Imperial phase

"Imperial phase" has been applied by pop music critics and fans to the creative output of artists.{{cite news |last=Molanphy |first=Chris |date=1 December 2014 |title=Why Is Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" No. 1? |url=https://slate.com/culture/2014/12/taylor-swift-blank-space-is-back-to-back-number-1-hit-with-shake-it-off-is-this-her-imperial-moment.html |work=Slate |access-date=14 February 2019 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214070124/https://slate.com/culture/2014/12/taylor-swift-blank-space-is-back-to-back-number-1-hit-with-shake-it-off-is-this-her-imperial-moment.html |url-status=live }} While its original usage implied that an imperial phase was a one-time occurrence for a single artist, artists have been referred to {{cite news |last=Ewing |first=Tom |date=27 May 2010 |title=Imperial |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/poptimist/7811-poptimist-29/ |work=Pitchfork |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-date=28 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128041946/https://pitchfork.com/features/poptimist/7811-poptimist-29/ |url-status=live }} as having multiple imperial phases.{{cite web |url=https://uproxx.com/music/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-critics-poll-number-one-song/ |title=Ariana Grande's Imperial Phase As A Pop Star Began In Earnest With 'Thank U, Next' |last=Macpherson |first=Alex |date=10 January 2019 |website=Uproxx |access-date=14 February 2019 |archive-date=12 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112205220/https://uproxx.com/music/ariana-grande-thank-u-next-critics-poll-number-one-song/ |url-status=live }} The term may also be applied to non-musical entities, such as film studios.{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/with-guardians-of-the-galaxy-marvel-made-household-nam-1832269320 |title=With Guardians Of The Galaxy, Marvel made household names out of interstellar second-stringers |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=8 February 2019 |website=AV Club |access-date=14 February 2019 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214042811/https://film.avclub.com/with-guardians-of-the-galaxy-marvel-made-household-nam-1832269320 |url-status=live }}

Critic Tom Ewing described three criteria for defining an artist's imperial phase: "command, permission, and self-definition". He defined "command" as an artist's ability to push the boundaries of their medium in a way that produces lasting change. "Permission" is the public's goodwill toward and interest in the artist's work. Finally, "self-definition" is the concept that the imperial phase defines the rest of the artist's career; future works will be compared to those from the imperial phase.

• Led Zeppelin (Early 1970s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Fleetwood Mac (Late 1970s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Michael Jackson (1980s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Madonna (1980s and late 1990s/Early 2000s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Oasis (Mid 1990s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Pink Floyd (1973–1979){{cite news |last1=Bonner |first1=Michael |title=An interview with David Gilmour |url=https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/interview-david-gilmour-99501/6/ |access-date=31 July 2024 |work=Uncut |publisher=Kelsey Media |date=6 March 2017 |ref=Bonner 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423040602/https://www.uncut.co.uk/features/interview-david-gilmour-99501/6/ |archive-date=23 April 2023 |quote=Aubrey Powell is reflecting on Pink Floyd's imperial phase: the enormous successes of Dark Side Of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall.}}
• Beyoncé (2010s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
• Taylor Swift (2010s and 2020s){{citation needed|date=January 2024}}

• Zeitgeist

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• {{cite web |url=https://tmrwmagazine.com/features/legacy/katy-perry-lady-gaga-end-imperial-phase |title=Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and the End of the Imperial Phase |last=Griffiths |first=George |date=15 June 2017 |website=TMRW Magazine |access-date=14 February 2019 }}

{{Pop music}}

Category:Pop music

Category:Music criticism

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