Madonna at 65: the similarities between the Queen of Pop and the Crown Princess of Pop, Taylor Swift

So maybe it’s fitting on Madge’s birthday that PeopleWorld takes a look at who is possibly the “crown princess” of pop music, Taylor Swift, and the similarities between the two. It goes without saying that, much like Madonna in the ‘80s, Swift has become a cultural phenomenon with sold-out tours and a level of fandom that is parallel to the likes of Michael Jackson in his heyday, “Beatlemania” and naturally Madonna.

They’re both also “mavericks” in the field at one stage; Madonna literally formed a record label called “Maverick” to allow freedom of creativity she felt she couldn’t truly have with a record label. While Swift’s “clap back” at Scooter Braun buying her original masters has been seen as an incredibly smart move to not only undermine the notion that her work is someone else’s asset, but to devalue those master recordings to the point Braun himself had to unload them.

They’re both also icons for their stance on the murky grey areas of the music industry; Swift for example took a hard line on the ownership of her work, at one stage refusing to have her music on Spotify and rallying for more transparency over royalties made through the streaming services. 

Madonna, during her “Erotica” era, very much loved to push the envelope regarding sexuality in music, and took the approach that perhaps maybe society should be more accepting of what goes on behind closed doors, and that “sex” was certainly not a bad thing - and if people were playing up her sexual nature, she, of course, will lean into it to further provoke conversation.

There’s a myriad of similarities between the Queen of Pop and the Crown Princess of Pop, so as Madonna readies herself for the “Celebration” world tour and Taylor Swift takes a rest after her record-breaking “Era’s” US tour, PeopleWorld take a look at some other similarities between the two. 

What artistically does Madonna and Taylor Swift have in common?

Chart dominance and record-breaking tours

With over 300 million records sold worldwide, Madonna is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time. She holds the record for the most top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (38). Taylor Swift has achieved multiple Billboard chart records, including being the first woman to win the Album of the Year Grammy Award three times. Swift has accumulated numerous No. 1 singles and albums on various Billboard charts and holds the record for a female artist's most consecutive No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

While Madonna held the record for the most successful tour by a solo artist, with her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" grossing over $408 million and the highest-grossing concert tour for a female artist with the "MDNA Tour," which is set to be eclipsed by Swift's “Era’s” tour. That is reportedly set to have earned the singer over a $1b box office gross with her international dates to follow set to increase that amount.

Both also ensure that their live shows are spectacles to be remembered - not a case of an artist on stage performing. Madonna’s performances are renowned for their element of theatricality and innovative stage designs, incorporating choreography and cutting-edge visuals.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift's concerts are renowned for their interactive nature, with her engaging directly with the audience. She incorporates grand production elements, including intricate stage setups, pyrotechnics, and surprise guest appearances - very much a similar spectacle fans of Madonna might expect for their icon.

A period of reinvention

Taylor Swift's transition from country to pop, and later incorporating elements of indie-folk, showcase her willingness to experiment with different genres and styles, keeping her sound fresh and engaging and demonstrating her ability to seamlessly cross over to different styles. Even her single “Look What You Made Me Do” played around with a minimalist EDM production - akin to her “squad member” Lorde’s first album, “Pure Heroine.”

Where do we start with Madonna’s continual reinventions though? We’ve penned how she was a style icon throughout her career, continually reinventing herself through the years and keeping up to speed with modern trends, both in terms of fashion and the “sound” that is cutting through. From the provocative "Like a Virgin" phase to the electronic-pop sound of "Ray of Light," she has consistently evolved her image and music.

Both have also had crossover success into other mediums too - and both with mixed results. Madonna earned good reviews for her performances in “Evita,” earning a Golden Globe Award in the process and kickstarted a fashion revolution through “Desperately Seeking Susan.” Swift earned a solid review for her role in “Valentine’s Day,” but also saw her more recent acting role, “Cats,” universally panned upon its release.

It’s ok though - Taylor still needs one more cinematic flop to catch up to Madonna, who appeared in two. “Swept Away,” the movie she starred in directed by then-husband Guy Ritchie, and of course the “erotic thriller” with Willem Dafoe, “Body of Evidence.” Not all the similarities have to be positive!

Ardent fan bases and social consciousness

Swfities - there is an actual word for the huge fandom that surrounds Taylor Swift, for better and for worse. The fandom is incredibly active on social media and not a day goes by without some form of conversation around the singer trending on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok. Be it new releases, romance rumours or, more importantly, the social causes that Swift advocates throughout her career.

Swift has made significant charitable contributions, such as donating to education initiatives and disaster relief efforts. She has also supported music education programs and foundations that aid in disaster response.

“Madonna’s Army” may not have had the luxury of social media when she first broke out, but fan clubs and newsletters dedicated to the Queen of Pop, let alone her numerous appearance on ‘90s television, be it music videos, interviews (hi David Letterman) or episodes of shows like “Hard Copy” discussing her “lurid” sex life. That army has now moved over to social media, admittedly not to the virality that Swifties have cornered online though.

But Madge didn’t need social media to speak out for social causes; she co-founded the charity Raising Malawi, which focuses on supporting vulnerable children in Malawi and has also contributed to causes like AIDS research and disaster relief efforts throughout her career.

Has Madonna and Taylor Swift ever collaborated with each other?

By our count, they’ve shared the stage once (Swifties please correct us here if need be!)

Taylor Swift and Madonna shared the stage at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in 2015, performing a rendition of "Ghosttown" together which their mutual respect for each other's music. 

Taylor has also been spotted at Madonna concert, attending Madonna's “Madame X” Tour concert in Brooklyn in 2019. Swift took to Instagram to express her admiration for Madonna's show and shared a photo alongside Antoni Porowski from Queer Eye, who also attended the concert.