooks like they’re not stopping anytime soon.
The band announced it would be playing its farewell tour back in 2022, but has not actually said farewell: the band’s Las Vegas residency technically began in May 2023.
Related: Las Vegas Strip Sphere signs music superstar to residency
“The B-52’s embarked on a farewell tour in 2022 and appearances with DEVO in 2025, but your best chance to see them again is to catch them in Las Vegas. It’s probably a fun show, having seen them 25 years ago on their Summer Roadtrip Tour,” said TheStreet’s Kirk O’Neil.
Since 2023, the band has played several shows each year at The Venetian Theatre in the Venetian Resort on the Las Vegas Strip, in what’s described in a press release as a “run of sold-out, joy-fueled performances.”
In April 2026, the beloved group “will once again unleash their iconic energy and irresistible hits, including ‘Rock Lobster,’ ‘Private Idaho,’ ‘Roam,’ and ‘Love Shack.'”
The B-52s have been entertaining crowds with their zany rock music for 45 years and have sold over 20 million albums. The most recent album, 2008’s Funplex, which reached #11 on the Top 200, according to an announcement.
The most successful music residencies in Las Vegas
- Donny and Marie Osmond: 1,730 shows between 2008 and 2019. (Source: Entertainment Tonight)
- Celine Dion:717 shows between 2003 and 2007 followed by 427 shows between 2011 and 2019 (Source: Billboard)
- Elvis Presley: 636 consecutive shows at the International and Las Vegas Hilton from 1969 through 1976. (Source: Los Angeles Times)
- Elton John:450 shows between 2004-2009 and 2011-2018. (Source: KTNV)
- Santana: 300 shows since opening in 2012. (Source: Mandalay Bay)
- Britney Spears: 248 shows between 2013 and 2017. (Source: ABC News)
- Eagles: 56 shows between 2024 and 2026. (Source: TheStreet)
- Dead & Company: 49 shows in 2024 and 2025. (Source: TheStreet)
- U2: 40 shows in 2023 and 2024. (Source: Billboard)
Why music residencies are so popular in Las Vegas
Las Vegas has increasingly relied on residencies as a way to bring in tourists who want more than just gambling. The city had a tough 2025 with visitor numbers down significantly from 2024. In its November Executive Summary the Las Vegas Visitor and Convention Authority reported the following as of December 31, 2025:
- a 7.4% drop in visitor volume, compared to 2024.
- 0.6% drop in convention attendance compared to 2024.
- 3.0% decrease in weekend hotel occupancy compared to 2024
- 1.8% decrease in midweek hotel occupancy compared to 2024
- 3.6% decrease in Strip hotel occupancy compared to 2024
- 3.0% decrease in downtown hotel occupancy compared to 2024
- 5.0% decrease in average daily room rate compared to 2024
- 5.5% decrease in the number of passengers traveling through Harry Reid International Airport.
While gambling hasn’t collapsed — in 2025 it was down just 0.6% according to the same LVCVA report — it’s not the only tourism driver it once was.
These days, visitors are often in town for a convention, an NFL, NHL game or an F1 race, or to eat at one of the dozens of celebrity chef-owned restaurants, and gambling is just one thing they do while they’re in town.
While Las Vegas had its outsized share of doom and gloom headlines in 2025, some analysts believe the future is … neon.
Convention season and group business in upcoming quarters could be at 15-20% in Las Vegas, Citizens Senior Equity Research Analyst Jordan Bender said in his recent “Brick and Mortar Casino 2025 Preview,” according to betting news site Covers.
The resurgence will come from improved hotel supply levels, a “robust” future convention market, and expansion into non-gaming sports, he predicts, saying Las Vegas is the future site of the MLB’s Athletics, and the NBA has shown interest in potentially placing an expansion team in the city.
Related: Las Vegas Strip casinos get sobering visitor news
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a trip.)
Please make a free appointment with TheStreet’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
