Looking throughout music history, 15 years of success/impact give or take is usually when an artist reaches legend status. The most recent example we can all agree on is Beyonce who arguably reached that in 2017 following the Superbowl/lemonade era which for her would be around 14 years of her solo career or so.

 

Taylor has been going strong for about 17 years or so and has been consistently successful the entire time. 

 

However, aside from tenure and success/impact, an artist usually reaches legend status following a break or even some years of flopping before a comeback. 

 

Taylor has neither flopped/cameback nor took a break. 

 

Is Taylor a legend?

idts

imo, she's lowkey been a legend since Reputation. 

Her commercial success and the Folklore/Evermore saga makes her undeniably a legend imo

 

But I wouldn't say she's as respected as someone like Beyonce yet.

 

I think she only needs to release better music and stay away from pure pop and juvenile lyrics 

 

She's older now and she needs to evolve her sound into something more complex and less chart chasing

It was Folkmore era that turned her into a legend if we're being honest.

 

Edited January 11, 20251 yr by gustavothehuman

Yes, she's the biggest entertainer of all time

Maybe an icon. She's not on Adele, Beyoncé and Gaga league yet.

Definitely. 

The term legend can't be used anymore for any artist alive or that died after social media because all mystique is gone with social media. Imho.

 

Then you'll have those with problematic backstories and controversies (some bigger than others) who popheads will insist means they can't be known as a legend anymore even past death but just an icon.

 

Taylor's an icon and because of pop culture losing any sense of mystery or mystique starting with social media I don't think will ever be known as a legend even past her death. That also goes honestly for Beyonce and Madonna too even, honestly, though they're icons.

 

The only one I'd say reach legend status right now despite the problematic backstories (some small, some massive) mostly because there's always higher fondness past death are MJ, Prince, Bowie, Lennon, Whitney Houston, etc. But that's subjective.

y'all call artists below her legends (like the post above) so she definitely is one

14 minutes ago, A Million Lights said:

Maybe an icon. She's not on Adele, Beyoncé and Gaga league yet.

Is the only entertainer in history to be awarded Time's Person of the Year and the first person to ever have a 1 and 2 billion grossing tour (even when adjusted for inflation) and the only recipient of AOTY 4 times, and the only artist born after 1980 to be in the top 10 most consumed artists of all time a legend?

 

According to ATRL an icon maybe unlike artists who debuted after Taylor and already can't debut a lead single in the top 10. 
 

Ofc she is and literally the entire public and media would agree. And she did it all in a much harder environment to maintain relevance. 

Edited January 11, 20251 yr by DevilsRollTheDice

whoever says no is either ignorant, in denial or a hater.

No.

Yes. 

Of course. Unless you're in denial. 

20 minutes ago, Vermillion said:

The term legend can't be used anymore for any artist alive or that died after social media because all mystique is gone with social media. Imho.

 

Then you'll have those with problematic backstories and controversies (some bigger than others) who popheads will insist means they can't be known as a legend anymore even past death but just an icon.

 

Taylor's an icon and because of pop culture losing any sense of mystery or mystique starting with social media I don't think will ever be known as a legend even past her death. That also goes honestly for Beyonce and Madonna too even, honestly, though they're icons.

 

The only one I'd say reach legend status right now despite the problematic backstories (some small, some massive) mostly because there's always higher fondness past death are MJ, Prince, Bowie, Lennon, Whitney Houston, etc. But that's subjective.

So you go on the streets and ask people all around the world if Paul McCartney from the Beatles who is alive is a legend. I bet 98% of all answers would be YES he is a legend. 

Absolutely

She reached that several years ago, with Folklore. Everything that happened from Midnights to now was just extra, but it certainly seals the deal with how unprecedented her sudden new peak has been. Biggest tour of all time, two biggest consumption years for any artist ever (and nearly two decades into her career), fourth AOTY, Time POTY, etc. etc. are just not things that happen without her being a legend.

duh don't be stupid

Most succesful artist of each century:

 

1700's - Mozart
1800's - Beethoven

1900's - The Beatles

2000's - Taylor Swift

 

I'd say yes

I mean ever since Folklore 

She reached legend status the second 1989 was released. The rest has just been her cementing herself as the greatest of all time.

YES and NO.

 

 

YES because she's done all she needs to do to be considered a legend insofar as staking her artistic achievements before the public, whether one likes them or not. She could retire today and she'd definitely be in the legend's circle. In fact, if she retired today she may almost immediately become a legend, which brings me to how the answer is also NO. Though she's done what needs to be done to be considered a legend, I think she's still far too "current" and releasing far too regularly for people to actively stop and consider her a legend vs. a contemporary, hugely successful artist. I think legends come into that status once their success or visibility settles down, and then people can view in them in a certain way. OR when they do something that gives them some "distance" from their peers in the industry (not just a level of success but access, or some sort of game changing output) that fast tracks their status in real time.

 

 

Edited January 11, 20251 yr by swissman

Yeah, I think she built a legacy that no one can undo. I'd say she reached legendary status a few years ago.