Billboard's top music artist of the 21st century is a self-made billionaire; not Beyonce, Rihanna, Eminem, Justin Bieber

Billboard has revealed its list of the top musical artists of the 21st century, with some of the biggest icons of the modern era making it to the top 10.

Billboard, the American magazine considered the authority in the world of music, has released its weekly charts of top songs and artists for decades now. Recently, Billboard launched a massive exercise, ranking the most influential artists and works across genres for the entire 21st century. The culmination of it all was the list of Top 10 artists of the 21st century.

The top musical artist of the 21st century, as adjudged by Billboard.

Billboard's top artist of the 21st century

Taylor Swift was revealed as the top artist of the 21st century in Billboard's list, released earlier this month. The publication noted that since her debut on the chart at age 16 in 2006, Taylor has 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – the most among women all-time – and 12 No. 1 songs on the Hot 100. In November 2022, she became the first artist to claim each of the chart’s top 10 positions, thanks to songs from her album Midnights. In 2024, she held the first 14 spots in the list after the release of her album, Tortured Poets Department.

One of the bestselling artists of all time, Taylor Swift holds several Billboard ranking records.

Who did Taylor Swift beat

The top 10 of Billboard's list reads like a who's who of modern pop royalty. At the number 2 spot is rapper Drake, followed by pop icon Rihanna. Hip-hop legends Post Malone and Eminem round up the top 5, while The Weeknd, Beyonce, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and Usher also make it to the top 10. Of them, Usher, Eminem, and Beyoncé are the only ones to make their debuts before 2000.

Taylor Swift's net worth

According to Forbes, Taylor Swift has a massive net worth of $1.6 billion, making her one of the richest musicians and celebrities in the world. Forbes notes that the 35-year-old became a billionaire in October 2023, on the back of the earnings from her Eras Tour and the value of her music catalogue. "Her fortune includes nearly $800 million amassed from royalties and touring, plus a music catalogue worth an estimated $600 million and some $110 million in real estate," adds the publication. A self-made billionaire, Taylor is the first musician to make the billionaire ranking primarily based on her songs and performances, and not due to investments and businesses.

The singer-songwriter has been in the news recently for her engagement to American football player Travis Kelce. The two have been dating for a couple of years and are among the most popular celebrity couples in the world.