Is Billie Eilish a better artist than Taylor Swift?

Marie (No)

Based on her wildly popular Era’s Tour alone, Taylor Swift is a better artist than Billie Eilish. Beyond that, she has the accolades, marketing skills, and philanthropy that contribute to her prominence in the industry. With the highest-grossing tour of all time reaching over $1 billion, Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever tour pales in comparison, grossing only $130,000,000. In Munich, crowds of 50,000 gathered in the park behind the stadium, covering hillsides just to get a glimpse of Taylor Swift in her element. 

Swift has become known for her cryptic easter eggs, part of her marketing prowess. The genius of Taylor Swift means she becomes a chameleon with each new album release, changing outfits and nail colors and tuning each detail to cater to her next move. Fans are devoted to her for good reason; she puts in the effort to give her fans an entire experience along with every new project. Meanwhile, Eilish used a simple algorithm trick to quickly snag new followers by adding everyone to her “close friends” on social media. Swift’s devotion to her fans is obvious, while Eilish’s seems to be nothing but business. 

Swift has been criticized for her sales regarding exclusive album releases, but one can’t ignore her philanthropic actions. She may be business savvy, but the mega pop star goes the extra mile to give back to the community. Swift donates to local food banks and hunger relief organizations at every tour stop. 

Taylor Swift is not only a renowned artist, but a woman of character, talent, and grit. To say Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift are on the same level of craft is an oversight.

Vic (Yes)

Billie Eilish’s brand is rebellious, brazen, and unconcerned with what’s typically expected of a female pop star. This makes her the perfect role model for a world that is beginning to question how people are generally expected to perform or present, and, therefore, a more important artist than Taylor Swift. 

Eilish is innovative and renowned for her artistic creativity. Her style and music have been a refreshing reprieve from cut-and-paste music celebrities whose work fits the pre-designed mold for the genre of music an artist wishes to pursue. The same can not be said for Swift’s contribution to pop music. Eilish and her producer brother, Finneas, masterfully meld alternative rock, pop rock, soft rock, and electronic music and have been celebrated for creating a new sub-genre of pop music. 

Unlike Swift, Eilish has brazenly dismantled expectations around how women are expected to present in the music industry. The brand of femininity promoted by Swift is reflective of traditional notions around what it means to be a woman, which resonate typically with white, middle-class women. Her ‘nice girl’ aesthetic appeals to the male gaze that continues to influence how non-male musicians are expected to present. While Swift sings of female empowerment, her brand of femininity does nothing to challenge narrow notions of what femininity can be. 

Comparatively, Eilish’s style speaks to female-identifying people who’ve never aligned with Swift’s brand of femininity. Her fashion preference for baggy, oversized clothes and ‘boyish’ aesthetic are an unexpected choice for an artist whose voice is described as ‘wistful’ and airy. This style resonates especially with queer fans who’ve fought hard against conforming to traditional notions of femininity. Eilish has provided all this and more for those who crave genuine creativity over route pop and pomp.