Who Was Bigger in their Time…Elvis, the Beatles, or Taylor Swift?

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Most of us remember the screaming girls, some who passed out, some who peed their pants, when Elvis hit the stage, or when the Beatles showed up in America. During the 50's, Elvis had a bigger following than any other musician. Then came the Beatles and everyone took a back seat. And now, more than a half century later, no musician in the world is bigger than Taylor Swift

As I've stated (or quoted) in some of my previous posts discussing music, the magic of a musician is to sing songs that let the fans feel as if they are being let into their personal lives. The Beach Boys and the Beatles understood that, and used it to their advantage. But compared to Swift, they aren't even close. Swift started writing songs in her bedroom, on a Christmas tree farm in a small town outside of Reading, PA. The gangly, skinny girl taught herself to play guitar and piano. She wrote songs about her feelings, even when she was nine-years-old, and continues doing the same right to this day. Every song is about her personal life (or dreams) and what she has gone through...falling in love, breakups, heartache, pulling it together, finding happiness because of experiences, etc. She writes her own music (or has a co-writer work with her), both lyrics and melodies. And within the civilized world, every little girl, teen girl, and adult girl relates to her songs. When she was in Tokyo, the huge crowd sang every song along with her because they knew every word, even though it was not in their own language...sometimes drowning her out on stage...even her most obscure songs (she's written or co-written 221 songs, and released 62 songs on her albums)

She has a 150-million-dollar budget for her shows, that includes stage design and fabrication of props, the construction of platforms, specialized lighting rigs, advanced sound systems, and other technical elements, as well as an enormous staff and her entourage of band members, dancers, and backup singers, technicians, etc. She has over 100 semi-trucks that transport her stage equipment, and she has two groups of professional stage builders – one for setting up production for her next concert (takes about a week to put together), and another group to tear down the previous stage equipment after the show is over and start setting up the next. After the stage is set up, they have to run a couple of days' worth of practice to work out the bugs before a concert. It's a huge ordeal. And that budget does not include her two private jets (some of the biggest in the world). Her staff loves her as she's extremely generous and always throwing them bonuses and treats them the way people should be treated. She always gives them props at the end of her shows so they get the limelight for a bit (in one video, I can see a guy mouth the words "wow" as he can't believe the crowd, and they are screaming for him

(As a side note, I've always wondered what it would be like to be on a stage with thousands of adoring fans. Barbara Walters once asked Garth Brooks what is what like to play in front of tens of thousands of fans. I'll never forget his answer, because it made Walters blush. He said, "It's like a two-hour orgasm, but ten times stronger"...LOL)

One of Taylor's concerts cost about 20 million to produce and brings in an average of 93 million per show. Her tickets sell out months before she gets there and when touring big cities like Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Paris, and London, she does four shows in four days, each bringing in nearly 100,000 fans. Most tickets go for around a thousand dollars, but good seats are 5-7 thousand, and premier seats much more than that, and I've seen some ticket prices around 30,000 dollars. When fans go to her shows, they receive a wristband that has LED lights which are run by a computer behind the scenes to change color to match the mood of the song or to add to the excitement

Someone the other day wrote on this board, "cut Taylor some slack", as football fans don't want to hear about her and many (especially those who don't have a teenage girl at home) don't know how big she is in the world. What they don't realize is that Taylor is so much bigger than Kelce, that it's ridicously funny. Hardcore football fanatics know who Kelce Travis is, but well over several billion in this world know (and love) Taylor Swift. The fact that she can watch his games and be down to earth with his family is actually incredible. She is not like many pop stars who get naked or near naked in shows, swing from a canon ball, dance with a giant penis, and covered with tattoos, or always in trouble with drugs and other illegal activities. She's just a small-town, girl next door. Who is a marketing wizard and financial genius who has figured out how to make billions of dollars with her music, as she knows her audience and knows how to put on a grand show for her fans

My vote: Swift is bigger now than the Beatles were in the 60's, or Elvis in the 50's

Can you imagine the smell of estrogen in the air in Ed Sullivan's auditorium after the Beatles sang 

Interestingly, when Travis Kelce went to a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney or Perth (I can't remember) and was seen walking along an aisle, when a group of girls recognized him, and they squatted and screamed just like when girls saw the Beatles for the first time. Travis waved to them and laughed because he couldn't believe it

Here is one of Taylor's concerts – a closing number in Seattle. Interestingly, the owners of the stadium in Seattle were a little worried about the building, and seismologists set up earthquake equipment to measure any vibration. They were worried that the concert could generate up to a 1.0 earthquake. They were wrong...and shocked as it generated a 2.3 magnitude earthquake. And yes, when she's 40 feet in the air on a revolving stage, she's tethered...not to mention, she's in the center for the most stable part of the platform, and also because they have muscle men in pits below to catch her in case something went terribly wrong and if she wasn't in the center, she'd be hanging out over the crowd. Even when it's back down to floor level, the guys walk along her path in the pits on both sides in case she were to fall. Oh yeah, it's the 1989 World Tour, not because it was 1989, but because that is when she was born. She really puts on a production

[Ed Vette]

Way too much to read Ric. But based in the title, I dislike Taylor Swift. And all things swifty.

As a result of one man show, nobody beats the King.

The Beatles were generational and their music was the accompaniment to the massive changes in American society.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Way too much to read Ric. But based in the title, I dislike Taylor Swift. And all things swifty.

As a result of one man show, nobody beats the King.

The Beatles were generational and their music was the accompaniment to the massive changes in American society.

I've never quite understood why some people hate her (or dislike her). My best buddy despises her. I asked him if he's ever heard one of her songs, he replies, "no, don't have to". So I ask what he knows about her, and he returns a blank face, because he doesn't even know who she is, yet he has very strong feelings about her. I raised several girls, an ex-wife, and gone through several girlfriends, and they were just absolutely crazy over her. I never met a woman who disliked her. I saw my cousin for the first time in years at a party last week. He told me his daughters are crazy about Taylor, and he went on to say, he liked her and thought she was a good role model for his girls to look up to compared to what's out there

Anyway, maybe it's macho to dislike girl singers or famous singers because for every hundred girls in love with her, there's guys who absolutely hate her. I just don't get it    Travis is a pretty macho guy, and he likes her 

[Ed Vette]

I've never quite understood why some people hate her (or dislike her). My best buddy despises her. I asked him if he's ever heard one of her songs, he replies, "no, don't have to". So I ask what he knows about her, and he returns a blank face, because he doesn't even know who she is, yet he has very strong feelings about her. I raised several girls, an ex-wife, and gone through several girlfriends, and they were just absolutely crazy over her. I never met a woman who disliked her. I saw my cousin for the first time in years at a party last week. He told me his daughters are crazy about Taylor, and he went on to say, he liked her and thought she was a good role model for his girls to look up to compared to what's out there

Anyway, maybe it's macho to dislike girl singers or famous singers because for every hundred girls in love with her, there's guys who absolutely hate her. I just don't get it    Travis is a pretty macho guy, and he likes her 

Macho? No.
She's an attention seeking, look at me personality. She craves it and soaks it up. To each his own.

[LennG]

 IMVHO no-one was bigger than the Beatles. Yes Elvis was the King, and girls swooned for him, but there was also a huge portion of the world that hated him and this new thing called Rock and Roll.

I really cannot comment on Swift as I know basically nothing about her, don't know her music et al. What I do see is she is a product of the world we live in now, the internet, Facebook, and whatever else is out there. How big would she be if she were in say the Beatles era where her only exposure was basically on the radio and news footage?

 I kind of liken it to Gone With The Wind, the movie. Overall it is the biggest grossing movie EVER, but that is relative to ticket prices. Now, a semi-good movie grosses way more than GWTW but if we match prices, GWTW is the all-time best. I say that for the Beatles, if they ere able to have the exposure Ms. Swift has, they would lead in everything.
Plus, how many Beatles songs are standards even today? Even Elvis has songs that are still standards, what does Ms Swift have except loads of money.

[MightyGiants]

I am not a big music guy so I can't really comment on the music.  I think Ric made a pretty good point that Swift's celebrity is on par with some of the biggest phenomena of the last century.


As a person, I know there is a hell of a lot to like and admire about Taylor Swift.   A self-made billionaire who uses her voice and wealth for good.    Unlike so many others in the music industry who followed their rise to fame and fortune with drugs, self-destructive behavior, criminal behavior, or just becoming weird, Swift has had the strength of character to stay on a good course.  Swift speaks out for great causes, and she is very, very active in charity work.

I think in the end the goal of every person is to have made the world a better place for their being there, and I think Taylor Swift can rest comfortably knowing she has already accomplished that mission.

[ozzie]

Taylor Swift is probably the biggest star in the world right now, but the original question is "Who was bigger in their time" and for that I'm going to say the Beatles. I don't have a bad word to say about Taylor Swift, but I do think that the Beatles made a bigger impact throughout the entire world and did it without the benefit of the Internet and social media.
Swift is supremely talented and would be famous regardless, but I have to believe she has a full time team dedicated to every social media platform there is which does help to "spread the word", so to speak.
All three are Icons and deservedly so, but I put the Fab Four at the top of the heap.

[MightyGiants]

Taylor Swift is probably the biggest star in the world right now, but the original question is "Who was bigger in their time" and for that I'm going to say the Beatles. I don't have a bad word to say about Taylor Swift, but I do think that the Beatles made a bigger impact throughout the entire world and did it without the benefit of the Internet and social media.
Swift is supremely talented and would be famous regardless, but I have to believe she has a full time team dedicated to every social media platform there is which does help to "spread the word", so to speak.
All three are Icons and deservedly so, but I put the Fab Four at the top of the heap.

One thing Elvis and the Beatles didn't face was as much competition for one's leisure time/entertainment.  Back in their era, music was more important to young people as there were nowhere near as many ways for them to entertain themselves.

Video on demand, computer games, social media, texting, working, podcasts, smartphones, and LARPing (I am sure I missed a few) are all competing with listening to music, especially exclusively listening to music.  I am pretty sure young people today are not sitting in their rooms listening to records or the radio.

Plus Elvis and the Beatles were in the early part of rock and roll.   Today's artists are competing with decades of rock, rap, country, and many other genres with vast numbers of options.

Plus streaming music effectively killed the album for most artists

[ozzie]

One thing Elvis and the Beatles didn't face was as much competition for one's leisure time/entertainment.  Back in their era, music was more important to young people as there were nowhere near as many ways for them to entertain themselves.

Video on demand, computer games, social media, texting, working, podcasts, smartphones, and LARPing (I am sure I missed a few) are all competing with listening to music, especially exclusively listening to music.  I am pretty sure young people today are not sitting in their rooms listening to records or the radio.

Plus Elvis and the Beatles were in the early part of rock and roll.   Today's artists are competing with decades of rock, rap, country, and many other genres with vast numbers of options.

This is true. Elvis and the Beatles had less competition for someone's time and attention, but there were also fewer outlets to be entertained by and I'm guessing Taylor Swift can be found on all of them (except maybe the video games and that's probably just a matter of time now. HAHA)

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Taylor Swift is probably the biggest star in the world right now, but the original question is "Who was bigger in their time" and for that I'm going to say the Beatles. I don't have a bad word to say about Taylor Swift, but I do think that the Beatles made a bigger impact throughout the entire world and did it without the benefit of the Internet and social media.
Swift is supremely talented and would be famous regardless, but I have to believe she has a full time team dedicated to every social media platform there is which does help to "spread the word", so to speak.
All three are Icons and deservedly so, but I put the Fab Four at the top of the heap.

I tend to agree. The Beatles impacted the entire spectrum of the music scene and evolved to stay relevant. So in my opinion, the Beatles had a greater impact on music, while Swift has a greater impact on the sheer number of her generation, which reaches into the billions

It's funny, as I was growing up, my dad...like every other man I met...had a hairstyle that made his hair wet and combed up like a wave...mimicking the best the could, Elvis. Me and my two other brothers had the same hairstyle growing up. That hairstyle was dominant for a whole generation. The men liked Elvis' music, but they were also well aware that the female population dug him, so emulation by the male population was the norm

Then came the Beatles and the "Beatle-mop". My dad thought that was the worst thing to ever happen...men with long dry hair  . He complained about it for years. In my younger teens, my dad wouldn't let me grow my hair out, but by the time I was 15, I had dry hair over my ears...and the girls loved it. Others in my school followed. Within a few short years, "Elvis hair" was out, long hair on men was in...everywhere

Taylor is different in that she isn't a male in the previous male-dominated music scene. Girls don't get turned on by men following the latest male star(s), because there's no male model for them to emulate...although, Travis' buzz cut with a beard might take off

Taylor has a following that is ridiculous. Girls look up to her like she is the greatest thing to ever walk the planet. She sings about girl problems and issues of the day that girls face. She is their outlet to let others know what they are going through...and they adore her. At least she has high moral character and is down-to-earth

From raising daughters, playing with my granddaughters, it's like a cold slap in the face watching how absolutely enamored they are with her...dittos with my ex-wife and all my previous girlfriends. A quick story that reflects how girls feel about her. My brother (an accountant in Philadelphia) got a Taylor Swift ticket for a Christmas present for his daughter, 16-yr-old Lily. She had a big box, and unwrapped another box, within another, etc. She finally got to a small box with an envelope (my brother was videotaping the whole scene), and when she saw the ticket, she screamed hysterically for about 30 seconds, and then started shaking and sobbing. She continued to cry for the next half hour because she was so emotionally overwhelmed that she would get to see Taylor Swift live. Such is life if you live with girls and young women

[Ed Vette]

The Beatles transformed not just the music industry in revolutionary ways but were in tune with the times  and transformed culture. They wrote about love and peace, war, political issues, psychedelic experiences, and spiritual transformation. The Krishna Consciousness movement has roots that go back thousands of years but it took off in America partly due to George Harrison. The song "My Sweet Lord" is a beautiful song honoring Lord Krishna and Christians connected with it in the Jesus Movement. Songs like Revolution, Give Peace a Chance, and All You Need Is Love were powerful in the anti-war movement. Eleanor Rigby was a poetic piece about a lonely woman that touched the hearts of the listener. One of the most beautiful songs was Michelle. Hundreds of songs that to this day show they are timeless. Songs like Yesterday and Something. While My Guitar Gently Weeps was inspired by the I-Ching in that everything has its purpose and has reason. Some deep xxxx. Their music transcends any Pop Artist that appeals to a select audience.       

[Sem]

Personally I think the Beatles had a bigger impact on pop culture during their time than Taylor Swift has had to date, but her story is far from finished. Added points to both that they wrote (write) their own material, as well as are/were proficient at playing musical instruments. Elvis could not claim either as far as I'm aware of.

Further, the Beatles, (and even Elvis), to a large degree, changed or at least heavily influenced the direction music of their time was headed. I don't see or hear evidence in any meaningful way that Taylor Swift is currently at that level.

And lastly, 60 years later, there are more than a few upcoming musicians to this day that credit the Beatles as having some influence on their music and how they approach song writing and recording. Obviously I won't be around to find out if Taylor Swift has that same impact 50 or 60 years from now, but my prediction would be no she won't.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Personally I think the Beatles had a bigger impact on pop culture during their time than Taylor Swift has had to date, but her story is far from finished. Added points to both that they wrote (write) their own material, as well as are/were proficient at playing musical instruments. Elvis could not claim either as far as I'm aware of.

Further, the Beatles, (and even Elvis), to a large degree, changed or at least heavily influenced the direction music of their time was headed. I don't see or hear evidence in any meaningful way that Taylor Swift is currently at that level.

And lastly, 60 years later, there are more than a few upcoming musicians to this day that credit the Beatles as having some influence on their music and how they approach song writing and recording. Obviously I won't be around to find out if Taylor Swift has that same impact 50 or 60 years from now, but my prediction would be no she won't.

Interestingly, the first thing I noticed when I watched the Taylor video I posted at the top of this thread, is after all the hoopla giving credit to all the band and dancers, it ends with "yea, yea, yeaaaa", a part of music never heard until the Beatles' made it famous as a filler with no words to fit the melody. So even Taylor's music is influenced by the Beatles

McCartney says he has talked with some of the Swifties, and said, "I was actually thinking about Taylor Swift and her relationship to her young fans and how it's sort of a sisterly thing," McCartney told the BBC. "And I was imagining talking to one of these young fans and saying, 'Have you ever been bullied? Do you get bullied?' " (obviously, Swifts'music talks about bullying and how to fight back, etc)

A couple of good articles with Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift talking music and musicians, and what other famous musicians think of her



https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-praised-by-icons-2023-8#another-former-beatle-ringo-starr-is-a-self-identified-swiftie-4

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/paul-mccartney-taylor-swift-musicians-on-musicians-1089058/

[T200]

I've heard some of Taylor's songs and I do like them.

My biggest reason for disliking her is that early on in her career, when she had a relationship that didn't work out, she'd write a song about it/the guy and it usually was not flattering. I get it that most, if not all, songwriters pull from their own life experiences.

To the original question, I think she's bigger that Elvis or the Beatles. She's a billionaire at 34, with no signs of slowing down.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

I've heard some of Taylor's songs and I do like them.

My biggest reason for disliking her is that early on in her career, when she had a relationship that didn't work out, she'd write a song about it/the guy and it usually was not flattering. I get it that most, if not all, songwriters pull from their own life experiences.

To the original question, I think she's bigger that Elvis or the Beatles. She's a billionaire at 34, with no signs of slowing down.

That's her secret sauce Tim...writing about relationships, both the good and the bad; hence, her ability to connect with her targeted fan base. Sort of a musical, "how to deal with everything life throws at a person" (especially girls and young women, dealing with the highs and lows of dating)

Paul McCartney admitted that his song "Who Cares" (from his latest album), was inspired by Swift...whom he admires and considers a great friend, and like Ringo (a self-proclaimed "Swiftie") applaud her because she is one of the few musicians who can cut a record all by herself (as can McCartney), because she writes her own music, then lay tracks as she plays guitar, keyboards, and does the vocals. Few people have ever been able to do that...although, she doesn't play percussion (McCartney can play the drums). McCartney said that "intimate connection she creates with her music" is the key to her overwhelming success and that it's genius

Interestingly, in an interview, she admitted that she hates singing some of her most famous songs 300,000 times, but will sing it again for the 300,001 because she understands her fans are not rich and that they are at a concert that cost them a lot of money, so they deserve to hear her main songs that she's sick of, but will never stop and disappoint a fan. I think all musicians face that same issue