Billboard has named Taylor Swift as its second “Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century,” praising her for pushing “pop stardom to places we hadn’t previously thought possible.”
As Billboard counts down its top 25 pop stars of the last 25 years, Swift’s No. 2 placement stands out due to her remarkable achievements.
Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century: Reasons for Swift’s 2nd Rank
Grammy Record: The only artist to win Album of the Year four times.
Chart Dominance: Second-most Billboard Hot 100 entries (264 songs) and tied with Jay-Z for second-most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, surpassed only by The Beatles.
Touring Success: Her Eras Tour solidifies her as one of the greatest touring artists of the past 25 years.
Historical Achievements Of Taylor Swift
First artist to debut the entire Top 14 of the Hot 100.
Most consecutive years at No. 1 as a soloist.
Most albums spending a year in the Top 10.
Most albums in the Top 10 and Top 25 simultaneously.
Taylor Swift has been crowned the second Greatest Pop Star of the Century by Billboard. pic.twitter.com/1cuAkGxcmp
— Taylor Swift Charts (@chartstswift) November 26, 2024
Speculation and Reactions
The No. 1 spot will be announced on December 3, with fans speculating Beyoncé might claim the title. Swift’s placement has sparked debate, with some questioning why her extraordinary accomplishments didn’t secure her the top position.
How Did The Internet React?
Reacting to the news, Swifties stormed X as one user stated, “Taylor is the music industry,” whereas, another stated, “LMFAOOOO Billboard is embarrassing omg.” Another one said, “They’re not even trying to hide the fraudulence.”
Meanwhile, a Taylor Swift fan tweeted, “Im sorry but Taylor deserves to be #1… wdym she has the highest grossing tour of all time and multiple best selling albums… this is a joke fr.”
Here’s The Current List Of Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century By Billboard
1. To be announced on Dec. 3.
2. Taylor Swift
3. Rihanna
4. Drake
5. Lady Gaga
6. Britney Spears
7. Kanye West
8. Justin Bieber
9. Ariana Grande
10. Adele
11. Usher
12. Eminem
13. Nicki Minaj
14. Justin Timberlake
15. Miley Cyrus
16. Jay-Z
17. Shakira
18. The Weeknd
19. BTS
20. Bruno Mars
21. Lil Wayne
22. One Direction
23. Bad Bunny
24. Ed Sheeran
25. Katy Perry