Las Vegas has long been the place for artists to really say they’ve “made it”. A residency in the city is something special and not only allows for audiences to say “I was there” but also sees artists join esteemed acts such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, who have had their names up in lights on the Strip.

Las Vegas is far more than just gambling. And while many of us visit the city having played endlessly on an online social casino, now wanting to try out the real thing, as evening arrives in Vegas, it’s time to put down the chips and go to a show.

But what are the best residencies to have ever graced the Las Vegas stages? We delve into history to highlight the five best of all-time…

Celine Dion: A New Day… and Celine (2003–2019)

Celine Dion has been lighting up Las Vegas for well over a decade and she’s often the first name that springs to mind for many. She was a real gamechanger back in the early 2000s with A New Day, which would go on to become one of the most successful residencies in entertainment history.

It showed what can be done, with elaborate staging, Cirque du Soleil-like choreography and, of course, a great back catalogue of songs to boot. Many have since followed in those footsteps, but few have quite managed to pull it off in the same way.

A New Day was performed over five years, with a total of 717 performances. She then returned in 2011 with Celine, a show that ran until 2019, grossing hundreds of millions of dollars.

Elton John: The Red Piano and The Million Dollar Piano (2004–2018)

It’s a similar story for Elton John, a man made for Las Vegas. His Red Piano at Caesars Palace kicked things off for the Brit, including a wealth of huge hits, and of course great outfits, including Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Your Song. He is a performer widely considered as one of the best performers to sing at Sin City.

That continued with The Million Dollar Piano, which ran all the way through to 2018 before his retirement and final farewell world tour, leaving a great showmanistic hole in the Las Vegas Strip.

His residencies broke records, pulling in millions in ticket sales and going down as a Vegas legend, to be spoken in the same ilk as your Sinatras and Presleys.

Britney Spears: Britney: Piece of Me (2013–2017)

It’s been over a decade now since Britney stepped onto the stage in Las Vegas, adding a new kind of energy to the Strip. Her Piece of Me residency oozed pop and was dance-driven, a bit of a departure from the typical residencies that we were used to.

Staged at Planet Hollywood’s Axis Theatre, she played over 250 shows across four years, playing hits such as Baby One More Time, Toxic and Oops…I Did It Again, thrilling fans and marking a real cultural moment, as well as the return as the pop princess.

Lady Gaga: Enigma and Jazz & Piano (2018–2022)

Lady Gaga is a star made for the bright lights of Las Vegas and she’s played two shows in the city, starting in 2018. Enigma proved a real hit and had tons of theatrical flair and outfits, what we’d typically associate with Gaga.

Jazz & Piano stepped away from that, providing a more intimate, jazz-inspired show that celebrated her love of jazz, with some classics intertwined with original material. It was this that really proved to be an iconic Vegas show, really showcasing her vocal abilities.

Her shows really brought a renewed sense of artistry to the Nevada city and it’s something many artists will look to follow over the coming years too. Doing something different for a special, Las Vegas audience.

Aerosmith: Aero-Vegas (2009)

It’s not often Las Vegas strays beyond pop music, and indeed solo stars, so Aerosmith landing on the Strip was one of the great surprises. And boy, was it a welcome one. Aero-Vegas launched in 2009 at the Hard Rock Hotel and brought arena rock to the Strip but in a more compact, intimate venue.

A hit-fueled set, including Sweet Emotion, Walk This Way and Dream On, gave Vegas a new, raw and powerful energy that didn’t need dancers, elaborate sets, just a group of musicians playing their songs and allowing fans to feel them and experience them up close.

It was a shorter residency than many, but bringing classic rock to Vegas was a real game changer and we’re seeing it more and more today, diversifying what we can expect each night when we land in the city.