> Isn't Banksy the most well known artist these days?

That's so 2010s. semi-/s

Elvis and the Beatles used to be some of the most well-known musical artists, yet how many people born more recently would be familiar with them.

"Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts." — Paul Simon, "The Boy in the Bubble"

the nature of popularity is part of the point being made by the author.

yes, banksy is the most easily recognized, commercially successful modern art commodity object producer.

It's kind of a justified title if people generally only know the brand, not the creators behind them these days. And from a critics' perspective that makes a huge difference, as pointed out in the article.

"most profitable tiktok trend" more accurate. Fame has to be measured along specific indeces of space and time.

I think Bill Watterson probably has a pretty hefty cultural cache as well although he's as reclusive as they get.