Is Taylor Swift the biggest singer/entertainer ever?

[baylrballa]

"While Swift does not flaunt her jets, she is on the top of the celebrity list in terms of carbon emissions from traveling in private planes. On July 29, Yard, which tracks celebrities’ private plane use, noted: “Taylor Swift might be today's pop princess, but Yard's research found that Miss Swift is the biggest celebrity CO2e polluter of this year so far… Her total flight emissions for the year come in at 8,293.54 tonnes.” For reference, as per the World Bank, in 2020, the average global per capita carbon emission was 4.3 tons. This means Swift's private jet footprint alone was 1,928 times the global average. Or, more conservatively, it was 637 times the U.S. per capita carbon emissions of 13 tons."

Today's youth are very eco conscious except when it comes to TS!

I mean it’s just a weird thing to bang on her about. Doubt it’s out of line with others in her wealth/popularity level.
She would have a bit of a struggle flying commercial one would think.

 

[CTRosarian]

Traveling around the world in a private jet is the price of fame. She can't live a normal life like the rest of us.

I think some artists are content to be "one hit wonders." Just enough wealth to do whatever they want without being famous!

 

[Jtubb17]

"While Swift does not flaunt her jets, she is on the top of the celebrity list in terms of carbon emissions from traveling in private planes. On July 29, Yard, which tracks celebrities’ private plane use, noted: “Taylor Swift might be today's pop princess, but Yard's research found that Miss Swift is the biggest celebrity CO2e polluter of this year so far… Her total flight emissions for the year come in at 8,293.54 tonnes.” For reference, as per the World Bank, in 2020, the average global per capita carbon emission was 4.3 tons. This means Swift's private jet footprint alone was 1,928 times the global average. Or, more conservatively, it was 637 times the U.S. per capita carbon emissions of 13 tons."

Today's youth are very eco conscious except when it comes to TS!

You left out an interesting part of that article though

That last paragraph is pretty strong

 

[PuffChippy]

Traveling around the world in a private jet is the price of fame. She can't live a normal life like the rest of us.

I think some artists are content to be "one hit wonders." Just enough wealth to do whatever they want without being famous!

Some people would do almost anything for her kind of fame. Not me. Money sure but fame like that? No thank you.

 

[MtlJeff]

"While Swift does not flaunt her jets, she is on the top of the celebrity list in terms of carbon emissions from traveling in private planes. On July 29, Yard, which tracks celebrities’ private plane use, noted: “Taylor Swift might be today's pop princess, but Yard's research found that Miss Swift is the biggest celebrity CO2e polluter of this year so far… Her total flight emissions for the year come in at 8,293.54 tonnes.” For reference, as per the World Bank, in 2020, the average global per capita carbon emission was 4.3 tons. This means Swift's private jet footprint alone was 1,928 times the global average. Or, more conservatively, it was 637 times the U.S. per capita carbon emissions of 13 tons."

Today's youth are very eco conscious except when it comes to TS!

Except when it comes to Swift, and you know....Bitcoin, which is also terrible, and 1000 other things. I personally love how 1000hp EV's with multiple battery packs (for power that is completely unnecessary) are "clean" but 130hp Corollas with 4 cylinder engines that get 37mpg are terrible...but i digress. Are today's youth actually eco-conscious? Or do they like to say they are eco-conscious? These are two very different things. I'm not going to compare generations because we're all equally awful and selfish....but we're just different. Today's era is just more fake. People go to protests to take pictures of themselves at protests and then leave, they post flags or squares on their IG for the likes. But they don't really care any more than our era did. They love to pretend to care

Anyway as far as Swift goes, there are CEOs that fly on private jets that are tailed by second, empty jets, just in case their primary jet has any issues. This is actually a thing.

So let Swift do Swift.....she's fine in my books. And my daughter loves dancing to her music!

 

[PatsFan]

Some people would do almost anything for her kind of fame. Not me. Money sure but fame like that? No thank you.

Except when it comes to Swift, and you know....Bitcoin, which is also terrible, and 1000 other things. I personally love how 1000hp EV's with multiple battery packs (for power that is completely unnecessary) are "clean" but 130hp Corollas with 4 cylinder engines that get 37mpg are terrible...but i digress. Are today's youth actually eco-conscious? Or do they like to say they are eco-conscious? These are two very different things. I'm not going to compare generations because we're all equally awful and selfish....but we're just different. Today's era is just more fake. People go to protests to take pictures of themselves at protests and then leave, they post flags or squares on their IG for the likes. But they don't really care any more than our era did. They love to pretend to care

Anyway as far as Swift goes, there are CEOs that fly on private jets that are tailed by second, empty jets, just in case their primary jet has any issues. This is actually a thing.

So let Swift do Swift.....she's fine in my books. And my daughter loves dancing to her music!

@PuffChippy Some people have no idea what that kinda fame brings with it. I certainly wouldn't want it.

@MtlJeff Today's youth are eco-conscious when it suits them as long as they aren't inconvenienced in some way but they think they are smarter and in someways they are but in others No.

And I have no problem with Taylor Swift and her music but people want to make her into one of the great All time artists. She will probably be the greatest selling artist at some point in time but her reach again, It's mostly women. Women who will pay almost any amount to see her too! That is why she is a Cultural Phenomenon.

 

[Joshnoble01]

@PuffChippy Some people have no idea what that kinda fame brings with it. I certainly wouldn't want it.

@MtlJeff Today's youth are eco-conscious when it suits them as long as they aren't inconvenienced in some way but they think they are smarter and in someways they are but in others No.

And I have no problem with Taylor Swift and her music but people want to make her into one of the great All time artists. She will probably be the greatest selling artist at some point in time but her reach again, It's mostly women. Women who will pay almost any amount to see her too! That is why she is a Cultural Phenomenon.

I don't think people want to make her an all-time great musician. Most pop starts aren't. They're entertainers. It's more to recognize she's a cultural phenomenon. I was born in 1978. So I would say I have a pretty good grasp of everything since 1988. Nothing has been close to this in those 35 years. I am sure MJ was but that's it because I remember how big he was even as a little kid. Nothing else close.

I don't know how anyone can discount that she is a once-in-a-generation star. It's not about whether or not she is a great musician.

 

[jjjgolf500]

And I have no problem with Taylor Swift and her music but people want to make her into one of the great All time artists. She will probably be the greatest selling artist at some point in time but her reach again, It's mostly women. Women who will pay almost any amount to see her too! That is why she is a Cultural Phenomenon.

If not basing on sales, awards, following, etc, how does one become a great all time artist?

 

[Spinscan]

lol. Elvis never played an instrument on his recordings or in concert. Taylor Swift does. And if you think Elvis never lip synced, I've got bad news for you.

 

[PuffChippy]

If not basing on sales, awards, following, etc, how does one become a great all time artist?

That’s a good question. How do you compare performance today to 50 years ago for anything? For golf you have players now using carbon fiber drivers, AI designed irons, a ProV1 ball, even launch monitors, whereas back then you had blades, woods made of wood, and wound balls. For music, 50 years ago you had a virtual tidal wave of bands and singers spanning genres and being promoted on hundreds of local market radio stations. They sold albums in record stores and big concerts were almost weekly. New bands were breaking big all the time. Today you have none of that. Outside of winning a reality show or making a sex tape, how do you get big as a musicIan especially when you’re grinding the local scene? For me it feels like network TV, where today with streaming everything is gawd awful so it takes very little to be “the highest rated new comedy on TV”. To be the highest rated new comedy on TV 50 years ago meant you had to be very very special. In fact most of todays highest rated network shows would never even get air time back then IMO.

 

[PatsFan]

If not basing on sales, awards, following, etc, how does one become a great all time artist?

Album sales are a different thing than Song sales on Itunes.
The music industry and how that business was done was forever changed with the internet.

Awards are suspect also. How many awards was Morgan Wallen nominated for this year at the CMA's??? He arguably the top 1 or 2 country artists, Playing sold out shows all over the country yet he was completely snubbed. We all know why.

Taylor Swift is an amazing artist. She will certainly set all the records before she's done sales wise.
But it is a different time than the days of being on tour riding busses from town to town.

And my argument for MJ was bigger than Taylor Swift is that MJ was liked by more than just women. Sure there are some "Men" who like TS @Stemmy66 but who didn't like MJ.
He crossed more than genres and time periods, The 1960's to the 2000's.
The video's of MJ traveling outside the US also insane with the fans and ticket prices for his shows were also crazy for the time.

Taylor is just the latest version, Hopefully she lasts because she certainly knows what she's doing but only time will tell.

 

[BigMac]

Album sales are a different thing than Song sales on Itunes.
The music industry and how that business was done was forever changed with the internet.

I'm not sure album sales are a valid metric for anything anymore. I don't have hard numbers, but I'd bet the number of people purchasing actual physical albums is tiny compared to the percentage of people who stream their music.

 

[PatsFan]

I'm not sure album sales are a valid metric for anything anymore. I don't have hard numbers, but I'd bet the number of people purchasing actual physical albums is tiny compared to the percentage of people who stream their music.

When was the last time anyone saw an actual Album? God I feel old. Even CD's are disappearing

 

[Jtubb17]

When was the last time anyone saw an actual Album? God I feel old. Even CD's are disappearing

I think I read that Albums out sold CD’s last year. Only like 30 million cd’s shipped worldwide. Pretty crazy where it came from

 

[BigMac]

When was the last time anyone saw an actual Album? God I feel old. Even CD's are disappearing

It seems like albums are coming back into fashion. Kind of a retro hipster thing, I guess.

I still have a few CDs, but I've ripped them all into digital format and they're in my iTunes library, which is where I listen to them. Mostly small/local bands that I bought the CDs at their gigs just to support them. Other than that I haven't bought a CD in years, and don't even have a CD player in the house other than in my (ancient) laptop.

 

[mav52]

Objectively correct. Though I think the biggest was IZ...an absolutely beautiful musician.

His voice, wow ! and talented.

 

[Acesteve]

an arguement for TS is that we live in a fragmented entertainment world and she is doing this. Elvis, MJ, the Beatles did this in a time when media could capture and hold our attention.

That said, I have no idea what makes her so popular. Maybe I'd have to see a concert because the music alone I don't care much for

 

[CTRosarian]

Taylor Swift is a hero to her fans because she is better than ever at 34 after being a signed artist for twenty years!
She is literally the wise old veteran in a profession where nobody lasts more than few years!
She got there by defeating her enemies rather than meekly turning the other cheek like a good little girl.
Which is what our society looks for when selecting a hero.

It can be hard for guys to see this because guys are expected to reach their prime in their 30s, just as Taylor has.
How many golfers can compete for more than twenty years at the highest level?

 

[mikeg_74]

I can't unsee it now

 

[BigMac]

I can't unsee it now

You're right, it's pretty hard to unsee once you've seen it! How do people come up with these things, though?

 

[Gsea]

Its a generational thing, can't compare generations just like in sports. You ever been in a 100 thousand plus stadium and seen AC/DC Thunderstruck, Metallica Enter Sandman, Springsteen/E street born in the USA as the opening song just to name a few. won't even get in to the stones, zeppelin etc.

 

[blugold]

Ope.

 

[PuffChippy]

I was thinking about this some more and the term “biggest” can mean different things. To be the biggest I think you have to:

- Substantially influence the future of music across genres. Elvis, The Beatles, Zeppelin, they all did that. Did Taylor Swift? That’s a real question, I don’t know.
- Have lasting, generational appeal. See above. Will people be doing TS covers in 2070 or is it still going to mostly be rock songs from the 70s and 80s?
- Dominate in an era of competitive greatness. The Rolling Stones dominated in an era absolutely drowning in new, innovative artists, which is a big factor in why rock evolved as quickly as it did. You went from acid rock to metal to new wave, rap and even grunge in less than 30 years. Does the pop music of TS have anything even remotely similar?

Taylor Swift may be the biggest ever, or she may just be the biggest option available in today’s environment. I don’t necessarily know the answer but it’s a great question that I’m sure people will be debating for a long time.

 

[El Rayo X]

 

[MGoBlue]

She’s written a ton of songs about her boyfriend leaving her. But not one about how she gave him golf clubs. Coincidence? I think not.