Taylor Swift named Artist of the 21st Century by Billboard as fans intensely debate rankings

Taylor Swift takes the top spot on Billboard’s Top Artists of the 21st Century list, with Drake and Rihanna not far behind in second and third place respectively.

200-position ranking is determined by an artist’s chart success on both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100, spanning from the beginning of 2000 up until the end of 2024.

Since her debut on the Billboard charts in 2006, Taylor Swift has impressively achieved 14 number one albums on the Billboard 200 and 12 number one singles on the Hot 100 in the early part of this century.

On the 5th of November, 2022, she achieved a remarkable milestone by being the first artist ever to hold all top 10 positions on the Hot 100 chart simultaneously. Later, on May 4, 2024, she further solidified her reign by occupying the top 14 spots.

In 2009, I managed to clinch the top spot on Billboard’s Year-End Top Artists chart, a feat I repeated in 2015. Fast forward to 2023 and 2024, I did it again! Interestingly, I became the first artist ever to hold four annual titles since this category was established back in 1981. What an incredible journey!

Besides Swift, heavyweights like Drake, Rihanna, Post Malone, Eminem, The Weeknd, and Beyoncé also appeared on the chart ranking the Most Influential Artists of the 21st Century.

On social media, the findings sparked a variety of responses, with some devotees discussing the order and questioning why Beyoncé ranked seventh, despite being recently crowned the top pop star of the 21st century by Billboard.

It’s quite debatable, but according to Billboard, Taylor Swift has been named the leading artist of the 21st century. Beyoncé comes in at number 7, while Rihanna takes the third spot.

One fan expressed curiosity, asking ‘What’s the latest with Eminem? Any news on Burna Boy and Big Wiz too? It seems the update is missing something important!'”

Or simply:

“A fan wondered about recent developments for Eminem, Burna Boy, and Big Wiz, stating that the information feels incomplete.

On the contrary, some fans argued that Taylor Swift being labeled as the top pop icon of the century is based solely on sales figures, while Beyoncé’s recent accolade recognized her significant influence, impact, and development during the early part of the century.

The Billboard ranking focuses on real-world achievement, making Taylor Swift undeniably the most successful artist of the 21st century according to these standards. Other lists often rely on personal feelings or “vibes,” and paying someone doesn’t guarantee a top spot when success is what’s being evaluated. That’s why Beyoncé ranks lower at #7, indicating she hasn’t achieved as much in terms of success.

— Now That We Don’t Talk (@SwiftBurrow13) January 9, 2025

One supporter argued: “Billboard focuses on physical achievements, making Taylor Swift statistically the most successful artist of the 21st century.

“That other list was opinions based on vibes and you can’t pay someone to put you at #1 when success is what’s measured. Thats [sic] why Bey is at #7. She’s not as successful.”

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2025-01-10 14:35