As an avid fan of music, the worldwide acclaim surrounding Taylor Swift is something I cannot simply ignore. People are saying that she is the best singer, an accolade that many other worthy artists are competing for. I am of the belief that artists such as Ariana Grande are enjoying more popularity, thus giving them a certain edge in this contest.

Taylor Swift is, without a doubt, a talented singer and songwriter, embodying pop culture for more than a decade. Her influence is underpinned by seven albums, all of which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. However, in terms of worldwide popularity, the Billboard Global 200 has Ariana Grande consistently outpacing her (Billboard, 2021).

As of October 2021, Ariana Grande has 82.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, dwarfing Taylor Swift’s 44.2 million (Spotify, 2021). Additionally, the resonance of Ariana's music extends to social media, where she enjoys a far greater following than Taylor Swift. As of October 2021, Ariana has 256 million followers on Instagram compared to Taylor Swift’s 185 million (Instagram, 2021).

This isn't to diminish Swift's undeniable talent or to prop up Grande as the ultimate artist, but it is an attempt to broaden the conversation about who the greatest artists are today, based on popularity at the least.

I believe our perceptions of music and artists should be based on an objective analysis of facts, not just subjective popularity. Please sign this petition to challenge the widespread belief that Taylor Swift is the best singer. Let's encourage global music communities to consider a wider range of artists, using quantifiable metrics like streaming numbers, social media followings, and chart numbers.