Country Singer Jelly Roll Wonders “Is Taylor Swift the New Michael Jackson?”

At this point, it’s fair to say that Taylor Swift is the biggest star in the world. She—and her army of die-hard fans—proved that time and again over the last year. For instance, The Eras Tour was the highest-grossing concert tour in history. The concert film based on the tour broke box office records. Then, there’s the sheer number of chart-topping hits Swift has released. Additionally, her appearance at Kansas City Chiefs football games brought a whole new audience to the NFL. Many tuned in hoping to catch a glimpse of Swift enjoying the game. That has left many, including country singer Jelly Roll, to wonder if she is the new Michael Jackson.

Jelly Roll recently appeared on Complex Music’s existential interview show, That’s Deep. While on the show, he posed the question to host Yedoye Travis. You can see his reaction to the question in the clip below.

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Jelly Roll Crosses a Cultural Boundary with Big Question

“Do you think Taylor Swift is the new Michael Jackson,” Jelly Roll asked. Laughing, Travis replied, “You can’t ask a Black man that question.”

“I’m sorry,” Jell Roll said, laughing as well. “I crossed a cultural line there.” Travis replied, “I’m sorry, I can. There’s just boundaries I can’t cross.”

Explaining himself a little more, the “Save Me” singer added, “I respect it. I think different eras but I think mirror images.” Then, he added, “What Michael did was so specific to that time. It’l never happen again.”

“In terms of fanaticism? Fanbase? She’s up there,” Travis admitted.

Different Eras and More

One would have to wait until Swift was ready to retire to tell if she is truly the Jackson of a new generation. After all, it wasn’t just the King of Pop’s many hits and tours that made him an icon. It’s his lasting impact on music and the world at large. He left his mark, in part, by influencing and inspiriting generations of artists. Only time will tell if Swift has that kind of impact.

Even if it were all about album, ticket, or songs sales, comparing Jackson and Swift is like comparing apples and oranges. Jackson didn’t have the benefit of the internet for the bulk of his career. In fact, the internet was a shadow of what it is today when he passed away in 2009.

The internet has made it easier for Swift to sell tickets and albums than it was for Jackson in his heyday. At the same time, the rise in streaming music has allowed the “Anti-Hero” singer’s fans to devour her music more conveniently than the King of Pop’s fans could when he was at the height of his powers.

In the end, time will be the great decider on this question.

Featured Image by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

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