Taylor Swift Named Billboard’s Top Artist of the 21st Century

Billboard, the American music magazine known globally for its charts and rankings, has unveiled its list of the most influential artists of the 21st century. Topping the list is Taylor Swift, hailed as the No. 1 artist of the century.

Since debuting on the Billboard charts in 2006 at just 16, Swift has achieved a record-breaking run. She holds 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, the most ever by a female artist, and 12 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100. In 2022, she became the first artist to occupy the top 10 positions of the Hot 100 simultaneously with tracks from her album Midnights. She repeated history in 2024, when her album The Tortured Poets Department took the top 14 spots.

Billboard’s Top 10 Artists of the 21st Century include Drake at No. 2, followed by Rihanna, Post Malone, and Eminem in the top five. The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and Usher round out the list. Of them, only Usher, Eminem, and Beyoncé began their careers before 2000.

Swift, also among the world’s wealthiest musicians, has an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion, according to Forbes. Much of her fortune stems from royalties, touring revenue, and the value of her music catalogue, with the record-breaking Eras Tour playing a pivotal role. Notably, she became the first musician to enter the billionaire ranks primarily through music and performances rather than external businesses.

Recently, Swift has also made headlines for her engagement to American football star Travis Kelce, with whom she has been in a relationship for the past couple of years.