Billboard's Greatest Pop Stars by Year: 1981-2023

[bielneira]

1981: Blondie
1982: John Cougar Mellencamp
1983: Michael Jackson
1984: Prince
1985: Madonna (Sidebar: Phil Colins)
1986: Whitney Houston
1987: Bon Jovi
1988: George Michael
1989: Madonna
1990: Janet Jackson
1991: Mariah Carey (Sidebar: Garth Brooks)
1992: Nirvana
1993: Janet Jackson
1994: Boyz II Men
1995: TLC
1996: Alanis Morissette
1997: Puff Daddy (Sidebar: video directors Hype Williams and Joseph McG)
1998: Backstreet Boys
1999: Britney Spears
2000: *NSYNC
2001: Jennifer Lopez
2002: Eminem
2003: Beyoncé (Sidebar: dance hall as musical genre)
2004: Usher
2005: Kanye West
2006: Justin Timberlake
2007: Rihanna
2008: Lil Wayne
2009: Lady Gaga (Sidebar: Kid Cudi and Drake)
2010: Katy Perry
2011: Adele
2012: Rihanna
2013: Miley Cyrus (Sidebar: Lorde)
2014: Beyoncé
2015: Taylor Swift
2016: Justin Bieber
2017: Ed Sheeran (Sidebar: Kendrick Lamar)
2018: Drake
2019: Ariana Grande
2020: BTS
2021: Taylor Swift
2022: Bad Bunny
2023: Taylor Swift

 

Full article: https://www.billboard.com/lists/billboard-greatest-pop-stars-year/

Edited November 26, 2024 by bielneira

[poki]

# of unique wins per decade:

1980s - 8

1990s - 9

2000s - 10

2010s - 10

2020s (so far) - 3 

 

2020s will at most be 9 

[Cruel Summer]

I wonder who 2024 will be. Judging by all quantitative metrics, it should be Taylor again easily, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them recognize Sabrina or something.

[satellites.™]

57 minutes ago, Cruel Summer said:

I wonder who 2024 will be. Judging by all quantitative metrics, it should be Taylor again easily, but I wouldn't be shocked to see them recognize Sabrina or something.

Shaboozey? 

[Eternium]

Jennifer Lopez being #1 in 2001 over Britney, Destiny's Child and Shakira will always be laughable.

[shyboi]

the only ones that repeat year are tay and bey? 

[Hector]

4 minutes ago, Eternium said:

Jennifer Lopez being #1 in 2001 over Britney, Destiny's Child and Shakira will always be laughable.

Not really, she was everywhere that year along with her movies and her fashion line. 

[bielneira]

11 minutes ago, shyboi said:

the only ones that repeat year are tay and bey? 

Madonna, Janet Jackson, and Rihanna too.

[UseYourIllusion2002]

What does sidebar mean? I assume runner up? If so, they should've put Madonna for sidebar in 1986 and 1990. 

[QueenBeyoncé]

Destiny's Child should be number one for 2001 

Edited November 27, 2024 by QueenBeyoncé

[QueenBeyoncé]

1 hour ago, Hector said:

Not really, she was everywhere that year along with her movies and her fashion line. 

Destiny's Child were everywhere from radio, magazines, billboards, Barbie Dolls.. hell they were even on school supplies, on every TV commercial, every award show etc

Edited November 27, 2024 by QueenBeyoncé

[Eternium]

3 hours ago, Hector said:

Not really, she was everywhere that year along with her movies and her fashion line. 

Britney was far and away the biggest star of the year. Her biggest competition was Shakira, who became a massive global phenomenon. Next up was Destiny's Child, who did better than J. Lo in every avenue except film. Later on, it turned out that Epic and Columbia were paying for airplay to boost the charting of artists like Destiny's Child and J. Lo.

[Hector]

Just now, Eternium said:

Britney was far and away the biggest star of the year. Her biggest competition was Shakira, who became a massive global phenomenon. Next up was Destiny's Child, who did better than J. Lo in every avenue except film. Later on, it turned out that Epic and Columbia were paying for airplay to boost the charting of artists like Destiny's Child and J. Lo.

Destiny's Child & J.Lo were everywhere in 2001. Britney mainly had Stronger, Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know, and the "Britney" era only really covered the last third of 2001, same with Laundry Service. 

[Acuminatus]

I can see them giving it to Billie Eilish or Sabrina Carpenter because they won't want to give it to Taylor again.

 

 

How is Noah Kahan number 5 on this list? Very impressive

Edited November 27, 2024 by Acuminatus

[STMG23]

6 hours ago, Eternium said:

Jennifer Lopez being #1 in 2001 over Britney, Destiny's Child and Shakira will always be laughable.

She was massive back then though! 

[Migs]

1999 is all I care for. 

[PopThatCorn]

Janet #1 in 1990 and 1993.

 

Plus honourable mention in 1986, 1989 and 2001.

[ricardoazevedo]

21 hours ago, UseYourIllusion2002 said:

What does sidebar mean? I assume runner up? If so, they should've put Madonna for sidebar in 1986 and 1990. 

No, she should be the winner, they are the best years from her. True Blue era and Vogue plus Blond Ambition Tour.

Edited November 27, 2024 by ricardoazevedo

[QueenBeyoncé]

20 hours ago, Eternium said:

Britney was far and away the biggest star of the year. Her biggest competition was Shakira, who became a massive global phenomenon. Next up was Destiny's Child, who did better than J. Lo in every avenue except film. Later on, it turned out that Epic and Columbia were paying for airplay to boost the charting of artists like Destiny's Child and J. Lo.

Survivor outsold Britney, so please

[UseYourIllusion2002]

1 hour ago, ricardoazevedo said:

No, she should be the winner, they are the best years from her. True Blue era and Vogue plus Blond Ambition Tour.

I agree but I'm trying to be fair to Whitney's debut and Rhyhtm Nation 

[like2throw]

I would've put the Spice Girls on top for 1997 so that choice was surprising.

[XtinaStripped]

The erasure of Xtina...

 

If only she cared enough to pay off the people who make these lists/nominate her for certain awards.

 

https://x.com/MrPopOfficial/status/1796581141857943687

Edited November 28, 2024 by XtinaStripped

[unbothered]

Hmmm Xtina should've been 2003 but ok 

[zzmyth]

2005: Kanye West
2006: Justin Timberlake
2007: Rihanna
2008: Lil Wayne Rihanna
2009: Lady Gaga (Sidebar: Kid Cudi and Drake)
2010: Katy Perry / Sidebar: Rihanna
2011: Adele
2012: Rihanna
2013: Miley Cyrus (Sidebar: Lorde)
2014: Beyoncé
2015: Taylor Swift
2016: Justin Bieber Rihanna

 

Fixed it.

[theweekend]

Janet really stomped