See the 10 Wildest Gifts Musicians Have Given Fans Over the Years

Kelly AllenSat, August 8, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC

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Zac Brown; Beyoncé and Jay-ZCredit: AEG; Kevin Mazur/Getty

Many musicians pour the love they receive from their fans back into them — and several have done so through extravagant gifts.

On Aug. 2, Zac Brown Band gifted more than 37,000 fans with a cruise aboard a Margaritaville at Sea liner to celebrate a sold-out show in Boston.

“Tonight we’re going to do something that even Jimmy [Buffett] would say is crazy,” Brown said at the concert, per a press release. “I’m buying every single person here a cruise for two people on the boat. This is the biggest giveaway in history ladies and gentlemen, right here tonight at Fenway Park!”

The band’s gift is one wild offering in a long line of musicians thanking their fans for their support in creative ways. In 2014, Taylor Swift sent select lucky fans holiday gift boxes with personalized notes. On multiple occasions, Drake has given fans thousands of dollars in cash.

Some gifts have stretched beyond the artists’ fan base, like in 2014 when U2 surprised millions of people with an automatic download of the band’s album, Songs of Innocence.

Here are the 10 wildest gifts musicians have given their fans and concertgoers.

01 of 10

A Cruise from Zac Brown Band

Zac Brown during a Zac Brown Band concert at Fenway Park on Aug. 2, 2026Credit: Courtesy of AEG

On Aug. 2, Zac Brown Band celebrated its 15th consecutive sold-out show at Boston’s Fenway Park by bestowing more than 37,000 fans with a cruise for two people aboard a Margaritaville at Sea liner.

According to a press release, the gift was valued at more than $40 million and broke the record for the largest surprise audience gifting in live entertainment.

“We were honored to work alongside Zac to help bring this incredible surprise to life for his fans,” said Christopher Ivy, CEO of Margaritaville at Sea, in the release. “This was an extraordinary way to thank the fans who have supported him throughout his career, and we’re proud to have helped make that incredible vision a once-in-a-lifetime reality.”

02 of 10

An Album from Prince

Prince in 2004Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage

Prince is recognized as the first artist to bundle an album with a concert ticket, per The Fader. In 2004, Prince released his album Musicology and set out on tour, including the album with each ticket purchase.

Those copies counted as sales, and Prince’s Musicology remained on the Billboard charts for weeks. Many artists would follow suit in the years to come, until the rules around ticket bundling were changed in 2020, per Billboard.

However, that wasn’t the last time Prince gave away an album for free. Three years later, he gave away his 2007 album Planet Earth as a freebie distributed by the British tabloid the Mail on Sunday in the United Kingdom, according to TIME.

“It’s direct marketing,” Prince said when the deal was announced. “And I don’t have to be in the speculation business of the record industry, which is going through a lot of tumultuous times right now.”

03 of 10

A Surprise Album from U2

Adam Clayton, Bono, The Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 in 2014Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

iTunes users in 2014 remember U2’s surprise album download all too well. The rock band teamed up with Apple to give their album Songs of Innocence to more than 500 million people worldwide.

“From the very beginning U2 have always wanted our music to reach as many people as possible, the clue is in our name I suppose—so today is kind of mind-blowing to us. The most personal album we’ve written could be shared with half a billion people… by hitting send. If only songwriting was that easy,” U2 lead singer Bono said in a press release. “It’s exciting and humbling to think that people who don’t know U2 or listen to rock music for that matter might check us out.”

Many iTunes users weren’t so pleased, causing the band to issue an apology. “This beautiful idea, we kind of got carried away with it,” Bono said at the time, per ABC News.

He added, “Artists are prone to that kind of thing. Drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self promotion and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years might not be heard. There’s a lot of noise out there. I guess we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it.”

04 of 10

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Subway Access from Beyoncé

Beyoncé in 2023Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

During Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, the singer made sure her fans got home safe. She paid $100,000 to keep all 98 trains in the D.C. Metro system running for an extra hour after an August 2023 show at FedEx Field in Maryland started late because of bad weather, per Fortune.

05 of 10

Free Concert Tickets for 30 Years from Beyoncé and Jay-Z

Jay-Z and Beyoncé in 2019Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Along with providing access to transport, Beyoncé also teamed up with her husband Jay-Z to give their fans the opportunity to win free concert tickets to both of their shows for 30 years in 2019. The contest, which Beyoncé shared on Instagram, was part of their promotion for The Greenprint Project, which encouraged people to adopt a plant-based diet to lower their carbon footprint.

While the contest encouraged fans to adopt a plant-based diet, all fans had to do to enter was give their name and email. One lucky winner was selected to receive a ticket to one concert for each Beyoncé or Jay-Z tour for a maximum of 30 years, per CNBC.

06 of 10

Cash from Drake

Drake in 2025Credit: Simone Joyner/Getty

Drake has been handing out cash to his fans — and passersby — for years.

For the rapper’s “God’s Plan” music video in 2018, he handed out nearly $1 million to families across Miami for groceries, a college scholarship and more, per CNBC.

In 2025, he gave a fan at his Anita Max Win Tour in Australia $20,000. The fan held a sign that read, “Rock-paper-scissors to buy my dad a birthday car,” which caught the singer’s eye, per Billboard. Although Drake won the game, he gave the fan the cash anyway.

07 of 10

Hand-Picked Gifts from Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift in 2014Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Swift loves to surprise her fans. In 2014, the pop star went so far as to create a new holiday for her supporters: Swiftmas.

She sent lucky Tumblr followers huge packages — as big as 31 lbs. — filled with individually wrapped presents like a Polaroid camera, beauty products, candles, gift cards and personalized notes from Swift herself, per Billboard.

08 of 10

A Car from Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney in 2003Credit: Rob Verhorst/Redferns

For his world tour in 2003, Paul McCartney gave the 2 millionth audience member of his Back to the World tour a car. A teenage fan won, receiving a new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet, per Fleet News.

The Beatles alum signed an inside panel of the car. It read, “For Laura. Well Done. Two millionth. Love Paul McCartney,” according to the outlet.

09 of 10

Refunded Concert Tickets from Luke Combs

Luke Combs in 2022Credit: Jason Kempin/Getty

Luke Combsessentially gave his fans a free show in September 2022.

“I have to let you know that I have refunded all of your tickets. As of 7 p.m. today, a few hours ago, I realized that I was not going to be able to sing as good as I normally do,” Combs said onstage at a show in Bangor, Maine.

“[My voice is not] what I think it should be for you guys having to pay for it,” he continued. “So, we’re going to put on the best free show we could put on, and I want you guys to know how upset I am to have to tell you that tonight, but all I want you to know is that we’re going to do the very damn best.”

10 of 10

Cell Phones from Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber in 2014Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/amfAR14/WireImage

Justin Bieber truly surprised a pair of fans in February 2014 when he walked into an Apple Store in New York City and bought them iPhones. He did so after noticing they were watching the music video for the singer’s “Confident” on display phones in the store, per BBC.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”