Current Events > Was Britney Spears at her peak popularity ever as big as Taylor

(+) Yeah! (+)

Swift is now?

No. Not even close.

no

I was just thinking that. I think they're about equal. Taylor's probably a bigger box office draw, but in terms of cultural icon I think Taylor has just reached Spears' level. Madonna might be right there, too.

No

Yeah, probably. Swift only seems so much bigger because shes the last of a dying breed: the music superstar.

Brittany was way bigger culturally

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Brittany was way bigger culturally

yeah but her peak was much shorter in yrs right? Is swift really bigger now than she has been at any time in her career though?

Taylor Swift is approaching Michael Jackson level

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

Ehh I wouldn't say that. Then again I wouldn't say that about anyone, besides maybe Sinatra.

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

We can't say that until years from now tbh. All three of those were great in their time but reached 'godhood' years after their biggest moments in time.

Only time will tell if Taylor Swift has staying power. Will she be still revered in 20 years time or will she be left in the past?

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

Lol no she isn't. She's nowhere near as culturally relevant. And by that, I mean changing the genre/culture. She's also doesn't have nearly the diverse fanbase of Michael Jackson.

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

I agree with this in terms of fandom madness. We havent seen this level of crazy since I dont know when

Taylor bigger with teens. Britney bigger with creepy adults.

Not even close. Taylor keeps hitting new peaks

bfslick50 posted...

Taylor bigger with teens. Britney bigger with creepy adults.

yeah maybe, spears did have much bigger sex appeal. Was better looking too. How many more years will swift be huge though?

lolife67 posted...

Lol no she isn't. She's nowhere near as culturally relevant. And by that, I mean changing the genre/culture. She's also doesn't have nearly the diverse fanbase of Michael Jackson.

Literally making everything she touches into gold. People willing to pay 2k for basic tickets. Shes touring through Europe and Asia with sold out concerts. All your points are null.

bfslick50 posted...

Taylor bigger with teens. Britney bigger with creepy adults.

Maybe true. A lot of old people wouldnt recognize Taylor unless they watch football. But a lot of old dudes wanted to see Brittney naked. We all did.

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Maybe true. A lot of old people wouldnt recognize Taylor unless they watch football. But a lot of old dudes wanted to see Brittney naked. We all did.

britney was prettier and did like to wear more revealing outfits and stuff didn't she?

Nah, people were SO quick to turn on Britney and make fun when she had her breakdown.

If Taylor went through something like that, people would be devastated, ladies on the View would be weeping and talking about this time a relative went through something like that, wishing her a quick recovery, etc.

mercurydude posted...

Nah, people were SO quick to turn on Britney and make fun when she had her breakdown.

If Taylor went through something like that, people would be devastated, ladies on the View would be weeping and talking about this time a relative went through something like that, etc., wishing her a quick recovery, etc.

yeah people were kinda mean to britney when that happened , why though? your positive they would not do similar to swift? Ladies on the view would be weeping.....jeez i hate that show

GranTurismo posted...

yeah people were kinda mean to britney when that happened , why though? your positive they would not do similar to swift? Ladies on the view would be weeping.....jeez i hate that show

I'm sure some would, but I think she'd get a lot more sympathy than Britney did. So many people were coming for her when she was going through that, kicking her while she was down.

JuanCarlos1 posted...

Literally making everything she touches into gold. People willing to pay 2k for basic tickets. Shes touring through Europe and Asia with sold out concerts. All your points are null.

She had entire countries begging for more tour stops because of how much money they were generating. Canada got stiffed and boy were they mad about it.

Maybe, Britney was huge

No offense, but Taylor is way bigger than Brittney ever was (who was huge, don't get me wrong).

Edit: No other celebrity would be having this much of an impact on the NFL like Taylor. The NFL is already considered the big one in America, and somehow Taylor made it even bigger beyond what it's ever been.

JuanCarlos1 posted...

Literally making everything she touches into gold. People willing to pay 2k for basic tickets. Shes touring through Europe and Asia with sold out concerts. All your points are null.

Lol Nothing you mentioned had to do with CULTURE. Her fanbase isn't nearly as diverse as Michael's (lol at making Europe as "diverse".) Is she touring in Africa? Do young children in 3rd world countries know her songs to the point they're making music videos about them? No, they are not.

What innovations has she made to music like Michael Jackson? None. Her songs and videos are basic as hell.

PiOverlord posted...

No offense, but Taylor is way bigger than Brittney ever was (who was huge, don't get me wrong).

Edit: No other celebrity would be having this much of an impact on the NFL like Taylor. The NFL is already considered the big one in America, and somehow Taylor made it even bigger beyond what it's ever been.

How many more yrs do you think swift will be huge? Spears was like a few yrs or so?

Taylor seems to be much more, reserve then Spears in that just about nothing is left to chance...I guess she has a better relationship with her parents and they are in total agreement on doing whatever it takes to maintain being the top idol.

EndOfDiscOne posted...

Brittany was way bigger culturally

Yeah people generally like Brittany. Taylor is a media product more or less.

CreekCo posted...

Yeah people generally like Brittany. Taylor is a media product more or less.

Brittany was a media product. Hence her nervous breakdown and all the drama surrounding her. Claiming otherwise is laughable.

Nah, people generally like Brittany. Taylor will be forgotten as soon as her spotlight ends. Brittany has had like three meltdowns and we are still here for her lol.

Brittany was a media product. Hence her nervous breakdown and all the drama surrounding her. Claiming otherwise is laughable.

Spears may indeed have been a part of the long line of Disney made Idol products but her breakdown, however insane, was her own, same with Milly Cyrus.

Meanwhile...there's something so...fake about Taylor...like her entire existence is calculated on being a idol.

Necronmon posted...

Spears may indeed have been a part of the long line of Disney made Idol products but her breakdown, however insane, was her own, same with Milly Cyrus.

Meanwhile...there's something so...fake about Taylor...like her entire existence is calculated on being a idol.

The difference with Swift is that her entire existence is calculated with her as the boss. She's not under the thumb of a label or producer.

If anything she's the opposite. She didn't even start off as a pop idol. She started as a teen country singer.

mercurydude posted...

Nah, people were SO quick to turn on Britney and make fun when she had her breakdown.

If Taylor went through something like that, people would be devastated, ladies on the View would be weeping and talking about this time a relative went through something like that, wishing her a quick recovery, etc.

A lot of people turned on MJ too, especially as none of it was proven and people just started going off about him.

Both still have their defenders though.

dameon_reaper posted...

A lot of people turned on MJ too, especially as none of it was proven and people just started going off about him.

Both still have their defenders though.

Britney was way prettier than swift as well. Swift really doesn't do that sexy stuff right? Most prob do though, Aguilera , Miley Cyrus etc......

CreekCo posted...

Nah, people generally like Brittany. Taylor will be forgotten as soon as her spotlight ends. Brittany has had like three meltdowns and we are still here for her lol.

Thats all well and good but her spotlight has been burning since 2006. Im 34 and first heard her on the radio 18 years ago. If you think anyone can be as astronomically as her and theyll just be forgotten in a few years youre deluding yourself.

I do find it a bit amusing that people still act like she's a fad or that she'll drop off.

She's been in the proper mainstream music business now for 17 years. She could do variations of this Eras tour for the rest of her career and still make a shitload of money.

She's the modern equivalent of The Beatles, Elvis or MJ. There's no getting bigger than what she is today. With the rise and popularity of music streaming today isn't the same as it was 40 years ago so trying to draw direct comparisons is silly.

PiOverlord posted...

No offense, but Taylor is way bigger than Brittney ever was (who was huge, don't get me wrong).

Edit: No other celebrity would be having this much of an impact on the NFL like Taylor. The NFL is already considered the big one in America, and somehow Taylor made it even bigger beyond what it's ever been.

If Britney dated Peyton Manning in her prime, the impact on the NFL would have been huge

No, because Britney didnt have social media to help spread her popularity like Taylor does now.

EndOfDiscOne posted...

If Britney dated Peyton Manning in her prime, the impact on the NFL would have been huge

Negative impact maybe. She was 17 when she released her best-selling album.

If Britney came out of retirement, I wonder how she would fair against Taylor and other younger female popstars. I mean even Beyonce is being overshadowed by them as well no?

Britney was huge. But the internet was just taking off when she came on the scene. Not like it is today. Taylor is on a different planet.

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

Nope, but definitely Madonna and Mariah in their primes.

Brit never wrote her own songs

Its a hard thing to answer. Shes so huge, but paparazzi isnt following and hounding her every step she takes plastering her on all magazines and weird rumors and news stories. (I know this will be argued against, but I dont see it)

I dont follow her at all, but the fact she changes economies wherever she goes is so unbelievable Id almost think shes bigger than the others, but I dont feel like shes everywhere like the others before her if that makes sense

yes and no.
Taylor probably has more reach with actual fans than Britney Spears did, mostly because of the internet and social media. But actual, real culture/society as a whole? Britney Spears was probably bigger in that regard.
Like, everyone knows who both people are, but I cannot name one Taylor Swift song, and I know a lot of people who can't either. But pretty much everyone can name a Britney Spears song, or hear it and go "oh yeah, its Britney Spears"

AceMos posted...

taylor swift is in the same tier as micheal jackson elvis and the beetles

No, just stop.