Pop stardom has been a concept for years. Frank Sinatra arguably became the first pop star when he broke onto the scene in 1946 with his album “The Voice of Frank Sinatra,” and many have followed in his footsteps. 

While artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross have achieved legend status, a newer class of pop stars like Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan often incite controversy, polarizing fans, critics, and students alike.

To many, Taylor Swift has become the most successful pop star of all time. She’s the only musician to have simultaneously occupied the top 14 spots of the Billboard Hot 100 and is the female record-holder for most simultaneous Hot 100 chart entries, with 32 entries. Along with Swift’s massive commercial success, she has also gained a band of dedicated fans and followers, who dub themselves “Swifties.”

“I think her music is something that really revolutionized the world and the way women are able to communicate about their feelings and emotions, not only through songs, but also through just pure self-expression,” sophomore Madeline Hunt said. “I think that she’s definitely a good role model for young women.”

However, as one of the most famous and successful people in the world, Swift, along with her dedicated Swifties, has detractors. 

“When you’re taking her work as a whole and comparing her to other female artists, she creates music. Other female artists create music. She’s in pop. Other female artists create pop,” said sophomore Emma Sinclair. “There are so many similarities. You can just draw to other people, and it’s not like she stands out because of her music – she stands out because of people.”

As Swift has one of the largest fanbases in pop music, it is difficult for many people to understand the devotion she receives. 

“A lot of people are obsessed with making the female voice known and getting females into these really big, male-dominated groups and populations,” Sinclair continued. “A lot of people are just like, ‘oh, here’s this flashy woman that’s wearing these very interesting outfits that I would love to wear,’ but there’s restrictions at school or church.”

 Lady Gaga is one of the most polarizing artists among Loy Norrix students. She received the most mixed reviews as 13 people responded saying they “love” her, while another eighteen said they “strongly disliked” her, showing the most mixed reviews of any artist polled. This seems fitting, as Gaga’s music has polarized critics since her debut single “Just Dance.” 

Gaga’s brash, avant-garde aesthetics and her use of religious imagery in songs like “Judas” or “Bloody Mary” have received varied criticism. Gaga has also garnered praise for her artistic and alternative persuasions. 

“I can’t name any good reason why people don’t like Gaga unless they hate themselves,” said sophomore Margarite McBride. “Gaga is so beautiful, and her voice is so, so powerful, as well as her words and what she chooses to do with her life. If you don’t like Gaga, you don’t like life. Gaga is life.”

Chappell Roan was shown to have the most dedicated fans of any artist polled, seventeen respondents saying they “love” her. This makes sense, as Roan’s bright, self-described “tacky” aesthetic and earnest lyricism both correspond to fashion and musical trends favorable to today’s youth, such as the decora kei subculture. 

However, the artist with the most general favorability was Beyonce, with a mean score of three, indicating generally favorable opinions. This also seems fitting, as Beyonce has gone through significant artistic transformation in her two-decade solo career. While Beyonce’s first four albums were largely in the pop and R&B space, she’s since explored genres such as electronic and soul on 2013’s “Beyonce,” while 2016’s “Lemonade” explored trap, gospel and funk music. 

Similarly, the first two installments of Beyonce’s ongoing trilogy project include “Renaissance,” (2022) which explores house, disco and vogue music. “Cowboy Carter,” released last year, explored country and Americana music. Because of this artistic experimentation that makes her music unique, Beyonce manages to have something for everyone.

While pop continues to polarize students, some hope to find a middle ground. While music and personal taste are at a higher level of scrutiny than ever, it’s important to not get too caught up in differing opinions.