“No she’s your income”- Netizens react to former Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff claiming Taylor Swift is “our Beatles”

In a recent interview at Bloomberg Screentime in Los Angeles, former Ticketmaster CEO Irving Azoff described global pop icon Taylor Swift as “our Beatles,” a comparison that has sparked intense debate among fans.

Azoff, a well-known figure in the music business and a longtime industry executive, was expressing this when he noted the impact that Swift has had on the current music industry and concert economy.

The comment received divided reviews as many netizens questioned the validity and accuracy of comparing Swift with the British band that transformed music in the 1960s.

Some users condemned the remark as financially driven:

“No she’s your income.”

More users shared their thoughts on the same.

Some fans recognized Swift's strength as an artist and entrepreneur, while others considered the comparison to be overboard or driven by industry wealth.

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Irving Azoff’s comments, Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, and more

Veteran music executive Irving Azoff stressed that Taylor Swift and other artists have reinvented the modern touring economy, with live performance being the most effective source of revenue in the contemporary music industry.

67th GRAMMY Awards - Arrivals (Image via Getty)

He also mentioned that among upcoming acts, Harry Styles could become a contender for a similar level of influence.

“I do think Harry Styles has come close,” he said. “He’s been away for a while [and I’m] not exactly sure when he’ll be back. But of everyone out there – and it’s not just because my son [Jeffrey Azoff] manages him, I think he has the potential. I think he’s going to be a lot bigger this time around, if that’s possible.”

The Eras Tour of Taylor Swift has been declared the most successful concert tour in history, selling tickets totaling over two billion dollars in more than 140 shows worldwide, surpassing the earnings of any previous tour. According to Forbes, her average ticket price of approximately $204 and total attendance exceeding 10 million fans mark a commercial milestone.

The Eras Tour also had a significant economic spillover effect, with Investopedia estimating that her concerts alone in the U.S. have produced over $5 billion in direct consumer spending for travel, hospitality, and merchandise. With this number, the tour has had a significant economic impact on cities worldwide.

Taylor Swift's success spreads beyond the stage. Her concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, earned over $261 million globally, making it the highest-grossing concert film of all time.

Simultaneously, her business skills, such as her choice to re-record her master albums and her intellectual property ownership, have drawn attention to her role as an artist and entrepreneur.

By 2025, Taylor Swift was identified as one of the few self-made billionaire musicians worldwide. Forbes reported that her net worth is estimated to be $1.6 billion, mainly generated through her music collection, touring, and royalties rather than endorsements. In a 2023 report by Bloomberg, her 1.1 billion fortune is also noted, detailing earnings from her blockbuster tours and the value of her music catalog.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika