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These 10 Iconic Residencies Helped Turn Vegas Into a Pop Culture Powerhouse

From Elvis to Usher, the Residencies That Redefined Las Vegas Entertainment

Jamie Johnson Jamie Johnson
- 7 min read
These 10 Iconic Residencies Helped Turn Vegas Into a Pop Culture Powerhouse
Singer Adele Performs on Stage | Kevin Winter/getty Images for Bt Pr/afp

From Flop to Flex!

Alright, besties. As we all know, Las Vegas isn’t just the casino capital of the world — it’s also one of the most glamorous entertainment cities to ever exist. And what helped elevate Sin City to that sparkly, feather-boa-wrapped status? Residencies. Legendary, rhinestoned, career-redefining residencies.

Sure, Katy Perry and Usher have been holding it down in recent years, but to really understand how residencies became cool, we have to go way back. Because once upon a time, a Vegas residency was basically a pop culture hospice. It was where stars went to fade quietly into sequin-covered obscurity. Not anymore.

These days, you can sell out the Strip and still top the Billboard Hot 100. Just ask Bruno Mars. Now, Chappell Roan or Sabrina Carpenter probably wouldn’t pause a world tour for Vegas, but if they ever did? We wouldn’t side-eye it. Because Las Vegas is no longer a career graveyard. It’s a flex. Let’s talk about the icons who made it that way.

Liberace

Before Celine, before Britney, before Gaga… there was Liberace. The man was the highest-paid entertainer in the world for over 20 years, and his run in Las Vegas casinos started in the 1950s and didn’t stop until he passed away in 1987.

That’s nearly four decades of fur coats, rhinestone pianos, and dramatic cape reveals at venues like the Riviera and Caesars Palace. Vegas even named a street after him. I actually turn on Liberace Ave. every day on my way home from the gym. We don’t play about our Liberace here. He helped make casinos more than places to play for real money, he turned them into showbiz goldmines.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley may be the most Vegas-coded artist in history, but fun fact — he actually bombed in Vegas the first time.


In 1956, he performed a two-week stint at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino and the crowd was not vibing. They wanted Frank Sinatra. They got pelvic thrusts. Elvis left traumatized and swore he’d never come back. But in 1969, he returned for a comeback residency at the International Hotel (now the Westgate) and absolutely crushed it with a seven-year run through 1976.

Jumpsuits, scarves, screaming fans, and 636 sold-out shows. He turned Vegas into a pop culture mecca. And casinos? They made bank despite the more rigid gambling regulations of the time.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion changed the game in 2003 when she opened her “A New Day…” residency at Caesars Palace, which ran until 2007 and then returned from 2011 to 2019. It was a hundred-million-dollar production and worth every cent.

Celine’s voice, those Y2K gowns, the wind machines — iconic. Caesars became a full-on destination, and suddenly people were planning entire trips around her show. Guests came for the drama, stayed longer, spent more, and made the casino a ton of money.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears brought the glitter cannon when she launched her “Piece of Me” residency at Planet Hollywood in 2013, which ran through 2017. This one is still wild to me. I was deep in my Tumblr soft grunge era at the time (more Alex G mixtapes than pop princess bops), but Britney was out here lip-syncing her heart out in a rhinestone bodysuit. And it worked.

There were bangers, abs, nostalgia, and just enough chaos to make it magical. You weren’t going to see Wayne Newton. You were 100% dancing to “Toxic” in a body con dress, cropped denim vest, and Jeffrey Campbell Litas with a vodka cranberry in hand. Planet Hollywood rebranded overnight. Younger fans flooded the Strip.

Elton John

Elton John showed up at Caesars Palace from 2004 to 2009, then again from 2011 to 2018, and brought the feathers, sass, and a piano with more presence than most headliners.

He played the classics, winked at the crowd, and kept things fresh while other artists were fading out. His fans weren’t just there for the music — they were high rollers who booked dinner packages and hit the tables after. Honestly, I don’t know a single person who wouldn’t attend an LV residency that featured Elton. We’re all still obsessed.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey did her thing at Caesars Palace between 2015 and 2020, and gave us exactly what we wanted: gowns, grand entrances, minimal movement, and vocals (when she felt like it). She didn’t always sell out the way Britney did, but her name on the marquee? Iconic.


Her shows were built for luxury clients, drama lovers, and nostalgic Millennials. And yes, you absolutely want to scream “We Belong Together” in a Vegas showroom while your ex clutches a double whiskey next to you. It’s what the gods of entertainment news intended.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s residency at Park MGM from 2018 to 2023 still hurts my soul, mostly because I didn’t live here yet and missed the whole thing. She delivered two completely different shows: “Enigma,” which was a neon-drenched pop hallucination, and “Jazz & Piano,” which gave Old Hollywood glamour and live vocals that made people cry.

She brought in her Little Monsters, jazz nerds, and a wave of international tourists. Gaga didn’t just sell out a venue — she gave Park MGM a total glow-up. Guests came for her and then stayed to play the slots. This was probably the biggest W for Las Vegas.

Katy Perry

I saw Katy Perry’s residency at Resorts World in 2022 (pre-Katy ick, IYKYK). And I’ll say it — she puts on a damn good show.

It was psychedelic, bizarre, and full of giant cartoon props, including a talking toilet. Whether or not you were a fan, her show kept Resorts World in every casino news headline for two years straight.

Adele

Adele’s residency at Caesars Palace began in 2022 and ended in 2024. Imagine crying into a twenty-dollar glass of wine while she sings “Someone Like You” in real time (I don’t have to imagine, I was there doing it for y’all). Her show was intimate, vulnerable, and a complete departure from the flashy pop that usually accompanies Las Vegas performances.

Her voice, her banter, and a curated list of Adele songs that truly made us all weep. This woman’s voice could make whole cities crumble. It was a major win for Caesars and a lesson in how powerful simplicity can be in the middle of flashing lights. Love you, Adele. In the dark, and in the Vegas lights.

Usher

Usher closed out his Park MGM residency in 2023, and let’s be real, he brought the heat. He was serenading, shirtless, and sexy. The entire Las Vegas Aces roster seemed to be in attendance every other night (shout out A’ja Wilson).


His run wasn’t just sexy, it proved that male artists could dominate the residency scene without becoming corny. He brought in a younger, cooler crowd that didn’t just hit the shows, they filled the casinos after.

So yeah. Las Vegas residencies used to be the end of the road. Now? They’re the main event. If you’re lucky enough to land one, you’re not washed — you’ve arrived. And while you’re there, maybe try your hand at the slots. But if you can’t quite make the trip? Check out the online casino and pop on a live-stream concert. Who knows, maybe you’ll win big and walk out rich enough to book the trip.

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