The Ten Best International Touring Artists Of 2016

Our look back at 2016 continues as we reveal the international touring artists that our writers voted the best live acts of the year:

After double-dipping during the 2016 The Cure tour (Splendour and sideshow) we can testify that, when it comes to Robert Smith and co, it's Never Enough.

Adult nappies were definitely required during these all-killer-no-filler three-hour sets as well, with The Cure transporting us back to slumber parties where we'd practice pashing on pillows and write secret love letters using lemon juice in lieu of ink (just us?). Black Sabbath's founding members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler plus drummer Tommy Clufetos made arena foundations around the nation rumble during The End shows — billed as the band's farewell tour — and were rewarded with runner-up status. Sole hip-hop representative Kendrick Lamar (#3) sounded even better live than on record and made us bounce and discredited all the naysayers who thought he didn't deserve a spot on Bluesfest. Deftones (#4) and Iron Maiden (#5) ensured heavy, "legacy-type people" (Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson's words) dominated this poll in 2016, taking three out of the top five spots.

Coming in at #6 was what wound up being Prince's farewell tour; we were not expecting to have to include a Prince obituary in our pages just a couple of months after his intensely personal Piano & A Microphone shows. Prince's often-distraught performances followed the news that his former lover/protege Vanity had passed and that rendition of Purple Rain is now permanently etched in our still-broken hearts. These tickets were extremely pricey and difficult to come by, so we're pretty sure every writer lucky enough to attend voted Prince as their 2016 Best International Live Act (and sorry for reminding those who missed out that these intimate, once-in-a-lifetime performances were peerless).

Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter

Voted #7, Sufjan Stevens clearly brought the mass swoons during his theatre tour early on in the year. This year only one female artist breaks up our writers' sausagefest tribute, with Gillian Welch ranked at #8. With many enchanted punters rolling up to catch (probably multiple) shows during her three-week nationwide tour, Welch and co ended up driving close to 7000km around our Great Southern Land. Relative newcomer Leon Bridges (touring off the back of his debut Coming Home set) also thrilled with his fancy footwork and dapper attire, scoring #9 in our annual poll.

US bands dominated, producing six of this year's Best International Live Acts. Three of the acts are English and Sigur Ros (#10) put Iceland on the map in this category with their Splendour-exclusive set.

1. The Cure

"An unmistakable voice that evoked a spread of emotions after guiding many in the room through highs and lows."
The Cure, Perth Arena, 31 July

- Daniel Cribb

2. Black Sabbath

"One minute you'd be comparing Ozzy Osbourne to a drunk yet endearingly harmless uncle and the next his demonic eyes and hellraiser persona would break on through."
Black Sabbath, Qudos Bank Arena, 23 April

- Hayley Casey

3. Kendrick Lamar

"There's something about Lamar's performance to this packed arena crowd that feels so raw and intimate."
Kendrick Lamar, Rod Laver Arena, 21 March

- Stepanie Liew

4. Deftones

"Pounding heaviness and sublime melodicism - the cerebral and the visceral - few modern heavy bands harness this with as much aplomb as Deftones."
Deftones, Hordern Pavilion, 12 Nov

- Brendan Crabb

5. Iron Maiden

"Iron Maiden can afford to be a bit cheesy, it's part and parcel of metal theatrics in an arena this size, and, boy do they sound epic!"
Iron Maiden, Rod Laver Arena, 9 May

- Bryget Chrisfield

6. Prince

"Prince pours out raw emotion and his high-pitched cries that close out this song are so agonisingly real that it's hard to watch."
Prince, State Theatre, 16 February

- Bryget Chrisfield

7. Sufjan Stevens

"Stevens and his prodigiously talented ensemble deliver a near-faultless display of aural and visual splendour."
Sufjan Stevens, 154, 4 March

- Mitch Knox

8. Gillian Welch

"The warmth emanating from Welch's voice and person through Wayside/Back In Time and Rock Of Ages [is] something to behold."
Gilllian Welch, The Tivoli, 11 February

- Steve Bell

9. Leon Bridges

"This outfit is aaaaall class, from the use of this venue's simple red back curtain to the soft lighting we swear we're experiencing everything through a Vaseline-covered lens."
Leon Bridges, Forum Theatre, 19 July

- Bryget Chrisfield

10. Sigur Ros

"All swaying and smiling and keeping eyes to the floor or utterly locked on the mesmerising musicians and visuals lest we accidentally close our eyes and fall asleep, for all the dreaminess occurring around us. Bravo."

- Splendour In The Grass