Beyoncé Named Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century by Billboard
As the first quarter of the century comes to a close, Billboard unveiled its list of the 25 greatest pop stars of the past 25 years, crowning Beyoncé as number one.
The list places Taylor Swift in second position, followed by Rihanna, Drake and Lady Gaga rounding out the top five.
While Taylor leads in sales, streams, and tours, Billboard emphasized Beyoncé’s enduring 25-year influence, evolution, and cultural impact as the deciding factors for the top honor.
This recognition celebrates Beyoncé’s unique ability to redefine artistry while resonating deeply with global audiences.
“The longevity of Beyoncé remains continually awe-inspiring. In 2023, a full 20 years after her first year of being awarded Billboard’s Greatest Pop Star status, she finished No. 3 in our yearly ranking: an endurance at pop’s forefront that not even solo Michael Jackson, our Greatest Pop Star of 1983 and Bey’s closest 20th-century predecessor, can rightly claim.
“At a time when most of her pop peers – even the best ones – have either retired from music, faded from the limelight or simply contented themselves with recreating past glories, Beyoncé remains steadfastly committed to pushing forward,” wrote Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger.
Beyoncé is the most Grammy-winning artist, with a record 32 wins, and – after earning 11 more nods for her 2024 album “Cowboy Carter” – is expected to scoop up more trophies come January.
The “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer has a deep history on Billboard’s charts, as well. She has nine No. 1 songs and 24 top 10 songs on the Hot 100. Eight of her albums have claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 album’s chart, starting with her 2003 debut solo album “Dangerously In Love.” After previously dominating the airwaves as part of girl group Destiny’s Child, 11 of Beyoncé’s solo albums have charted in Billboard’s top 10.
THE COMPLETE LIST:
25. Katy Perry
24. Ed Sheeran
23. Bad Bunny
22. One Direction
21. Lil Wayne
20. Bruno Mars
19. BTS
18. The Weeknd
17. Shakira
16. Jay-Z
15. Miley Cyrus
14. Justin Timberlake
13. Nicki Minaj
12. Eminem
11. Usher
10. Adele
9. Ariana Grande
8. Justin Bieber
7. Kanye West
6. Britney Spears
5. Lady Gaga
4. Drake
3. Rihanna
2. Taylor Swift
1. Beyoncé
263Culture/Billboard/CNN
