The Beatles

Before fandom had stan accounts, it had thousands of people screaming so loudly the band could barely hear itself play.

The Beatles are the weird contender here. They're four people battling solo superstars. Good. Because leaving them out would be even weirder. The melodies are everywhere, the catalog is absurd, and their transformation from lovable mop-tops to studio obsessives happened at a speed that still feels ridiculous.

Michael Jackson can challenge them on spectacle. Taylor Swift can challenge them on fan intensity. But Beatlemania remains one of the clearest examples of pop culture completely losing its mind over musicians.

The question is whether a group can be the greatest “pop star” ever. If the answer is no, they're in trouble. If sheer hysteria, songs and era control matter? Everybody else should be nervous.