Taylor Swift Ranked No. 2 Greatest Pop Star by “Billboard” as Fans Believe Beyoncé Will Claim the Top Spot
Swift joins Lady Gaga, Drake and Rihanna in the top five
Taylor Swift's latest ranking leaves a blank space for No. 1.
Billboard crowned the "Lavender Haze" singer as No. 2 in their ranking of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century.
"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," the publication said.
"Regardless, her placement shouldn’t leave Swifties upset for too long — especially considering how much later in the millennium she got her start, both in the genre and music in general."
Throughout her career, Swift, 34, has won 14 Grammys, 30 MTV Video Music Awards and 39 Billboard Music Awards. She's currently wrapping up the final leg of her Eras Tour, which kicked off in March 2023. TIME named her their 2023 Person of the Year, the same year that Swift became a billionaire, as per Forbes.
The list, which Billboard describes as "the artists who have most defined pop stardom for the last 25 years," so far names 24 different artists, including Swift.
In the top 10 is Adele in the 10th slot, followed by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Britney Spears. Lady Gaga, Drake and Rihanna follow in the top five.
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Who tops off the list has yet to be revealed, but fans are convinced that Beyoncé is No. 1. The "Break My Soul" singer holds the record for the artist with the most Grammy wins of all time with 32 gramophone trophies. She also has 26 VMA wins as a solo artist — along with two Destiny's Child wins and two with JAY-Z as The Carters.
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Fans took to social media praising Queen Bey, 43, as who should be crowned No. 1 on Billboard's greatest pop star in the 21st century. "Y’all are delusional if you think anyone other than Beyoncé deserves the #1 spot for biggest pop star of the 21st century," one user wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
"She’s constantly defied industry norms and has been a musical and cultural pioneer since she debuted lmao. Not everything is about sales. Cry about it."
"Beyoncé's talent, longevity and versatility have always been unmatched," another fan wrote. "the fact that every artist on that list has at some point said they were inspired by beyoncé or something along those lines is enough to place her at #1," a third argued.
For fans eager to know, they'll have to wait a little bit longer. Billboard's greatest pop star of the 21st century will be announced on Dec. 3.