base talk Does current Taylor Swift compare with PeakGa in terms of pop culture impact?

[Raspberries]

Taylor's peak is the biggest since Michael Jackson, both commercially and culturally

 

It's truly hard to compare them though 

[Raspberries]

9 hours ago, RandomHooker said:

Gaga sweetie...

 

Tayble inflated numbers are only fuelled by rabid fans who mass buy her albums.

 

 

People, especially white females and younger generations flock to her concerts because she's palatable and is safe.

 

She has no impact outside of than, not even the remembered music. All inflated and skewed.

 

The Q Anon of ATRL along with Britney fans

[Storm653]

2 hours ago, jonapova said:

I meant to type straight men. But I never mentioned that she appealed more, but everyone was talking about gaga, her music, her clothes, her interviews. That isn't the case for Ms Swift. 

And I totally disagree. Gaga appealed to straight men to a degree but tons of straight men who "hate Pop" listen to Folklore and Evermore. 

 

I also know "Dad Rock" Boomer types who like Taylor too or who have attended the Eras concerts with their families. 

 

 

[Storm653]

9 hours ago, RandomHooker said:

Gaga sweetie...

 

Tayble inflated numbers are only fuelled by rabid fans who mass buy her albums.

 

 

People, especially white females and younger generations flock to her concerts because she's palatable and is safe.

 

She has no impact outside of than, not even the remembered music. All inflated and skewed.

 

You mean like how Gaga sold Born This Way for 99 cents sold she could sell a million first week?

[naval23]

in terms of pop culture impact, no

 

Gaga and Adele would take that one 

[Da Vinci]

Maybe part of the cognitive dissonance people have about Taylor's current peak is that she's always been ultra famous and ubiquitous since 2009.

Some people might be thinking, well, what is the difference between this peak and the 1989 era or the Fearless era where she was also ubiquitous and with "famous songs"?

 

Gaga blew up quickly and rose to her peak within her first 2-3 years so it felt more spectacular because it was all relatively new and at the time, she herself was new, her image was new, her sound was new.

Even I struggled to comprehend Taylor's 2023 peak for a while cause she wasn't really serving anything new or unusual even for her standards. So why has her already mega huge fame skyrocketed even further? In the end, I think it's all just a cumulation of years of consistency, quality control and constant improvements of every area of her career whether it be her appearance/makeup/fashion, tour visuals, etc.

 

So for non-Swifties who were never invested in her output in the first place, it might be puzzling as to why the world suddenly went gaga for her (more so than before).

[kayliah]

3 hours ago, Soda Pop Queen said:

No, I don't think any of Gaga's peers or successors' cultural impact compares with her cultural omnipresence from 2009-2011. Anyone that is downplaying how astronomical Gaga used to be is not old enough to remember witnessing or just outright did not live through it. You couldn't go anywhere in the world and not be asked your thoughts about whatever latest Gaga video, song, outfit, stunt, interview soundbite, etc. Our faves couldn't go anywhere without being accused of copying her (she did have many clones that popped up at the time). All the legends were constantly asked what they thought of her. Everything was a huge discourse around her, every brand wanted her, not to mention she was breaking digital records and setting touring records at the time.  She rose so quickly and so vastly that I think the industry and public were waiting on her downfall actually. 

 

Gaga's megastar years were the last era that was still kinda running on the old model of pop stardom so I guess it's hard to compare. After her fall, the culture became even more fragmented.

She was supposed to be the next big thing in pop and the next madonna but her career fizzled out so swiftky from album to album her fanbase gew smaller and smaller until a star is born.

[kayliah]

13 hours ago, Badgalbriel said:

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMMcRo9Dj/

 

Girl, there are videos of babies singing songs by any artist. It's all up to whatever the parents play for that kid. 

 

12 hours ago, Pinkbutterflies said:

True. Gaga had way more iconic hits that transcend different demographics. You could hear her in the club, stores and even weddings -- she was everywhere. Taylor is impactful but tbh, most people can recognise one or two songs from her -- WANNGBT and love story

Oh please she has a dozen of hits blank space love story shake it off wildest dreams bad blood you belong with me 

[MissedTheTrain]

I....really think Taylor is bigger right now than Gaga's peak  But she's also having a bigger peak than almost anyone in the last few decades.  (At least in the US)

[RobynYoBank]

Yes, Taylor is bigger now than Gaga's peak, but it's interesting how different the peaks feel. Gaga's peak seemed to elevate competition to try to imitate her and replicate success, whereas Taylor's level of absolute domination feels almost oppressive with no others in sight. 

Edited May 16 by RobynYoBank

[Bubble Tea]

8 minutes ago, RobynYoBank said:

Gaga's peak seemed to elevate competition to try to imitate her and replicate success, whereas Taylor's level of absolute domination feels almost oppressive with no others in sight. 

Agree with this actually. It makes me wonder why other artists don't try to compete by releasing music more often. Everyone is still so slow and lazy while Taylor just PUMPS out music. I guess Ariana kinda tried it for a little bit and she started flopping by positions era so hmm perhaps it doesn't work for everyone.

 

People like Gaga build bits of momentum and then it drops cause they disappear for YEARS. I guess they all have millions of dollars and CBF working hard, they don't have the drive to be the best that Taylor has,

 

  

9 hours ago, jjmed59 said:

gaga changed the scene in a way taylor hasnt, sorry. yes taylor is commercially huger, thats a no brainer, but gaga had far more influence. 

 

if celebrities were flocking to rerecord their music and have their own era spinoff tours, then maybe we could say taylor had half the impact. but gaga literally had the entire celebrity scene dressing up very differently after her debut. being there to see the change at the time was wild. it was very clear everyone felt they needed to up their game. theatricality was in during her peak years. and you could see it everywhere, from live performances to videos to ads. she also ushered in that synth pop sound that was then seen emulated by many others. 

 

i dont see taylor causing any influence and change like that. arts will always see a bigger impact over time than charts. 

I agree with all of this except for the Taylor influence - Olivia and Sabrina are direct spawns of Taylor, adopting that love-life singer-songwriter "down to earth" kinda shtick. (Not that Taylor invented this, but she's repopularised it and the whole "I'm a songwriter so my music is deeper" B.S. that normies eat up, god forbid a talented songwriter not also be a talented vocalist)

[gm4567]

Outside of her large fanbase she very little cultural impact. Im a Gaga hater but Gaga had everyone and their grandmother's talking! Even if it didn't exactly translate to sales and tickets.

[Strawberry Bubble]

taylor swift by far. This was a tie in 2023. 2024 just proved that Taylor is bigger. 

[Bloo]

Yes.

 

I think the only thing that is giving people the impression that Gaga has the edge is that she was still new. We're all used to Taylor slaying at this point so it doesn't feel as exciting as it was when Gaga first hit the scene. But, Taylor's peak itself is blatantly bigger than Gaga's peak.

[Eternium]

Current Taylor Swift has no impact. Her music sounds like she's copying other artists, not inspiring them. She can't compare with The Fame and the fact that TTPD is bombing, even with Spotify payola, is proof of that.

[Eternium]

4 hours ago, Raspberries said:

The Q Anon of ATRL along with Britney fans

Hey, sis. Can you post Taylor's streams before Spotify openly admitted to payola (2019) and her streams after they started payola? Her 2024 streams are egregious compared to her 2019 streams despite Midnights, TTPD and her TV albums being sales bombs compared to actual hit albums like 1989 and Reputation.

[Leptine]

Definitely no, in my country there are still people that don't know who Taylor Swift is or can't name a song of her, whereas even elderly knows about Lady Gaga.

[cuteboyzay]

Hmmmmm, I think it's even. Taylor easily stomps commercial wise, but Gaga's impact culturally was so dominant that it was nearly scary. Like she was SCARING people because of the persona she was and the music she made lmaoooo!!! Gaga's impact was felt in every single industry while Taylor's is solely really in just music. Which is nothing to scoff at at aalll.

 

I just think Gaga's presence was nearly eerie and her cultural imprint was almost like Britney's. Taylor really only has the insane sales and touring, and she didn't become a touring force until 1989/Rep era. 
 

It's even imo, I think once Taylor branches out into different fields that's not solely just music, then she would edge Gaga out for sure.

[cuteboyzay]

12 hours ago, swissman said:

in popular culture? not even close.

 

Gaga was EVERYWHERE and she was exciting, fresh, surprising, innovative...it's a lot different than what Taylor has now which is primarily immense popularity. Outside of the impact of Taylor's success, the work itself, her performances, her costumes, her concepts, her statements, etc. are not really that important to pop culture as a whole. I can see points for Taylor in that the sheer number of fans to whom Taylor's work is important to adds up to a great many people in culture thinking it's important works, but realistically, if we erased either/both Midnights and TTPD would pop culture look or feel any different? Would it lack something immensely iconic and game-changing? Are these culturally defining works or do they have any culturally defining moments outside of a handful of memes and an Ice Spice collab?

If we took The Fame/The Fame Monster away, the 2009-2011 era of pop would 100% be missing not only some very important pop songs, but pop moments, cultural references, etc.

WAIT, that last part was beautifully written. Because I really could not imagine the way Pop would sound rn if TF/TFM did not exist 

[Eternal220]

11 hours ago, Storm653 said:

You mean like how Gaga sold Born This Way for 99 cents sold she could sell a million first week?

While Taylor did a million first week multiple times at FULL price 

[Raspberries]

7 hours ago, Eternium said:

Current Taylor Swift has no impact. Her music sounds like she's copying other artists, not inspiring them. She can't compare with The Fame and the fact that TTPD is bombing, even with Spotify payola, is proof of that.

6M+ global units in under a month being "bombing"  

 

Stick to creaming your shorts over VHS recordings of Britney Spears from the 90s because your awful conspiracy theories and flat out misinformation is getting so tired

Edited May 16 by Raspberries

[Raspberries]

6 hours ago, Eternium said:

Hey, sis. Can you post Taylor's streams before Spotify openly admitted to payola (2019) and her streams after they started payola? Her 2024 streams are egregious compared to her 2019 streams despite Midnights, TTPD and her TV albums being sales bombs compared to actual hit albums like 1989 and Reputation.

"Sales bombs" 

 

It is 2024. There are zero non-kpop albums pulling the sales numbers that all of the above Taylor albums are pulling. Your Q-Anon conspiracies in every thread are highly entertaining since every person here mocks you, but at this point it's starting to get sad

[Badgalbriel]

7 hours ago, Eternium said:

Current Taylor Swift has no impact. Her music sounds like she's copying other artists, not inspiring them. She can't compare with The Fame and the fact that TTPD is bombing, even with Spotify payola, is proof of that.

Bombing? In which way exactly? Can you elaborate? The album is shaping up to be the biggest album of the decade already... 

[Feanor]

7 hours ago, Eternium said:

Her 2024 streams are egregious compared to her 2019 streams

… because her career and status are on a whole different level in 2024 compared to 2019?

I know as a Britney fan, you are mostly familiar with a career trajectory that only trends downwards, but some artists actually manage to become more successful over the years. A shocking concept, I know!

[Great808]

Gaga was barely 2 years into her career and was already having artists come out new and existing citing her as an influence. Taylor is going on 2 decades and you will rarely see anyone citing her as a major influence. That says a lot