Beyoncé has been named the greatest pop star of the 21st century by Billboard, the music charting site announced on Tuesday as part of an ongoing series.
“Beyoncé tops our staff-chosen editorial list based on her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.
In their analysis, the publication wrote that Beyoncé’s place at the top of their list stems from the record-setting Grammy-winner being a performer and creator “whose commitment to innovation, evolution and all-around excellence has made her the bar against which all other pop stars this century have long been measured” over the past 25 years.
Unlike rankings based solely on commercial metrics such as sales and streams, Billboard evaluated artists on a holistic scale noting that Beyoncé’s career spans over two decades, showcasing an evolution that includes chart-topping albums, world tours, and iconic performances like her 2018 Coachella headlining set, often dubbed “Beychella.”
Her ability to redefine pop music and create cultural moments has also consistently placed her ahead of her peers.
The announcement divided the internet with Billboard themselves agreeing that there was a reasonable competition between Beyonce and Taylor Swift. After the announcement, Swift’s fans, called ‘Swifties’, took to the internet to register their displeasure. Billboard, however, stuck by their decision.
“Taylor Swift, the lone artist who really challenged Beyoncé for the top spot on these rankings – and who does have a clear statistical lead on Bey in many key categories – simply hasn’t been around for long enough to be able to match the expansiveness of her quarter-century of dominance,” Billboard wrote.
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.
Since August, Billboard has been ranking their staff picks for the top 25 pop artists of the past 25 years. The publication’s picks are artists who they believe have most defined pop stardom and have “exemplified pop greatness” since the turn of the millennium.
Last week, Taylor Swift was announced as Billboard’s No. 2 pick, with Rihanna claiming the third spot.
Adele, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Drake round out the top 10.
At No. 25 is Katy Perry, with other pop artists including Bad Bunny, The Weeknd, One Direction, Miley Cyrus, Eminem, Usher and others ranking in between.