This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 2600:6c4e:bf0:a8d0:3c47:28e9:802:fd2d (talk) at 23:12, 6 December 2024 (→Controversy). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 23:12, 6 December 2024 by 2600:6c4e:bf0:a8d0:3c47:28e9:802:fd2d (talk) (→Controversy)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Billboard artist ranking"The Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century" is a ranked list of the 25 most important and impactful popular music artists of the 21st century, compiled by Billboard in 2024. The list is based on a variety of factors, such as cultural importance, industry influence and overall omnipresence over the first 25 years of the century.
History
American music magazine Billboard had previously named the greatest pop star of every year since 1981, with essay tributes for each artist. In 2024, to mark the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, Billboard decided to make a list of the artists who have defined popular culture, music and stardom, and been the "most important and most impactful" over the past 25 years.
Billboard launched the project in on August 14, 2024, releasing a list of 25 honorable mentions. From August to December, Billboard incrementally rolled out the full ranked list. For each artist, an essay was released recapping their careers and explaining why they have "exemplified pop greatness" over the period, as well as podcast and video discussions of the chosen stars’ careers and legacies.
Criteria
The Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century list is not mathematically determined using chart position, streams or sales numbers. The ranking is determined using factors such as acclaimed works, music videos, live performances, social media presence, cultural importance, industry influence and overall omnipresence. These factors are measured over all 25 years of the century so far.
List
The full ranked list of the 25 greatest pop stars of the 21st century are as follows:
- Beyoncé
- Taylor Swift
- Rihanna
- Drake
- Lady Gaga
- Britney Spears
- Kanye West
- Justin Bieber
- Ariana Grande
- Adele
- Usher
- Eminem
- Nicki Minaj
- Justin Timberlake
- Miley Cyrus
- Jay-Z
- Shakira
- The Weeknd
- BTS
- Bruno Mars
- Lil Wayne
- One Direction
- Bad Bunny
- Ed Sheeran
- Katy Perry
Honorable mentions
The 26-50th greatest pop stars on the 21st century were listed alphabetically as honorable mentions.
- 50 Cent
- Alicia Keys
- Billie Eilish
- Cardi B
- Carrie Underwood
- Chris Brown
- Christina Aguilera
- Doja Cat
- Dua Lipa
- Future
- Jennifer Lopez
- Kelly Clarkson
- Kendrick Lamar
- Kesha
- Lana Del Rey
- Lorde
- Maroon 5
- Megan Thee Stallion
- Missy Elliott
- Nelly
- Olivia Rodrigo
- P!nk
- Post Malone
- Sean Paul
- SZA
Controversy
References
- ^ Unterberger, Andrew (2024-08-14). "The 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century: Honorable Mentions". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- Unterberger, Andrew (2024-10-16). "Best Pop Singers, Rappers & Groups of 21st Century". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- Bond, Nick (2024-11-27). "Winners and losers in ranking of greatest pop stars of the 21st century". news.com.au.