charts discussion Billboard: Every year-end Top Artist since 1981

[Feanor]

 

Here’s Every Year-End Billboard Top Artist

Quote

It’s the biggest honor that an act can claim on Billboard’s charts each year: the coveted No. 1 spot on the annual Top Artists recap.

Billboard

 

1980s

1981 - REO Speedwagon

1982 - The Go-Go's

1983 - Michael Jackson

1984 - Lionel Richie

1985 - Madonna

1986 - Whitney Houston

1987 - Bon Jovi

1988 - George Michael

1989 - New Kids On the Block

 

1990s

1990 - New Kids On the Block

1991 - Mariah Carey

1992 - Garth Brooks

1993 - Garth Brooks

1994 - Ace of Base

1995 - TLC

1996 - Alanis Morissette

1997 - LeAnn Rimes

1998 - Usher

1999 - Backstreet Boys

 

2000s

2000 - Destiny's Child

2001 - Destiny's Child

2002 - Nelly

2003 - 50 Cent

2004 - Usher

2005 - 50 Cent

2006 - Chris Brown

2007 - Akon

2008 - Chris Brown

2009 - Taylor Swift

 

2010s

2010 - Lady Gaga

2011 - Adele

2012 - Adele

2013 - Bruno Mars

2014 - One Direction

2015 - Taylor Swift

2016 - Adele

2017 - Ed Sheeran

2018 - Drake

2019 - Post Malone

 

2020s

2020 - Post Malone

2021 - Drake

2022 - Bad Bunny

2023 - Taylor Swift

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Some notable achievements, as noted by Billboard:

Quote

Taylor Swift rules the 2023 Top Artists tally, making history in the process: As the superstar previously reigned in 2015 and 2009, she is the first act to finish at No. 1 in three distinct decades, dating to the award’s origin in the year-end 1981 Billboard issue. Further demonstrating Swift’s sustained success on Billboard’s charts, the span from her first Top Artists triumph in 2009 to her latest in 2023 marks the longest in the retrospective’s history.

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Meanwhile, Swift and Adele are the only acts to achieve No. 1 successes on Top Artists three times each, as Adele won in 2011, 2012 and 2016.

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Have your favorite artists made it to Billboard's list?

 

[Klein]

Congrats to everyone making the list. 

 

Hoping Taylor is crowned for 2024 as well so she can break the tie with Adele. 

[By the Water]

The fact that Taylor was just a few points away from #1 in 2022

 

[jdanton2]

surprised that MJ ,Madonna and Mariah got it only once and NKOTB twice. they were huge for a couple of years.

Edited December 31, 2023 by jdanton2

[queenoftheclouds]

LeAnn Rimes and Mariah Did that!

[KatyPrismSpirit]

2024… hm might be taylor swift but that depends on if ts11 + re records drop. i dont think the swiftymania will be as big in 2024 since the eras tour is now moving towards Europe. 

[KatyPrismSpirit]

2024 predictions:

 

70% - Taylor Swift

20% - Morgan Wallen

8% - The Weeknd

2% - Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish or Ariana

[Hot Volcano]

MJ and Madonna being crowned only once while Chris Brown took it twice?

 

How close was Gaga to #1 in 2009?

[Green]

29 minutes ago, Hot Volcano said:

MJ and Madonna being crowned only once while Chris Brown took it twice?

 

How close was Gaga to #1 in 2009?

 

Gaga was #3 that year. Beyoncé was #2

[Fastlane]

2008 should have been Katy Perry. She has a gap with 2 points. 

[Hot Volcano]

5 minutes ago, Green said:

 

Gaga was #3 that year. Beyoncé was #2

I wonder points-wise how close were the three of them

[GoodGuyGoneGhetto]

Rihanna being #2 on this overall list x3 - 2008, 2011, 2012. 
 

 

CB beat her in 2008 due to the success of “Kiss Kiss, With You, Forever & Shawty Like Mine” + the accompanying album “Exclusive” being released right at the start of the chart year in late November 2007. 
 

Adele beat her 2011/2012 due to “21”. 

[Armani?]

NKOTB blocking Bobby Brown

[Flanders]

Shocked and grossed out that Chris brown topped this list twice. Guess he got lucky with the timing of his releases

[jezebelvictoria]

1 hour ago, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

Rihanna being #2 on this overall list x3 - 2008, 2011, 2012. 
 

 

CB beat her in 2008 due to the success of “Kiss Kiss, With You, Forever & Shawty Like Mine” + the accompanying album “Exclusive” being released right at the start of the chart year in late November 2007. 
 

Adele beat her 2011/2012 due to “21”. 

I thought he beat her in 2009. 

[Badgalbriel]

Taylor

[WildHeart]

6 minutes ago, jezebelvictoria said:

I thought he beat her in 2009. 

[wastedpotential]

Quote

2009 - Taylor Swift

2015 - Taylor Swift

2023 - Taylor Swift

 

11 minutes ago, jezebelvictoria said:

I thought he beat her in 2009. 

[Chartman]

Hope Taylor snatches it in 2024 a 4th time. Her chances of winning artist of the decade would be good. (Depending on how much she works in the second half of the decade).

[slw84]

29 minutes ago, Chartman said:

Hope Taylor snatches it in 2024 a 4th time. Her chances of winning artist of the decade would be good. (Depending on how much she works in the second half of the decade).

I don't think she has to do much considering her massive catalog success. I think it's hers. The Weeknd is hit or miss (pun intended) he'd have to have Blinding lights, Can't feel my face, and The hills again to overtake Taylor.

 

 

[prézli]

3 hours ago, Feanor said:

2007 - Akon

 

Even Rihanna smashed left and right with Umbrella? Joke...

[SoldierofLove]

Tenitra Michelle Williams did that! 
 

As Kelendria said in DC3 Outro:

 

I think you got angel wings
Hiding up under there somewhere
Michelle, my belle
Dunno where we would be
If we never met you girl

 

Where you would be without Tenitra is not at #1! 
 

[Genius1111]

Interesting to see LeAnn Rimes, Backstreet Boys and One Direction snatching #1 Artist without ever having a Hot 100 #1. 

 

Bad Bunny never had a solo #1 and did not even peak in the top 4 in 2022, the year he was crowned #1.

[NEX]

Taylor's spread is insane. Everyone else who topped it more than once did so within 5 years after their first (and usually way under -1/2/3 years). Taylor topped the second time 6 years after her first. And her 3rd one came 8 years after her 2nd, and 14 years after her 1st! 

[NEX]

13 minutes ago, Genius1111 said:

Interesting to see LeAnn Rimes, Backstreet Boys and One Direction snatching #1 Artist without ever having a Hot 100 #1. 

 

Bad Bunny never had a solo #1 and did not even peak in the top 4 in 2022, the year he was crowned #1.

This is Artist 100, not Hot 100. It includes songs, albums & touring. Un Verano Sin Ti was enormous. BSB also had multiple blockbuster albums