Billboard names Taylor Swift the most successful female artist of the 21st century’s first 25 years, … [+]
The twenty-first century is now a quarter-century old. To celebrate the 25 years of fantastic music that has been shared since 2000, Billboard has released its ranking of the 100 top women artists so far this century. The ranking is made up primarily of solo females, and it also includes groups made up of women, or acts that prominently feature them.
The chart company and music magazine has been rolling out names steadily, sharing 10 acts at a time. The loftiest 10 artists have now been revealed, and the No. 1 most successful female artist of the last 25 years should not come as a shock to anyone.
Taylor Swift has been named the top female artist of the last quarter century. That is, according to Billboard, where success equates to performance on the weekly charts.
Swift has an unparalleled discography, and she claims nearly countless wins on the dozens of rankings published by Billboard. While arguments can be made when it comes to who is the “best” artist, or the most impactful, the chartmaker has silenced all discussion about which female star is the most commercially successful, when looking back at the past 25 years.
Throughout her career, Swift has collected 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200. She’s currently tied with Jay-Z and Drake for the most among soloists of all time – and the second most among all acts, as only The Beatles own more leaders.
She also claims the second-most Hot 100 hits, with 264, coming in behind only Drake. That makes her the most successful woman on the list of the most popular tunes throughout the nation.
It’s impossible to list all of Taylor Swift’s major chart feats — there are simply too many of them. She regularly manages what few before her have even approached, and it seems that every time she has a new album out, she makes history yet again. There aren’t many records left for her to break, but in time, she may master all of them.
While the 100-name ranking does include groups that feature just some female acts, the top 10 is filled entirely by soloists. Swift outpaces superstars like Rihanna (No. 2), Beyoncé (No. 3), Adele (No. 4), and Katy Perry (No. 5). The lower half of the uppermost region includes Lady Gaga, Pink, Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus (whose roundup of successes also includes her work as Hannah Montana), and Alicia Keys.
Of course, there is still a long way to go before the twenty-first century is finished. There’s no telling who will emerge and become a superstar in those years. It’s possible that when Billboard releases a similar list in 75 years – if the music magazine, or, for that matter, the charts, still exist – she may be beaten, though it will take a very special artist to surpass what she’s managed throughout her career.
