Beyoncé or Taylor Swift – Bigger after 17 years into their careers?

[Feanor]

  or  

 

 

Both superstars were 32/33 years old when they were about 17 years deep into their respective careers as recording artists.

For Beyoncé, 2014 was her 17th year since her debut with Destiny's Child in 1997.

For Taylor Swift, 2023 is her 17th year since her own debut in 2006.

 

But who would you say was bigger after 17 years into their careers?

 

 

 

 

As a reminder, here are some comparisons of how their most recent (musical) output and their career status looked like 17 years after their debuts…

 

 

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Edited July 27, 2023 by Feanor

[BeyColombia]

 

 

 

[Kh-Loud]

The OP is a Liddo! 

[byzantium]

The answer is Taylor but Taylor is also probably currently bigger than every female artist 17 years into their careers (except Celine who technically debuted 9 years before her English language debut and was in her Let’s Talk About Love/Titanic era at the 17 year mark) 

[Jjang]

3 minutes ago, byzantium said:

The answer is Taylor but Taylor is also probably currently bigger than every female artist 17 years into their careers (except Celine who technically debuted 9 years before her English language debut and was in her Let’s Talk About Love/Titanic era at the 17 year mark) 

Madonna sweetie 

 

OT - Probably Taylor but Bey’s career trajectory just feels a lot more iconic. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Jjang

[Brando]

3 minutes ago, Kh-Loud said:

The OP is a Liddo! 

Well at least we know for sure that both of them are bigger than their fave 

 

[EnigmaticAndroid]

Taylor is the biggest current female artist point blank period

 

[Feanor]

6 minutes ago, Kh-Loud said:

The OP is a Liddo! 

That's a new one.

You're the first person to call me a Lady Gaga stan since I joined ATRL

 

[Karla Cabello]

[yonsé]

Just now, Juanny said:

About equal. 

agreed tbh.

[Big Bad Wolf]

Beyoncé’s feels a lot bigger and more iconic. Taylor has sales, but outside of that, she’s not too culturally relevant.

[SlowGinFizzzz]

Hard to tell because they're such different artists. I will say that as someone who doesn't stan Taylor and also didn't stan Beyoncé yet back then, it has been much easier to "avoid" Taylor/the Midnights era. Meanwhile Self-Titled was all over the internet and media, even non-fans talked about it a lot simply because of the novel way she dropped it and all the visuals etc. Plus, it's this album with which she managed to catapult herself from "icon" tier right into her own kind of category. Like, she's not just a singer or performer, she's not even "just" a legend, she's Beyoncé. She's a (pop-)cultural phenomenon that rivals MJ and Madonna.

 

On the other hand, when looking just at stats and numbers (both streaming and touring), Taylor definitely wins this battle.

 

So yeah, I guess it really depends on the perspective from which you look at it. Ultimately my vote still goes to Beyoncé, though. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by SlowGinFizzzz

[gustavothehuman]

Taylor is bigger than pretty much everyone right now, but Beyoncé's cultural capital is absolutely insane. They both win.

[Rev8]

Depends on what

 

successful, Taylor ofc

this climates give more to acts who actually release and dont make their fans wait

+she is actually trying to further her career

 

(if we take DC as Bey's starting point..)

Beyonce is stronger in the influence and name category tho

 

[byzantium]

21 minutes ago, Jjang said:

Madonna sweetie 

 

OT - Probably Taylor but Bey’s career trajectory just feels a lot more iconic. 

Madonna included.

[Digitalism]

25 minutes ago, Kh-Loud said:

The OP is a Liddo! 

I think it's time to answer all threads made by liddos with this

 

OT: both are huge and bigger than your fav

[Badgalbriel]

Taylor, obviously. Beyoncé has always been all about the hype, but her numbers haven't matched all the media support she gets for over a decade now.

 

You'd think albums like ST and Lemonade would've been huge classics now, you'd think they would be remembered or something. 

 

Poor things get less daily streams than some deep album cuts from albums Taylor released over a decade ago. 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Badgalbriel

[UnusualBoy]

Stats wise Taylor is bigger, somehow Bey feels bigger celebrity wise.

[Rhythm]

If the game is name value and celebrity, then it’s certainly Beyoncé. But the numbers and selective accolades are more in Taylor’s favor.

 

Both supersede Gaga as mentioned, though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rhythm]

10 minutes ago, Badgalbriel said:

Taylor, obviously. Beyoncé has always been all about the hype, but her numbers haven't matched all the media support she gets for over a decade now.

 

You'd think albums like ST and Lemonade would've been huge classics now, you'd think they would be remembered or something. 

 

Poor things get less daily streams than some deep album cuts from albums Taylor released over a decade ago. 

I’d say that’s just more a testament to Taylor’s fanbase than anything else. Beyoncé’s streaming stats are nowhere near bad overall, just poor in comparison. Lots of ‘classic’ releases’ recurrents from that time don’t even match up.

[BeyColombia]

19 minutes ago, Badgalbriel said:

Taylor, obviously. Beyoncé has always been all about the hype, but her numbers haven't matched all the media support she gets for over a decade now.

 

You'd think albums like ST and Lemonade would've been huge classics now, you'd think they would be remembered or something. 

 

Poor things get less daily streams than some deep album cuts from albums Taylor released over a decade ago. 

Beyoncé is not as commercial as Taylor... Beyonce still manage to move over 1,5M album units in the US wit her new album in less than 7 months... an album pulling over 1,5B streams on spotify, playing 57 Stadium concerts.... Taylor is obviously a bigger seller but don't downplay Beyoncé when she still has so much commercial success compared to any other early 2000S act male or female, she is in the conversation with new acts and having her music going viral... 

 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2023 by BeyColombia

[Rotunda]

Hive but Taylor 

 

If Bey played the chart game in the 2010s it’d be closer but still Taylor. 

[rebeltwat]

Taylor 

[family.guy123]

Beyoncé no contest 

[Isaiah]

54 minutes ago, Big Bad Wolf said:

Beyoncé’s feels a lot bigger and more iconic. Taylor has sales, but outside of that, she’s not too culturally relevant.

she's literally being quoted by congressmen during US Senate hearings as we speak  

and they're literally meeting because she made national news by breaking and highlighting Ticketmaster's issues 

mind you, this is because 52 stadium dates in one country still wasn't even half of the supply for the total demand