Originally Posted by Lucem Ferre

Popularity is too inconsistent to use as the main point of validation, but not as meaningless as you try to make it out to be. There are other factors that add into popularity like how consistently popular the artist was. The popularity of Lil Uzi Vert hasn't stood the test of time the same way a Kanye has so it could be completely reactionary. Or you could say that Lil Wayne's newest music is of quality because he's popular when he's really riding off the popularity of his past and the general consensus is that he was of quality and his newer stuff is trash. My Kanye example was perfect. You aren't going to accept the idea that Kanye is a good lyricist so I can bring up the general consensus of his lyrics to validate it. And there are artists that create the illusion of popularity when the consensus is that they are trash. So, as I've said this whole time, popularity is not the deciding factor on the quality of music, but it is more important of a piece of evidence than you want to credit it for because it contradicts your taste.