According to TicketNews' exclusive events rankings for the week ending Sunday, March 6, popular recording artist Josh Groban has taken over the top spot with the help on his upcoming Straight To You Tour.

Groban, set to begin the tour in New Orleans in May, dominated the list handily with a power score of 6.14. Following at a strong number two this week was the long-running musical Wicked (4.14), with rock legend Bob Seger in at three (3.33), Taylor Swift at four (3.15) and Lady Gaga at five (2.51).

Last autumn, classical-pop vocalist Josh Groban began planning for an upcoming world tour by performing a series of intimate pre-tour concerts in four U.S. cities.

The unusual approach must have worked, because Groban has revealed three initial dates for a 2011 world tour. But despite his international aspirations for the Straight to You Tour, all of Groban's dates are domestic thus far.

Classical-pop crooner Josh Groban recently unveiled his plans for a special concert tour that will lead up to the release of his latest studio album, "Illuminations." The release is set for November 15 and will be preceded by four shows in two states.

The bi-coastal pre-tour begins in California with events on November 6 at McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, November 7 at Balboa Theatre in San Diego and November 10 at The Granada in Santa Barbara. After his three-show run on the West Coast, Groban will return to the East Coast for a single November 13 event at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, CT.

By Scott Timpano

He’s selling tickets at a rampant rate but somehow Josh Groban remains relatively unknown on the American music scene. The 25-year old Los Angeles native won't be unknown for much longer. His fans are grabbing up tickets like crazy and established musicians are jumping at collaborative opportunities.