Johnny Cash

He was a great songwriter, so he would have a pretty good chance.

I think talent transcends time. So Johnny would be a star regardless but his sound would be different

He would have stuck with Sun Records because the Million Dollar Trio had made Memphis the musical Mecca.

That is if in this life, Sun Records didn't exist and Nashville is his only choice.

Those songs wouldn't be released today but he had written songs and had cover songs that Sun Records, Columbia didn't allow him to release.

He would have more artistic freedom to release these songs that he wouldn't have had in the past.

I asked a question because I don't believe the old legends would make it today.

Some of these current country singers can't sing at all and write terrible lyrics. Everything is so dumbed down that anything shitty is now considered good vocals and music.

I do believe that strictly as a songwriter, he would make it but as a singer I'm not sure.

I dunno if Johnny Cash would make it in Nashville today, but critics would lap him up and he would be big as, I dunno - Jason Isbell or Sturgill Simpson are now? He'd get good press and be able to play decent sized theaters.

Being a star or a superstar are vague definitions.

If Cash did make it then I would put him on star level such as Isbell and Simpson as good examples.

I can't see him being more popular than that as his songs wouldn't have been appealing to the younger audiences.

This is why Cash had to change when he was with Rick Rubin. His popularity soared in the 90s with the younger audiences.

Cash > Swift

That isn't saying much.

Cash is a superior vocalist despite never having any singing lessons.

Superior songwriter despite hundreds of his songs that didn't get released by Sun Records and Columbia.

Created his own sound despite having only rhythum guitar players and no drummer until the early 60s.

Became one of the biggest selling artists in a genre of music that wasn't appealing to broader audiences and yet was a cross over success.

Made one of the biggest comebacks as an artist and has arguably the best cover song in music history.

Broke through in the music industry that was much tougher then than now. No internet and barely any TV.

He for a brief time in the late 60s, was more popular than Elvis and the Beatles with his live prison performances.

He had his own show that helped launch the careers of new and unknown artists.

The only advantage Taylor Swift has is her music caters to the lowest common denominator of dumb fans who don't know any better. Thus her audience is much larger.