Rihanna ranks No. 2 on Billboard’s list of the 100 biggest women musicians of the 21st century, a … More
Billboard just unveiled its list of the 100 most successful women musicians so far this century, ranking the most successful acts based on their performances on the company’s own charts. While some names at the top were expected, one favorite stands out.
Rihanna comes in at No. 2, ranking higher than many might have assumed for an artist who hasn’t released a new album in nearly a decade. With so much time away from music, it would be easy to expect her influence on the charts to have faded, but her past work was so dominant, that she still outranks many superstars who have continued releasing and promoting music nonstop.
Rihanna Lands at No. 2
Rihanna landing in second place is impressive on its own, but it’s even more shocking when considering that she hasn’t dropped a full-length since Anti in 2016. While she’s shared only a handful of songs since then — including the Oscar-nominated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ballad “Lift Me Up” — her ranking is almost entirely built on the overwhelming success she had in the years prior to that release.
She trails only Taylor Swift, whose nonstop output and historic chart dominance made her an obvious pick for No. 1. Rihanna does manage to land ahead of Beyoncé (No. 3), Adele (No. 4), Katy Perry (No. 5), and Lady Gaga (No. 6), as well as Pink, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus, and Alicia Keys, who round out the top 10. Unlike many of those musicians, she stepped back from making music while they continued, yet she still comes bests them.
Rihanna’s Historic Chart Success Speaks for Itself
Rihanna didn’t just score hits — she dominated the charts in a way few others have. During her most prolific years, she not only released albums at a rapid pace, but also delivered smash singles one after another, rarely letting even a few months go by without a major new hit.
She boasts 14 No. 1 singles on the Hot 100, a total that puts her in rare company among the most successful artists in history. Some of her biggest and most enduring chart-toppers include “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Only Girl (In the World),” “Diamonds,” “Rude Boy,” and “Work.” Beyond just her No. 1s, she has dozens of additional top 10 hits.
While she was always more of a singles artist, Rihanna’s albums also help her reach No. 1 on this legend-filled list. Good Girl Gone Bad made her a global superstar, while Loud and Talk That Talk kept her on top. Unapologetic became her first No. 1 album, and Anti solidified her as a powerhouse, spending more than 300 weeks on the Billboard 200.
Rihanna Still Towers Over the Competition
With so much success packed into just over a decade of nonstop releases, Rihanna built a foundation strong enough to keep her among the biggest names in music, even without new material. If she had remained active, she might have an even stronger hold on the No. 2 spot, or perhaps even given Swift a run for No. 1.
