Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx has made it clear where he stands on one of live music’s most divisive debates: whether legendary bands should keep playing their biggest hits. For Sixx, the answer is simple — absolutely yes.

Speaking to 103.5 The Arrow, Sixx said he outright hates it when major artists avoid their most famous songs in concert, arguing that fans didn’t buy tickets to hear obscure deep cuts at the expense of the classics. “We get in, and we know the fans want to hear the hits,” Sixx said. “I hate it when a band goes out and doesn’t play their hits, right?”

While massive success often comes with the burden of repetition — playing the same songs night after night for decades — Sixx believes that obligation is part of the deal. His view contrasts with sentiments expressed by other musicians, such as former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, who admitted in a 2022 Metal Hammer interview that playing “Enter Sandman” for the thousandth time can be exhausting.

Sixx, however, takes the opposite stance. He recalled seeing David Bowie deliberately avoid his biggest songs at one point in his career, a decision that disappointed him as a fan.

“He’s one of my favorite artists,” Sixx said. “I don’t want to go hear a bunch of C and D tracks off of records that I love. I want to hear those songs like ‘Rebel Rebel.’ At that point, he was like, ‘I’m so tired of playing the same songs.'”

As previously reported by Consequence, Mötley Crüe are gearing up for a major summer run dubbed The Return of the Carnival of Sins, kicking off July 17 in Burgettstown, Pennsylvania. And according to Sixx, fans can expect plenty of staples like “Kickstart My Heart” — but not only that.

“We’re not tired of playing those hits,” he explained. “But we are excited about getting into a set list and diving into some songs that we maybe never played, or haven’t played in a long time, and shaking it up.”

Sixx added that revisiting early material and deeper cuts also fuels the band creatively, influencing everything from stage production to the overall energy of the show. “If you’re playing a song from the first album, that’s going to dictate a lot of what production looks like,” he said. “For us, it’s like this moving, creative ball of energy. It’s super exciting.”

With their upcoming tour, Mötley Crüe appear committed to striking a balance — honoring the songs that made them legends while still keeping things fresh. For Nikki Sixx, it all comes down to respecting the audience. After all, as he makes clear, if you’re going to see a legendary band live, you should leave having heard the songs that made you fall in love with them in the first place.

Mötley Crüe is coming back (whether you want them to or not) in 2026 with The Return of The Carnival Of Sins tour, a major 2026 North American tour celebrating two milestones: the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking 2005-2006 Carnival of Sins tour and the 45th anniversary of the band.

The tour will feature very special guests Tesla and Extreme, and $1 from every ticket will be donated to ASAP! (After School Arts Program), a cause close to the hearts of the band members. Get your tickets here.

7/17 Burgettstown, PA The Pavilion at Star Lake
7/18 Buffalo, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater
7/20 Clarkson, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
7/22 Toronto, ON RBC Amphitheatre
7/24 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
7/25 Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheater
7/27 Camden, NJ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
7/29 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
7/31 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
8/1 Mansfield, MA Xfinity Center
8/3 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
8/12 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
8/14 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
8/15 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
8/17 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
8/19 St Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
8/21 Shakopee, MN Mystic Lake Amphitheater
8/22 Tinley Park, IL Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
8/24 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
8/25 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
8/27 Grand Rapids, MI Acrisure Amphitheater
8/28 Noblesville, IN Ruoff Music Center
9/8 Kansas City, MO Morton Amphitheater
9/10 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
9/11 Houston, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
9/13 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater
9/16 Phoenix, AZ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
9/18 Chula Vista, CA North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
9/19 Long Beach, CA Long Beach Amphitheater
9/21 Salt Lake City, UT Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
9/23 Wheatland, CA Toyota Amphitheatre
9/24 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheater
9/26 Ridgefield, WA Cascades Amphitheater

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