What Do the Beatles and Taylor Swift Have in Common?

What does a blonde, American songstress have in common with four guys from Liverpool?

More than one would think.

As Taylor Swift continues to boost local economies with her Eras Tour, older music lovers may attempt to draw parallels to superstars of years past. Taylor Swift is something of a zeitgeist: a chart-topping sensation who didn’t fade from relevancy like many of her peers. “Ask me why so many fade, but I’m still here,” Taylor recently sang in one of her platinum-certified hits from her album Midnights. And while both critics and fans may speculate about her Teflon-like abilities and enduring relevance, one thing is certain.

Much like the Beatles, the impact she’s had on the music industry will be felt for a long time to come.

Chart Toppers

Cultural immortality aside, Taylor Swift and the Beatles have even more in common. For example, Taylor is one of the only artists to match The Beatles’ Billboard records. With the rerelease of her critically acclaimed album Speak Now, Taylor claimed three spots on Billboard’s top ten list with songs from different albums—a feat no female artist has ever achieved.

One peek into their discography may reveal why both artists were able to set this precedent. Both the Beatles and Taylor Swift are incredibly versatile artists. The Beatles started off singing simple, palatable songs like “Yesterday” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” While fun and catchy, they weren’t complex or mind-bending like later hits—”Strawberry Fields Forever” and “A Day in the Life.” Likewise, Taylor also started off with straightforward crowd-pleasers like “Our Song” and “Teardrops on My Guitar.” More recent albums like Folklore and Evermore really display her lyrical prowess.

Perhaps this is why Ms. Swift and four simple guys from Liverpool have resonated with audiences. They’re able to craft songs that can appeal to a wide range of people. Very few artists are able to invent and reinvent themselves while still maintaining a strong brand identity.

It’s hard to imagine an artist ever following Taylor’s success.

But then, a lot of Boomers probably never imagined a talented songwriter from Pennslyvania would ever break the Beatles’ Billboard record.

The Missed Opportunity of a Lifetime

1970 was a pivotal year. The Apollo 13 space mission failed to launch. People from across the US celebrated Earth Day for the very first time, thanks to former senator Gaylord Nelson.

And, in April of that year, the Beatles formally announced their dissolution.

Unlike Taylor Swift, the Beatles never got the opportunity to tour at the height of their fame. With ticket prices for the last ever Beatles concert going at $4.50-$6.50 (or $38.75-$60 adjusted for inflation), perhaps the Beatles wouldn’t have crossed the one billion mark like the Eras Tour. However, one has to wonder what kind of impact such a tour would have had. If the Beatles had played all their hits back-to-back for over three hours, we have to imagine the people lucky enough to attend would still be recounting their experience today.

What does a blonde, American songstress have in common with four guys from Liverpool?

The impact they’ve had on the music industry will be felt for a long time to come.