Taylor Swift was recently ranked the second greatest pop star of the 21st century by Billboard magazine, which has gradually revealed its list through a series of articles. According to Billboard, the ranking highlights “the artists who have most defined pop stardom for the last 25 years.”
The magazine placed Rihanna at No. 3, Drake at No. 4, Lady Gaga at No. 5, and Britney Spears at No. 6. Swift’s ranking is notably five spots above Ye (formerly Kanye West), with whom she has had a long-standing feud. Other prominent artists below Swift include Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Adele, and Usher.
Previously, Swift was named Billboard’s Top Artist of 2023. In an accompanying piece, Billboard writer Hannah Dailey explained Swift’s influence, stating that by “honouring all the traits that made her different,” she managed to “gravitationally bend culture to her will” and emerge as one of the world’s most undisputed pop stars, despite starting her career in country music. Dailey acknowledged that Swift’s second-place ranking might spark controversy but argued that it highlights her immense cultural impact.
“The fact that controversy will likely tear through the internet over her being just one small space below No. 1 is just another testament to her power,” Dailey wrote, adding that Swifties likely wouldn’t stay upset for long, considering her relatively late entry into pop music.
This recognition caps off a monumental year for Swift. In February, she made history as the first artist to win the Grammy for Album of the Year four times. She was also named Time magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year and, as of October, was recognized by Forbes as the richest female musician with a net worth of $1.6 billion. Additionally, her Eras Tour became the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, broke records in April by earning over 300 million streams on Spotify daily.
Billboard has yet to reveal the top spot on its list, but many fans speculate it will go to Beyonce, who has not appeared in the rankings so far. As predicted, some of Swift’s fans voiced disappointment on social media, with one user on X calling the ranking a “joke” and insisting Swift deserved the top spot. Others, particularly those who expect Beyonce to be No. 1, felt the ranking was fair.
“Taylor has been bigger in recent years, but Beyonce has been huge since the very beginning of this century,” wrote one Reddit user who identified as a fan of both artists.