Ya'll know I had to be EXTRA!
For me it's.....
Performance
1. Beyonc?
No one is even close. The performer of her generation. Her performances are anticipated and an event no matter the occasion. Old school showmanship mixed with her own unique gift. Larger than life stage presence. Often called the "female MJ". Beyonc? is the BAR for performance male or female.
2. GaGa
3. Rihanna
4. Taylor
Writing
1. Lady GaGa
She is the best writer here and has proven to be able to write great songs across different genres and styles.
2. Taylor Swift
3. Beyonc?
4. Rihanna
HITS
1. Rihanna
No contest. Rihanna can literally breathe and it's bound to chart Top 20 if not Top 10. She has a good ear for hits. And 12 years in, Rihanna seems to know what works for her and what doesn't. Out of everyone here, she has the X-Factor for making a hit record. There's just something about her voice and overall tone that is Pop music Gold whether it's Urban leaning or Top 40. Her voice makes the record catchy and gives it that thing. Rihanna will probably have over 50 Top 10's by the time her career is finished.
2. Beyonc?
3. Taylor Swift (Has about 5 more Top 10's than Beyonce, but are her hits memorable or impactful?)
4. Lady GaGa (Her Super Bowl set felt like a trip down memory lane that stopped 10 years ago.)
DISCOGRAPHY
1. Beyonc?
She makes the best albums out of this bunch. Even if they aren't perfect, her catalog is the strongest here. A lot of the girls know her album tracks just as much as they do the singles. The 2nd half of her career moved to creating "full bodies of work" as opposed to "hit singles" and she's benefitted from that tremendously. Her Metacritic scores are also the highest of the 4.
2. Rihanna
3. Lady GaGa
4. Taylor Swift
FASHION
1. Rihanna
She's very hit or miss (mostly miss) now, but Rihanna had all the girls wanting to EDGE IT UP from 2007-2010. Her style is always young, fresh, forward... and she's a risk taker. Her street style is legendary, and the girls kind of use her name with the word "fashion" synonymously. Fashion houses gag and adore her. And all want her in their clothes. She has a respect for it, and she takes it seriously. No...contest!
2. Lady GaGa
3. Beyonc?
4. Taylor Swift
ACCLAIM
1. Beyonc?
Even if she loses Album Of The Year for a 4th time, she's the most acclaimed. 22 Grammys. The highest metacritic score of these 4. And just last year, "Formation" became the most awarded song EVER! Think pieces and college courses pop up left and right to study Beyonc? and her work. She's respected by her peers and mostly all of the legends before her. Her name has become synonymous with "perfection" and "greatness". ...."You have the same 24 hours in the day as Beyonc?!"...."Would Would Beyonc? Do?".....
She's the GOAT of her generation.
2. Taylor Swift
3. Rihanna
4. Lady GaGa (I would have put GaGa over Rihanna a few years ago, but she fell off...HARD!)
VIDEOGRAPHY
1. Beyonce
Visually, I haven't seen any of the girls here do anything as strong conceptually as Lemonade. Ever since Todd Tourso left GaGa and became Beyonc?'s creative director, she's been untouchable in that area.
2. Rihanna
3. Lady GaGa
4. Taylor Swift
VOCALS
1. Beyonce
I mean... Please!
2. Rihanna
3. Lady GaGa
4. Taylor Swift