Taylor Swift Surpasses Drake, Rihanna as Billboard’s Top 10 Artist of the 21st Century

Taylor Swift has been crowned the biggest artiste of the 21st century by Billboard, leading the publication’s “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.

“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,” the publications said on Wednesday.

Swift, who debuted on the Billboard charts in 2006 with her single “Tim McGraw,” has achieved 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – the most among women in history – and 12 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100.

She also holds the record for the most top 10 entries among women on the Hot 100, with 59.

Other notable names on the list include Drake, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Eminem, and The Weeknd, who have collectively defined the global music scene over the last 25 years.

Top 10 Artistes of the 21st Century:

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.