Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.
It’s an interesting juxtaposition of country music’s best-selling artists from two different eras. When Taylor Swift was born, Garth Brooks had hit No. 1 for the first time just days earlier with “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” When her first album came out in the fall of 2006, Garth was just days away from a bevy of certifications that would push his career album sales over 120 million.
Both artists sold a ton of concert tickets at the end of last week. With her single “Fifteen” in the Top 15, Taylor put 15 arena shows up for sale on Friday, and all of them sold out in minutes. Garth, who was already retired when she Swiftly became the genre’s new top seller, put his comeback tickets in Las Vegas on the market Saturday, and after overloading the Wynn Las Vegas website, his first 20 performances sold out as well.
Garth’s shows will be one-man ventures in a new theater that seats fewer than 2,000 people, but he set the stage for Taylor years ago. He consistently sold out arenas of 10,000-plus seats at a time when few acts did that, and he rather famously created artificial rain for a TV special years before Taylor made an onstage soaking a regular part of her act.
Garth won’t go on a full tour until his daughters are all 18 years old, which means it’s another five years before he competes head to head with Taylor on the road. In the meantime, she’s doing the kinds of things that became familiar during his era. She received 15 digital sales certifications on a single day earlier this month, with “Love Story” going gold, platinum, double-, triple- and quadruple-platinum all at the same time. The next day, she garnered six American Music Awards nominations. And like Garth did previously, she’s slated to be the host and musical guest next month (Nov. 7) on an episode of “Saturday Night Live.”
The kind of attention bestowed on Garth in the early 1990s is now being showered on Taylor, who’s got her own signature Taylor Guitar line, a collection of sun dresses and even a doll that’s modeled after her.
“That’s interesting,” Taylor told the United Kingdom’s Mail On Sunday, recognizing the head rush that accompanies global fame. “You grow up playing with dolls, and then suddenly you are one.”
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Just wanted to let everyone know what a really nice guy Garth is. We have had breakfast as the same little resturant a few times and I have noticed his reaction and attitude toward the staff of the resturant and the other patrons. I was particullary impressed with his interaction with a young disabled boy. He is a great artist and a really great human being. Oklahoma is lucky he still calls Oklahoma home and so do i.
Garth Brooks is the best singer of all time!!! Taylor is good I'll admit but I honestly dont believe she can ever measure up to Garth ever. Sorry but if i had a choice as to whether to go to a taylor swift concert or a garth brooks concert it would automatically be Garth. Sorry but that is my honest opinion.
I luv Taylor Swift her music is so gr8 I luv to dance/sing along when the song comes on the radio I would vote her best album/entertainer of the year Taylor keep on rocking.
Taylor Swift is the best writer in any genre of music today PERIOD. "Fifteen" is something Garth Brooks or some other superstar would have written in their prime. But she's only 19 and her song structure is amazing. Amazing writer, singer, and guitarist.
my tour has sold out also, its called world fearless tour
from nashville bmi songwirter and country recording artist
taylor isnt a solo artist, country singer justin byrd also has a fearless tour in 2010 thats sold out also. country singer justin byrd is related to neil armstrong
Anyone who said that taylor sucks is so wrong. GARTH SUCKS! Carrie and Taylor are two very beautiful, very real country singers with a pop twist. TAYLOR SWIFT AND CARRIE UNDERWOOD ROCK!
Taylor is great. But I’m not a big fan of Garth sorry if I offend anyone but its how I feel. Kellie Pickler is awesome. I saw her at the Opry and she is phenomonal. I love Taylor she is my idol and just as Taylor does I also look up to Kellie for advice.
That title is speaks truer than I believe was intended.
Good people making boring music…nothing to do with character, they seem like very nice people…making boring music.
This is really very silly to be childesh to be comparing Taylor to Carrie, and Taylor to Garth Brooks. What a laugh….. Garth, is a legend who has sold more albums than anyone except the Beatles.
Carrie, is absolutely hands down the best female artist of this decade.
Taylor, has had a phenomanal year, and they know how to sell her to the public.
Carrie, has been off all year working on her new awesome CD, Play On, that will be out Nov. 3rd.
She plans on a big blowout tour for 2010. Just wait, and we will see. I think they are all great and work very hard. WHY DO WE HAVE TO COMPARE EVERYONE????
Let's just enjoy our favorites and let everyone be a fan of whomever they please.
That is how the artist's want it. THEY ALL WORK VERY HARD……..
AMEN! I agree. I like all three mentioned artists above. Who says you have to just like one. I think it helps alot to like the people behind the music. All three artists are talented and are good role models for all ages. They are staying grounded and loving life without all the drama.
I think the whole Taylor Carrie thing is silly. Carrie is so much better vocally but Taylor is good all around. I think they BOTH deserve everything they get and so much more. Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood will be around for a very long time. In the future those to will be like female Garth Brooks' because they both work very hard and seem truly thankful. God Bless them both!!!!
Taylor is not just a good singer, she is a writer,an outstanding performer and she bends over backwards for her fans. I realley think she is the best entertainer at this time, handsdown!
I completely agree with you Jim. You are one smart man. And about the whole Taylor Carrie thing I think vocally Carrie is better but Taylor is amazing all around
The word 'talent' doesn't belong in the same sentence as Taylor Swift. Unless of course 'lack of' or 'mediocre' comes immediately before.
Man You are so right, you tha man
carrie underwood can't compare talent wise to Taylor Swift. All Carrie can do is sing she has had everything handed to her on a silver platter. Taylor has worked hard and has earned her success. Taylor swift will be a star for a long time and peope will say Carrie who?
Let me tell you something Paul i don't like the way you talk, Taylor Swift is the worst country singer in the world, she can't sing a lick. Carrie Underwood is way better then she is & in a few years it's gonna be Taylor who?, yeah thats what its gonna be like it or not. Taylor Swift is the one that had things handed to her on a platter just because she's a teenager. I wish Taylor Swift never was in country music.
I beg to differ with you on this comment. I think it will be the other way around.
Taylor, has worked very hard and has written about every relationship possible that she could dream up of boys, etc. That is the only kind of music she has ever done. Carrie, on the other hand has had 10 #1 singles from her 1st two albums, that were not handed to her on a silver platter. She worked very hard on all of her many accomplishments and awards she has won.
She is a class act with a voice that no one in the industry today can compare to. Her new CD, Play On, coming out on Nov. 3rd already has a #1 video and is headed to another #1 single. She is amazing, has co-written 7 songs off of this new album and she is very versatile. Her music is not all about the same thing like Taylor's is. She can, and does sing all kinds of songs and not just the same thing about another relationship.
I am not bashing Taylor at all, but come on. Everyone knows that her fan base is basically teenie boppers and their parents. Carrie, on the other hand has a fan base that ranges from 3 to 103.
you better do yourhomework carrie worked
hard for what she has achived as far as ts is concerned
ts should never be compared to carrie because carrie
can sing ts cant carrie is a very private person ts is all
about publicity she has to be in the tabloids all the time
she thrives on it at least carrie is smart and well educated
ts is starting to remind me of brittany always in the news
so practice what you preach before you put down carrie
end of story
she is the one NOW. HUGS FORM ROMANIA TAYLOR
Yeah Your an idiot Octavian, Taylor Swift sucks. Carrie deserves all the hugs in the world
Garth did a benifit for the Hughen school for ms children in Port Arthur Texas been a few years back anyway Bob Hope and Garth seem at home it was at the Ramada Inn got lots of pictures and i will never forget that time in my life lots of others were there also but Garth Brooks was so very nice would love to see him again
Garth and Taylor are NOT in the same league and should not even be mentioned together. In a few years it will be Taylor who? But everyone will know Garth!!!!
Roxanne I agree with you every step of the way
putting ts in the same sentence as garth
brooks is unheard of garth is an icon in
time ts will fade
garth who??!!!
taylor deserves everthing she has now. she worked hard to get where she is at right now. she made it on her own. i know cu is a good singer and can win any contest with her powerful vocals but taylor is something special, she can connect to people and make us feel a part of the song. isn't that what songs are for? to make the listeners feel the lyrics in the song.
i guess so, but she ain't nothin' special thats for sure & no she can't connect, Carrie can
Yea yea Taylor don't deserve to be in the same league as Garth Brooks, he's a world wide phenomenon. If anybody should be selling out shows it should be Carrie Underwood. She is way better then her, everybody makes a big deal about Taylor Swift. She's not all that great & plus she shouldn't even have her own head-lining tour in the first place. She ain't even country, she's more pop anyway. Her songs ain't even all that great either. I agree with Elizabeth, Kellie Pickler does deserve to be nominated & to win an award, also Kellie Pickler sounds & looks better then Taylor Swift. Once Carrie Underwood's new CD, Play On comes out, it'll be all over for Taylor Swift.
I AGREE 100% HALEN….. PLAY ON IS AWESOME. Carrie, is by far the best female artist of this decade.
Neither should be compared to Garth. He is a legend……..
I love Taylor Swift
Taylor, Thanks for letting Kellie Pickler be on you tour.
She is my my star. I just love her. She should win an award.
ELIZABATH , I SO AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT KELLIE PICKLER . SHE IS ALSO MY STAR , AND YES I ALSO THINK THAT SHE SHOULD WIN AN AWARD . SHE IS JUST AWESOME !!! I CAN,T GET ENOUGH OF KELLIE PICKLER !!!!! AND YES , TAYLOR , THANKS SO VERY MUCH FOR BEING A GREAT FRIEND OF KELLIE,S AND LETTING HER TOUR WITH YOU . I AM HOPEING TO SEE BOTH OF YOU ON YOUR MAY. 1, 2010 AT RALEIGH , N.C THANKS AGAIN .