Taylor Swift has been named the greatest artist of the 21st century by Billboard, topping its “Top Artists of the 21st Century” list.
The ranking is based on performances on the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart between January 1, 2000, and December 28, 2024.
Billboard explained that titles released before mid-1999 were not included, but their chart performance during the 21st century contributed to the calculations.
Swift, who first appeared on the Billboard charts in 2006 with her debut single Tim McGraw, has achieved record-breaking success. She holds the record for the most No. 1 albums by a woman on the Billboard 200, with 14 chart-topping albums, and has 12 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. Additionally, she has the most top 10 entries among women on the Hot 100, with 59 hits.
Billboard praised Swift’s enduring impact, stating, “She is one of the defining figures of modern music, and her achievements have rewritten the rules of what is possible in the industry.”
Swift’s dominance edged out other global superstars, including Drake, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Eminem, and The Weeknd, who have collectively shaped the music scene over the past 25 years.
Here is Billboard’s Top 10 Artists of the 21st Century:
- Taylor Swift – 14 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 12 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Drake – 13 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 13 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Rihanna – 2 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 14 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Post Malone – 3 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 6 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Eminem – 11 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 5 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- The Weeknd – 4 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 7 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Beyoncé – 8 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 9 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Justin Bieber – 8 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 8 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Bruno Mars – 1 No. 1 album on Billboard 200, 8 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
- Usher – 4 No. 1 albums on Billboard 200, 8 No. 1 singles on Hot 100.
