The Beatles,Elvis and ...............TAYLOR!?

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

The Beatles were a group and Taylor is a solo artist. So it's different. Also different eras. To compare them would be to compare say going to the moon vs putting two probes outside the limits of our solar system and sending back data from there. But to give you some perspective, when Paul McCartney said the Beatles were better than the Stones a few years back, Mick Jagger responded. "One band is unbelievably luckily still playing in stadiums, and then the other band doesn’t exist." Says it all right there. The Beatles lasted 8 years. None of them were as big solo as they were together. Taylor's been going 17 years strong now. And if anything, she's only getting bigger. Can she stand up to the best vocalists on the planet. No. Any classical artist is far better than is Taylor Swift. But the same can be said of ANY pop star including the Beatles. I'm not really a Swiftie. But I give credit where due. she is undeniably huge and on the pop star scale, talented. And she has been for quite some time.

Oh and uh Merry Christmas from Taylor.

I know it’s hard to believe, but at one time, David Cassidy’s fan club exceeded that of both The Beatles anbd Elvis, and he held the record for sold out shows, etc.

Yet, today, of the three, who counts themselves as fans of Cassidy other than a small segment of women who grew up in the 70s? Not so for the other two.

I suspect we might see the same from Taylor Swift in the future. JMO.

David Cassidy does not even compare to Taylor Swift. Counting both solo and with the Partridge Family, David had 5 top 10 hits all in 2 years. Taylor Swift had 10 in a single week in 2022. Swift has had 9 number 1s between 2012 and 2022 and two more in 2023 if my count is correct. She's already beaten him both in peak and in longevity multiple times over and shows no signs of slowing down.

 

[goofyernmost]

She is the biggest artist since Michael Jackson, and in terms of pure popularity, I think she's already at the level of the Beatles. We'll have to wait and see her legacy, but at this moment she is that big. Playing 3 nights in a row in a massive stadium with the cheapest ticket starting at $1000 is unheard of.

If she manages to have a number 1 hit 50 years from know, then we might consider it. Three years ago when Paul McCartney was 79 years old, stage side seats were close to $4000.00 and in certain other venues it was known to be as much as $9999.00 for the first three rows from the stage.

 

[longboard55]

Generations tend to follow bands that were popular when they were young. She will always be popular with those born around 2000. I have a friend who loves oingo boingo. Like why?

 

[Micca]

I have a friend who loves oingo boingo. Like why?

I think it's safe to say we can eliminate Oingo Boingo from this discussion

 

[Dan Murphy]

five if you added VHF (was it?).

UHF

 

[GAN]

I’m not a “fan” but I think any artist that delivers a 3-hour+ concert in a torrential downpour deserves some respect. My daughters were lucky enough to catch the show at Gillette and never had as much fun in the rain as that night…

 

[SpaceMan5]

When I first read the subject line I thought, no way. But after giving it some thought, maybe, time will tell.

Will her music stand the test of time like Elvis, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones and I will even thrown in U2, my favorite. You can still listen to their old music now and it will generally elicit the same kind of emotions as it did way back when.

Give it 10-20 years and you will have your answer. Just my opinion. Cheers!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

David Cassidy does not even compare to Taylor Swift. Counting both solo and with the Partridge Family, David had 5 top 10 hits all in 2 years. Taylor Swift had 10 in a single week in 2022. Swift has had 9 number 1s between 2012 and 2022 and two more in 2023 if my count is correct. She's already beaten him both in peak and in longevity multiple times over and shows no signs of slowing down.

Tell that to the 60-somethings, lol.

 

[DisneyOma]

She is the biggest artist since Michael Jackson, and in terms of pure popularity, I think she's already at the level of the Beatles. We'll have to wait and see her legacy, but at this moment she is that big. Playing 3 nights in a row in a massive stadium with the cheapest ticket starting at $1000 is unheard of.

That's just a rip-off. It's like a status thing with teenyboppers - "I got tickets, did you?"

Big question for all - is Taylor Swift a big hit with multiple generations right now, or just the junior high crowd? Is it mostly females, or are there equal numbers of males in the audience? The Beatles appeal to a broad range of people, but I'm thinking she doesn't.

 

[soccerdad72]

Big question for all - is Taylor Swift a big hit with multiple generations right now, or just the junior high crowd? Is it mostly females, or are there equal numbers of males in the audience? The Beatles appeal to a broad range of people, but I'm thinking she doesn't.

Back in their day, did the Beatles appeal to a broad range of people or was it just teens?

 

[Disneylover99]

Big question for all - is Taylor Swift a big hit with multiple generations right now, or just the junior high crowd? Is it mostly females, or are there equal numbers of males in the audience? The Beatles appeal to a broad range of people, but I'm thinking she doesn't.

I think Taylor’s first fans we’re the junior high crowd cause she was just a younger teen herself when she got started. Now those first fans are in their early 30’s and her fans stuck with her cause she consistently put out good music. And she keeps adding new younger fans. Her fan base continues to grow each year.

Elvis and The Beatles had mobs of teen girls after them in the early days. Obviously it’s not like that for Taylor, but she does have male fans. Plus, she also has big Swiftie dad fans who take their daughters to the concerts. Lol.

 

[fab1976]

That's just a rip-off. It's like a status thing with teenyboppers - "I got tickets, did you?"

Big question for all - is Taylor Swift a big hit with multiple generations right now, or just the junior high crowd? Is it mostly females, or are there equal numbers of males in the audience? The Beatles appeal to a broad range of people, but I'm thinking she doesn't.

I’m 47, and know many Swifties my age. She crosses generations, the ones who are fans in their 40’s have kids who are fans as well. Many tried to get tickets, not just for their kids but for them to go WITH their kids which is a great experience for all. One friend has a year old and a 16 year old and she’s in her late 30’s, she was going to take both girls because they both love Taylor. And yes, even the mom loves Taylor and would go without the kids if that was the only option. And note, none of them are junior high age .

 

[slo]

I think Taylor is great - I really do.
I’m not a “Swifty”, but I do like how her songs are clean, she doesn’t behave inappropriately, she doesn’t dress provocatively, she’s creative and more. As a mom, I always liked that my girls like her.

With that being said…..I do not think she ranks up there with The Beatles and Elvis. I do think she’s one of the current greats and I see her having a long and wonderful career.

 

[Jennasis]

Some of these posts sound like my grandparents bemoaning the music of my youth as "trash" and not real music. Now Frank Sinatra...there's an artist and a real musician!

 

[jimmymc]

That's just a rip-off. It's like a status thing with teenyboppers - "I got tickets, did you?"

Big question for all - is Taylor Swift a big hit with multiple generations right now, or just the junior high crowd? Is it mostly females, or are there equal numbers of males in the audience? The Beatles appeal to a broad range of people, but I'm thinking she doesn't.

You're not seeing the reactions if you think it's purely a status thing. People are crying when she starts a song they like and going absolutely nuts just to see the mop cart when she comes to the stage.

I think you're misremembering the Beatles. In their early career, a majority of their fans were teenage girls, then it expanded over time. Taylor has done the same thing. She is definitely a hit with multiple generations, but the biggest are probably people in their 20's and 30's, who were in school for her early songs and are now adults. Current junior high students are also fans, and adults who like modern pop music have gotten into her as she moved out of country.

 

[jimmymc]

If she manages to have a number 1 hit 50 years from know, then we might consider it. Three years ago when Paul McCartney was 79 years old, stage side seats were close to $4000.00 and in certain other venues it was known to be as much as $9999.00 for the first three rows from the stage.

For an upcoming Taylor show, you aren't even getting in the venue for less than $1300. Anywhere on the floor is at minimum $3500, and the true front row seats are $12,000. And that's for a younger audience who don't have as much to spend at the largest venues in the country.

https://seatgeek.com/taylor-swift-t...-rock-stadium-2024-10-19-7-pm/concert/6109434

 

[dvcgirl67]

I have no doubt that my 18 year old niece will go see Taylor Swift thirty years from now when she's 48 and Ms. Swift is 63. Her mother, my sister would be 83....and she'd go too if she's able. I think Swift has that kind of staying power in the business.

 

[jimmymc]

Without question, Swift has immense popularity. But does everybody know her songs?

Yes. Last year when her new album came out, she owned all 10 of the top spots on the Billboard Top 100. The album's deep cuts were more popular than any other artist's singles. And that doesn't even take into account social media, which in fairness The Beatles weren't able to take advantage of. But if you claim that everyone knew the Beatles as they were releasing music, then I can easily claim the same for Taylor based on the numbers.

I'm not even a big Taylor fan, but her music is everywhere.

 

[ronandannette]

Correct me if I’m wrong. But, at the time, didn’t just about everybody know the Beatles’s songs?

Without question, Swift has immense popularity. But does everybody know her songs?

Just something to think about when comparing the two. And Elvis.

This. Elvis and the Beatles both debuted before I was born and peaked when I was a toddler. Yet even today I could sing half a dozen of each of their songs word-for-word and my young adult son probably could too, without any of us ever having owned any of their albums. I personally couldn’t recognize a single TS song.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I don't know a single Taylor Swift song. Wouldn't even recognize if it's her singing.