Taylor Swift has been recognized as the top artist of the 21st century by Billboard, securing the top spot in the publication’s “Top Artists of the 21st Century” list. The rankings are based on performances on the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart from January 1, 2000, to December 28, 2024. “Titles released prior to mid-1999 are excluded, although such entries that appeared on the Billboard 200 or Hot 100 in that span contribute to the calculation of the Top Artists chart,” Billboard explained on Wednesday.
Swift, who made her chart debut in 2006 with her single “Tim McGraw,” has broken multiple records, including 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200—more than any other woman in history—and 12 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. Additionally, she holds the record for the most top 10 hits among women on the Hot 100, with 59 entries.
Other major figures in the ranking include Drake, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Eminem, and The Weeknd, who have collectively shaped the music landscape over the past 25 years. The list highlights the immense success of these artists across various metrics of performance on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 charts.
The top 10 artists of the 21st century according to Billboard are:
1. Taylor Swift – 14 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 12 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
2. Drake – 13 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 13 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
3. Rihanna – 2 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 14 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
4. Post Malone – 3 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 6 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
5. Eminem – 11 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 5 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
6. The Weeknd – 4 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 7 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
7. Beyoncé – 8 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 9 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
8. Justin Bieber – 8 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 8 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
9. Bruno Mars – 1 Billboard 200 No. 1 album, 8 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
10. Usher – 4 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums, 8 Hot 100 No. 1 singles.
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