is Beyoncé still the only legend of her generation?

[DTF]

Beyoncé has had a historic run, from reaching #1 without promoting Break My Soul to being nominated for AOTY 4x to causing Ticketmaster controversy over how quickly her tour is selling out. Is she the only MJ/Mariah/Whitney of her generation?

[Josh]

Beyonce isn't even a legend.

[Triton]

Who else?
 

Only Shakira comes really. 

[chaklux]

6 minutes ago, Josh said:

Beyonce isn't even a legend.

Imagine saying an artist who has reigned for over 25 years. The kind of longevity that has only been experienced by a few. Was initially part of an iconic group and then has  20 years of successful solo career. One of the best vocalist, best live performer of all time, most awarded artist by the grammys isn't a legend?? If she isn't, then there I don't know who is. 

The annoying part is many of the artists you guys see as legend only reigned for 10 to 15 years tops and most didn't even achieve up to what she has. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by chaklux

[Timber]

7 minutes ago, DTF said:

Beyoncé has had a historic run, from reaching #1 without promoting Break My Soul to being nominated for AOTY 4x to causing Ticketmaster controversy over how quickly her tour is selling out. Is she the only MJ/Mariah/Whitney of her generation?

She's definitely a legend but (besides the first) these aren't the reasons why she's a legend.

[swissman]

Yes, I think so as far as the term legend is defined.

To me, a "legend" is not just a beloved or popular artist, but one who society reveres for their talents and is understood to be of the highest quality. They are respected for what they do, their position in the industry, their impact/influence, the stature of their career, etc.

 

Just slightly different is that of an "icon": someone who represents a time, a style, a type of success, a look, a genre, or even pop music itself. The status of an icon is not dependant on whether or not they are greatly respected and revered (though they may be), but more-so what they have achieved and how much they can be identified a symbol of what they do.

 

Of Beyoncé's generation, there likely will be more legends as time goes on, but the unique thing about Beyoncé is that she fast tracked her legend-status by in real-time (during her peak years) by putting a huge focus on artistic achievement rather than commercial success and releasing back-to-back-to-back impressive studio albums (BEYONCÉ, Lemonade, RENAISSANCE plus Homecoming) that not only changed the industry or made people feel a certain way about them, but had a quality that was respected, adored and celebrated. While most legends just need time for people to look back and realize what an important legend they are, Beyoncé made the moves so that what she achieved in the moment was seen in ways that people define legends. In this way, that is the difference between her and her peers.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by swissman

[unclefloprry]

maybe in the anglosphere 

[Tropez]

3 minutes ago, unclefloprry said:

maybe in the anglosphere 

There was over 100,000 people on queue for her Barcelona tour date for tickets. I mean come on now. 

[PrettyHurts]

who is her generation again? britney, jt, christina, ashanti?  I barely remember them because they haven't been as relevant as her for years. 

[Devin]

15 minutes ago, Josh said:

Beyonce isn't even a legend.

Then tell us who is? 

[Aethereal]

I feel like technology has made it very difficult to define any artist whose career was mostly centered after 90s as a legend. Even Taylor who has the stats or will complete them in her next era does not seem like a legend to me. 

[swissman]

The thing about Beyoncé is that her longevity in the industry has actually made it so that she as a wide range of peers you could name for her

 

• There are those who debuted just before/slightly after or around the time of Destiny's Child (like Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake Britney Spears...)
• There are those who debuted just before/slightly after her solo debut (Ashanti, Ciara, Amerie...)
• And then there are those who debuted in the mid-late 2000s during which Beyoncé was a decade into the game and still peaking, and thus would be still associated to that cohort of pop music (Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift...)

 

I'd say of anyone in the industry, the one that is most closely Beyoncé's own peer is Justin Timberlake.

 

• Both Beyoncé and Justin got their start in the late 1990s as the central figure of a hugely popular group
• Both Beyoncé and Justin went solo in the early 2000s
• Both Beyoncé and Justin had notable pop-music relationships
• Both Beyoncé and Justin had notable pop-music infidelities (which was included in their music)
• Both Beyoncé and Justin have:
  • worked together across various eras
  • made forays into acting
  • performed at the Super Bowl twice
    • (Justin 3 times as part of N*Sync, Beyoncé 3 times including her singing the National Anthem)
  • had a long string of hits well past many of their peers'

 

I'm not sure what my point is here but it's interesting, I think.

[byzantium]

Which generation is she in?

 

The one with Britney and Shakira who are legends or the one with Taylor who is a legend? 

Edited February 11, 2023 by byzantium

[HEATED]

Shakira still doing ha thang ngl

& look flawless as well

[chiliam]

Beyonce is a legend. But how's about Legend X and the legendary Ms Britney Spears.

[Kingdom]

Simple answer is yes. No one from beyonce 90's era or to early 2000s is selling out a stadium tour like her. No one.

[swissman]

I agree Shakira is definitely a legend... though if we are really looking at it she is before Beyoncé's generation of peers, debuting in 1990. By this same logic, Mariah Carey is Beyoncé's peer, not predecessor, both Shakira and Mariah having released their debut album in 1990.

 

The thing that makes them seem more like peers is they are only born 4 years apart.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2023 by swissman

[slw84]

Depends on how you group her.

 

She's closer to Rihanna and Taylor than she is to Britney, Usher, Justin, Xtina, Pink, Shakira, JLo etc. Pretty much the same length between them and Adele/Gaga/Katy.

 

If you put her in the late 90s/early 00s crew:

No

Usher is a legend

Eminem is a legend

Britney is a definitive legend. It's laughable that some are still trying to exclude her, though

As much as I don't want to admit it, Justin is legendary

Shakira is a legend. Whew, chile.

JLO is legendary

As much as it pains me to admit, 50 cent is a legend and I can't stand this clown troll but he's embedded in pop culture whether we like it or not.

----

Pink, Alicia Keys, BSB, and Xtina are debatable. The strongest argument in order: 1. Pink, 2. Xtina 3. Alicia Keys 4. BSB

Jessica Simpson is not a legend

Spice girls are icons

N sync are icons

Avril is an icon

Kelly Clarkson is an icon

If you put her in the mid 00s crew:

No

Taylor is a legend

Kanye is a legend

Rihanna is legendary

Drake is a legend

Gaga is a legend

Adele is legendary

Bieber is legendary (and I can go toe to toe with anyone who wants to debate)

Lil wayne is a legend

----

katy is an icon

Chris brown is an icon but ya'll done let him become an R&B legend. Le sigh

Kesha is an icon

Nicki is an icon (legendary female rapper, though)

Ed Sheeran, Bruno are iconic and as time progresses easily can head there.

 

 

Either way, Beyonce is legendary and besides the obvious trolling no one would ever put her in her own category as the sole legend not even for R&B artists.

[slw84]

15 minutes ago, byzantium said:

Which generation is she in?

 

The one with Britney and Shakira who are legends or the one with Taylor who is a legend? 

I place in her the latter but you already know where most of the people are going to place her (the former).

But the answer is still no whichever grouping they put her in.

[Beyonce_runthis]

15 minutes ago, swissman said:

The thing about Beyoncé is that her longevity in the industry has actually made it so that she as a wide range of peers you could name for her

 

• There are those who debuted just before/slightly after or around the time of Destiny's Child (like Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake Britney Spears...)
• There are those who debuted just before/slightly after her solo debut (Ashanti, Ciara, Amerie...)
• And then there are those who debuted in the mid-late 2000s during which Beyoncé was a decade into the game and still peaking, and thus would be still associated to that cohort of pop music (Rihanna, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift...)

 

I'd say of anyone in the industry, the one that is most closely Beyoncé's own peer is Justin Timberlake.

 

• Both Beyoncé and Justin got their start in the late 1990s as the central figure of a hugely popular group
• Both Beyoncé and Justin went solo in the early 2000s
• Both Beyoncé and Justin had notable pop-music relationships
• Both Beyoncé and Justin had notable pop-music infidelities (which was included in their music)
• Both Beyoncé and Justin have:
  • worked together across various eras
  • made forays into acting
  • performed at the Super Bowl twice
    • (Justin 3 times as part of N*Sync, Beyoncé 3 times including her singing the National Anthem)
  • had a long string of hits well past many of their peers'

 

I'm not sure what my point is here but it's interesting, I think.

JT was definitely on the path to legend status after 20/20 experience, and he was considered Beyoncé's male counterpart. Usher is probably the other closest male version but he’s considered more akin to the Aaliyah/Brandy/Monica time than the late 90s teen influx. 

 

In my opinion, Beyoncé lasted longer than JT because she knew when to stop appeasing commercial radio. Even though people made fun of her lack of pop hits last decade, it’s almost like her moving away from it made her more appealing to the masses and pop radio at times too. After a certain amount of time on top, people will turn and when that happened with 4 she threw the rulebook out the window. Which is why she’s not dependent on them like others.

[swissman]

There's a big difference between having done enough to earn legend status, and being recognized as a legend at this specific moment in time.

[Obsession]

It's inarguable that Beyoncé is a legend and the only people who still live in delusion about this are people who don't like her.

[swissman]

1 minute ago, Beyonce_runthis said:

JT was definitely on the path to legend status after 20/20 experience, and he was considered Beyoncé's male counterpart. Usher is probably the other closest male version but he’s considered more akin to the Aaliyah/Brandy/Monica time than the late 90s teen influx. 

 

In my opinion, Beyoncé lasted longer than JT because she knew when to stop appeasing commercial radio. Even though people made fun of her lack of pop hits last decade, it’s almost like her moving away from it made her more appealing to the masses and pop radio at times too. After a certain amount of time on top, people will turn and when that happened with 4 she threw the rulebook out the window. Which is why she’s not dependent on them like others.

This!

It's actually masterful how she chose to both increase her artistic quality while decreasing her commercial aims (if not sonically, then how she presented her work). The effect this had is huge. There's no way she would be seen and respected the way she is had she continually tried for hits, and she created the very mythic quality that legends have simply by displaying confidence in her work and releasing it as its best, without needing the entire pop rollout.

 

It says a lot that while Justin was getting his #1 hit Can't Stop The Feeling in 2016, Beyoncé was releasing her most artistic, layered, rich, statement-based work yet...and kept it off streaming and didn't promote its singles.

[chaklux]

35 minutes ago, byzantium said:

Which generation is she in?

 

The one with Britney and Shakira who are legends or the one with Taylor who is a legend? 

Britney is not a legend. Yeah, she is the biggest teen pop star of all time and has two diamonds albums but that's not enough to make one a legend. Her career length/prime is just too short to be considered one. 

Also strictly speaking, Britney ain't that talented. She is not Beyoncé, Shakira, Lady Gaga (in terms of vocal talent). She is not a Taylor in terms of song writing. She can dance though but then that was just for a short period. 

I am a firm believer of reigning for less than 10 years no matter how big isn't enough for one to be called a legend. 

Edited February 11, 2023 by chaklux

[Rev8]

Depends what u mean by her generation

she made her official solo debut with album and all, in 2003

the ones debuting around the same time, were Norah Jones,Avril Lavigne,Vanessa Carlton,Amerie,Hillary Duff,James Blunt,Gwen Stefani

(maybe even Rihanna,Chris Brown (2005) and Nelly Furtado,P!nk,Nelly (2000)) - don't count groups, but Linkin Park too? not sure if they arent legendary in Rock // Coldplay also

 

If it's taking 5 years back aka 1998/9  - Britney,Xtina,Jlo,Lauryn Hill,DMX,Kelly Price - (5 years forward, it encapsulate 2006/8 (Ne-Yo,Taylor Swift,Katy Perry,Lady Gaga etc.)

 

 

 

doubt she will/is the only legend of her generation

but she deffo is a highlight