Billboard: Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century

Billboard: The Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century

Billboard announced in August that it would unveil the artists they considered “the 25 most important and impactful pop stars of the last 25 years” over the next four months. They started with 25 honorable mentions (bottom of page) before moving on to count down the top 25. They completed the countdown on December 3. Click on an act’s name to go to the Billboard article. See other best-of lists from publications/organizations.

Top 25

Click on name to see the Billboard profile of the artist.

1. Beyoncé	2. Taylor Swift	3. Rihanna	4. Drake	5. Lady Gaga
6. Britney Spears	7. Kanye West	8. Justin Bieber	9. Ariana Grande	10. Adele
11. Usher	12. Eminem	13. Nicki Minaj	14. Justin Timberlake	15. Miley Cyrus
16. Jay-Z	17. Shakira	18. The Weeknd	19. BTS	20. Bruno Mars
21. Lil Wayne	22. One Direction	23. Bad Bunny	24. Ed Sheeran	25. Katy Perry

Honorable Mentions

Click on name to see the Billboard profile of the artist.

Christina Aguilera	Chris Brown	Cardi B	Kelly Clarkson	Lana Del Rey
Doja Cat	Billie Eilish	Missy Elliot	50 Cent	Future
Kesha	Alicia Keys	Kendrick Lamar	Dua Lipa	Jennifer Lopez
Lorde	Maroon 5	Megan Thee Stallion	Nelly	Sean Paul
Pink	Post Malone	Olivia Rodrigo	SZA	Carrie Underwood

Resources/Related Links: Dave’s Music Database: “Best-of Lists from Publications/Organizations” Billboard.com (12/3/2024). “The 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century” Billboard.com (8/14/2024). “The 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century: Honorable Mentions” First posted 8/14/2024; last updated 12/3/2024.