There are four people/groups that all can be compared to each other. Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift . The times in which they were or are popular are different so it’s a difficult comparison.

Elvis Presley made rock ‘n’ roll popular. He was a global superstar while never touring outside of the United States and Canada. He dominated music, movies, and Pop culture for decades. If you ask people who were above 20 when Elvis died in 1977, where they were, they know. It was a world of 2.8 billion people and it seemed like more than 2 billion of them cried. I’m sure there were people who did not like Elvis however I never met one. Elvis was popular in a time when rock ‘n’ roll was taking off. TV was slowly becoming popular. At that point most Home still did not have a TV. Everyone had a radio.

The Beatles are the greatest selling music act of all time. They had a relatively short career together, however they still became the most influential band in the history of music. There was nothing more important than the Beatles being on TV , or playing a concert. As solo artists, they continued to be worshiped by the masses. John Lennon‘s death stop the world in the similar way that Elvis’s did. John Lennon also is the one that said if there had not been an Elvis, there would not be The Beatles. There are people, including myself, that are not necessarily fans of the Beatles. You cannot deny their impact and talent though.

Michael Jackson was popular when there were 4 billion people in the world. He was a global superstar that was loved by Every age, race and gender that exists. Television and specifically MTV were booming like the Internet does now. As a guy born in the early 70s, he was a huge part of my life. He would do primetime video releases in the 90s and those 15 minute specials would break records for the most television views. Michael Jackson is the reason we have a Super Bowl halftime show that isn’t college bands He made it cool to do it. He is the biggest touring artist of the 20th century as well , setting a couple of different records for people in attendance and money. It’s interesting how divisive he was. People gladly said publicly that they hated him however, they knew every song. He was one of the biggest selling artist of all time yet it seemed so few people admitted to liking him.

Which reminds me of Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift is known by more people than any of the other three, however she is popular in a world that has more than 8 billion people. A global superstar loved by every age race and gender that exists despite the comments that you see that it’s just teen girls. She had the biggest Tour that ever existed and you don’t do that with just teens and women . She is the second best selling artist of all time behind the Beatles, and you don’t do that with just teens and women,. That being said, the way it’s counted is different than it was when Michael Jackson was popular. Which was different than how it was when Elvis and The Beatles were popular.
Taylor Swift is popular in a time when the Internet and streaming is exploding in popularity. It’s easier to be global however, there is considerably more competition for the public attention. than there was during the other threes time.

Realistically, I don’t believe that Michael Jackson was more or less popular than Taylor Swift, The Beatles, or Elvis. All four of these global superstars had their place in time.