The title of world's tallest building has changed hands remarkably few times in the modern era. From 1931 to 1970, the Empire State Building held the record for 39 years. The World Trade Center held it for three. The Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) held it for 25. The Petronas Towers for six. Taipei 101 for six. The Burj Khalifa has held it for 14 years and counting. Each transition reflects a geopolitical shift: American industrial dominance, Japanese corporate power, Malaysian and Taiwanese economic emergence, Gulf state ambition. The next transition — to Jeddah Tower — will signal Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 transformation. The skyline is a barometer of global power.