Beyoncé & Taylor Swift: the Titans of the 2020s

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift the Titans of the 2020s

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re exploring how two of the biggest names in the music industry today are bringing a “Renaissance” to the latest “Eras” of music. Keep in mind that we’ve gone with the most up-to-date statistics and data available, but that these numbers are all sure to keep changing as these women keep cementing their influence on the industry.

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are two of the biggest, most celebrated, and most accomplished names of the 21st century so far. Throughout their respective careers, they have shattered more glass ceilings and broken more barriers than we can count. In 2023, both embarked on record-breaking World Tours, reminding fans of exactly who “Run the World.”

You can’t have a singing career without well, songs, and both artists have proven time and time again that they know what their audience likes. While Bey tends to enjoy a collaborative effort when it comes to songwriting, she adds her voice to the mix, too. Unfortunately, she’s been criticized for misrepresenting her songwriting skills, but those claims seem largely baseless. Indeed, according to Ne-Yo and Ryan Tedder, who have respective writing credits on “Irreplaceable” and “Halo,” people forget that songwriting isn’t just about the lyrics. Both hailed her ability to hear a demo and add all the right nuances and harmonies to turn into a hit— and well, the evidence speaks for itself.

Still, if someone asked you to name one of the most prominent singer/songwriters of the modern age, we’d guess a fair few would say Taylor Swift. After all, she either wrote or co-wrote practically every song she’s ever released and even a few for other artists, too. Swift built her career by penning relatable lyrics set to the most gorgeous or bop-inducing melodies. In an article for Elle she explained, “I love writing songs because I love preserving memories, like putting a picture frame around a feeling you once had.” Indeed, she captures life’s highlights and lowlights, whether that’s through the heart-pulling “Fifteen,” the beast mode-style “Bad Blood,” the empowering “Shake It Off,” or the masterpiece that is the 10 minute version of “All Too Well.” Her voice is universally relatable, and continuously grows and evolves.

The same can be said for Beyoncé’s voice, as the artist is celebrating her “Renaissance.” Queen Bey arguably set the bar for what it means to be an R&B powerhouse in the modern day, and let’s be honest, she set it exceptionally high. In “Destiny’s Child,” she and her bandmates fused R&B and pop, bringing the former genre to wider audiences and creating a blueprint for future artists. Bey carried that legacy into her solo career and collaborated with rap artists while delving into hip-hop. 2016’s “Lemonade” featured tracks rooted in reggae, gospel, country, rock, and more, reportedly making her the first artist to receive Grammy nominations across four genres simultaneously. Meanwhile, 2022’s “Renaissance” brought the club to listeners with dance, house, and disco numbers, among other things. She also found her musical theater voice, perhaps most notably as Deena Jones in the 2006 “Dreamgirls” movie adaptation.

T-Swift also dabbled in movie musicals, but perhaps the less said about that, the better— we don’t want anyone getting catty. But like Beyoncé, Swift also knows how to travel between and within genres. After all, that is the premise of her “Eras” tour. In 2006, the world was introduced to a rising country artist through her eponymous debut album. She followed that up with “Fearless,” incorporating pop, and “Speak Now,” which has a rockier edge mixed in with that. “Red”, for its part, also featured a slew of other genres. By the time she released “1989,” her transition into pop was complete. Her “Reputation” continued to evolve, and she showed us she could master electropop, rock, and even R&B. “Lover” kept the pop momentum strong, while “folklore” and “evermore” took a more folksy direction. 2022’s “Midnights” continued to show that seemingly no genre is out of her range.

As we can see, both artists are natural-born hitmakers who know how to keep their fans on their toes. But how does that translate to album sales and streams? Well, we can’t think of many modern-day artists who can boast as many albums that debuted at no.1 on the charts as Beyoncé. Her first solo studio album, “Dangerously in Love,” 2008’s “I Am... Sasha Fierce” and 2016’s “Lemonade” are reportedly among the best-selling works of this century. So far, she’s amassed numerous platinum and multi-platinum records, and “CUFF IT” from the “Renaissance” album even scored a Diamond classification. If you’re more of a streamer, you’ve probably contributed to her impressive stats on sites like Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music. Maybe you’re one of the millions of fans who helped make “Halo” her most listened to song on Spotify.

The Swifties and Bey-hive reportedly turn out in about equal measure to support the artists on Tidal. But it seems that Swift’s fans are more likely to turn to Spotify to listen to her music monthly. They’re especially big fans of “Anti-Hero” and “Blank Space,” which as of 2023, are her most streamed songs. In 2022, “Midnights” broke the record for “most single-day streams on Spotify.” The album also set sales records and made her the first artist to have six best-selling albums in the US in their respective years. As of 2023, Tay has nine no.1 studio albums if you exclude her re-recordings, and a record 12 so far if you include them. Like Beyoncé, she’s one of the best-selling artists of all time, with more than 200 million certified sales. Swift also has numerous Platinum and multi-platinum albums. Her sophomore album “Fearless” even went Diamond.

We could listen to Beyoncé and Taylor’s music on repeat, but there’s nothing quite like the live experience. Indeed, in 2023, both embarked on career-defining tours. For Beyoncé, the “Renaissance World Tour” marks her ninth concert tour. Bey’s known for her innovative spectaculars; this time has been no exception. Indeed, her record-breaking worldwide ticket sales speak for themselves. This tour has reportedly surpassed previous ones to become the highest-grossing of her career AND of any female artist thus far, period. Reports also suggest that ticket sales and other related activities have helped the U.S. economy through its own renaissance. But Beyoncé isn’t the only female powerhouse helping boost economies. It’s like she sang, “Who Run the World?”

Yes, T-Swift’s sixth concert tour also helped bring the U.S. economy into a new and more prosperous Era— it hasn’t exactly been hurting international economies, either. Like Beyoncé’s tour, the demand for Eras tickets crashed websites. It caused such a whirlwind that it was likened to “Beatlemania” and aptly nicknamed “Swiftmania.” Some publications even held the tour accountable for raising “Swiftflation”. Fans have been gathering in hoards to see the singer, and those who didn’t get tickets have been tailgating outside venues. In Seattle, enthusiastic Swifties basically even caused a minor earthquake. We can also practically guarantee that folks will show up in very large numbers to see the concert film in theaters. The singer has also proven to be a generous employer, reportedly rewarding her workers with roughly $55 million in total bonuses. The tour itself is projected to get Swift into her Billionaire Era, though it’s hard to guess how much it’ll end up making, as it’s slated to continue well into 2024.

While it’s Bey and Tay’s creative visions that have undeniably made them superstars, it’s always nice to see their artistry get some recognition. Between them, they have more awards than most of us could probably fit in our homes. Beyoncé is one of the most decorated female artists; in fact, with 32 wins as of 2023, she currently holds more Grammy Awards than any other artist. And at this point, it’s hard to think of a prestigious music award she hasn’t won multiple times. “Lemonade” and “Homecoming” were nominated for Primetime Emmy Awards, and “Be Alive” from the “King Richard” movie was nominated for an Oscar. Outside of music, Beyoncé has also gotten her flowers elsewhere, snagging award victories for things like her fashion and philanthropy. She’s most certainly “Schoolin' Life”

Likewise, if you walk into wherever TayTay keeps her awards, we can practically guarantee that you’ll see the “whole place shimmer,”— especially after her fantastic night at the 2023 VMAs. We’re sure those Moon people will look lovely next to her dozen Grammy Awards. She was also the youngest person to claim an Album of the Year Grammy for “Fearless,” though that title now belongs to Billie Eilish. Much like Beyoncé, it’s hard to think of an award Swift hasn’t won. Whether it’s the AMAs’ Artist of the Year, “Billboard Woman of the Year,” or her many Teen Choice Awards. Perhaps most impressively, Swift has broken over 100 Guinness World Records, often beating herself to break new ground.

Now that we’ve got “in-formation,” we can look at both artists’ legacies, so far. For decades now, Beyoncé has been setting the blueprint for artistry, and her achievements in the music industry are phenomenal. She’s paved the way for many artists and revolutionized our perceptions of genre and performance. She’s also hailed for repopularizing albums, and no one knows how to drop surprise music quite like her! Her music has also found its way into the cultural lexicon. Let’s not forget who made phrases like “put a ring on it” and “boy bye” what they are today. She’s also a vocal social activist, notably using her platform to call out racism and uplift the Black community.

Taylor Swift’s mark on the music biz is just as staggering, and like Bey, she’s a cultural icon. She’s one of the most “accomplished” and “influential” musicians of her age. And her knack for evolving her career while never losing sight of her dedicated fanbase is remarkable. In fact, Swift’s commitment to her fans, seen through everything from her famous easter eggs to exclusive listening parties, is practically unparalleled. She’s built a brand much bigger than her music, incorporating business, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and social justice. Her willingness to experiment, surprise, and include her fans in her journey has practically reshaped the biz, especially in the digital age. She’s even helped other artists navigate certain aspects of the industry and empowered them to take more control over their work.

To put it simply, the music industry wouldn’t look the same without these two trailblazers laying the groundwork. If they’ve already achieved this much respectively, just imagine what they could do together! Yes, we’re trying to manifest a collab, and we know we’re not the only ones.

Which Bey & Tay era are you “Crazy in Love” with? Tell us in the comments, we’re “...Ready For It!”