Peak ranking. Beyoncé vs Katy Perry vs Lady Gaga vs Taylor Swift

[Headlock]

21 minutes ago, Into The Void said:

Gaga > Bey > Katy > Taylor

[swissman]

I think Gaga's peak was the biggest in terms of mixing both commercial success, cultural ubiquity, and critical acclaim (and by that I don't just mean by critics, but general appreciation of her artistry). She seemed to come out of the gate as a superstar, there was this massive fascination about her, she scored hit-after-hit, she influenced people right away, she was everywhere and everything for good few years.

 

Katy's peak was also massive and may be the second choice. For 2-3 years she constantly at the top.

 

Taylor and Beyoncé have interesting peaks due to the build up of their fame and success, so no one moment truly feels like a peak per se which is at the detriment of declaring either as having the bigger peak, but that's because they've had the bigger careers. One could make arguments for several different eras being their peaks, given the length and consistency of their careers whereas it is very clear which eras were Gaga and Katy's peaks. Obviously numerically Taylor's highest high is higher, but I do think there's more to it than just pure sales, as a peak for a popstar has to include some sort of cultural status as well that reaches beyond fans or even fans of pop music. For Taylor, she seems to be in her numerical peak right now, with impressive consistency for sales and tickets and anything else Taylor-related, but culturally she doesn't feel integral. That said, to the millions of people who subscribe to her work, perhaps she absolutely does, but I never subscribed to Gaga's work in her debut era(s) and she was certainly integral-feeling.

 

 

Edited 3 hours ago by swissman

[Tayman]

In terms of peaking I think the correct answer would be: Taylor > Gaga > Katy > Bey 

[khalyan]

Gaga > Beyonce > Katy >>> Taylor 

[khalyan]

30 minutes ago, Into The Void said:

Gaga > Bey > Katy > Taylor

yes exactly 

[liam13]

people be saying anything these days 

 

anyway, taylor > the rest

[Klein]

Every media for the past two years has been comparing Taylor's peak to Beatlemania of all things but trust ATRLers to think her peak is not even as big as someone who just had an era with many #1 songs or someone who doesn't even have an era half as ubiquitous as Taylor's second peak. 

 

Gaga is the only one here with a peak that belongs in the same conversation as Taylor's, and even she falls short. 

[B-Luke]

2 hours ago, RideOrDie said:

this thread has been made 300 times over the course of atrl Lifetime... please give it a rest

But we want this thread for life, lifetimes

 

OT: Gaga > Taylor > Beyoncé > Katy

[TipToe]

The one thing that puzzles me is that Taylor is undeniably a monster seller but none of her sings seem like a cultural event in the ways Singel Ladies, Bad Romance or even Firework were... not even close. It's like her impact is mostly restricted to a VERY dedicated circle of fans. But anyway commercially speaking she's eons above all them, no discussion.

[Junipero]

Peak: Gaga, Taylor, Katy, Beyonce.

 

Gaga always had media attention depsite having less successful singles than Katy from 2008-2011. Taylor has attention because of Kanye feud, boyfriends, and selling 1 gazzilion albums a week. Katy had successful singles, but not the same media attnetion as Gaga; Katy Perry was simply "there," she was a more successful Demi lovato . Beyonce has played everything safe, but is a trendhopper.

 

Career: Taylor, Beyonce, Gaga = Katy.

Taylor has consistent sales and tours. Beyonce has been consistent and still charts(even small time). Gaga can barely chart higher than Katy. Katy has a decent fanbase despite flopping. I would say that Katy has more dedicated fans now than she did at her peak(back then she was mostly GP fanbase).

[Gagaast]

3 hours ago, ericcartman said:

Peak: Taylor > Gaga > Beyonce

Career: Taylor > Beyonce > Gaga

this.

 

Gaga had epic peak but didn't last much. For Taylor 2023 sealed the deal though 2020 to 2022 was already enough.

[unison stan]

peak wise: gaga>>taylor>katy>bey