other stats Billboard reveals 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.

As of 2024, the category ranks the year's best-performing acts based on activity on the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs survey, as well as Billboard Boxscore, which recaps touring data.

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

2024 - Taylor Swift

 

---------------

 

Some notable achievements, as mentioned by Billboard in the article:

Spoiler

 

 

Quote

Taylor Swift rules the 2024 Top Artists tally, making history in the process: As the superstar was also the year-end top artist in 2009, 2015 and 2023, she is the only act to earn the honor four times, since the category launched in 1981.

Quote

Eight artists have each claimed the distinction of leading Top Artists twice: Drake (2018, 2021), Post Malone (2019, 2020; he stood as the last artist until Swift to rank at No. 1 in consecutive years), Chris Brown (2006, 2008), 50 Cent (2003, 2005), Usher (1998, 2004), Destiny's Child (2000, 2001), Garth Brooks (1992, 1993) and New Kids on the Block (1989, 1990).

Quote

Bad Bunny […] became the first leading act that primarily records Spanish-language music.

 

[sugarysunflower]

Okay, where's the list from 1958 to 1980? I'm sure Elton John, Stevie Wonder and The Beatles would have several years too. 

[NEUTRON]

the 2000's were black as hell until Taylor crashed the industry

 

Rih never snatching this title always blows my mind

Edited 12 hours ago by NEUTRON

[UseYourIllusion2002]

The fact that Madonna was #2 in 1986 and 1987 after being #1  She also made the top 10 in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995, and maybe 1998. 

[itshyolee]

2010s is when things really went downhill, especially after 2016

[jdanton2]

9 minutes ago, sugarysunflower said:

Okay, where's the list from 1958 to 1980? I'm sure Elton John, Stevie Wonder and The Beatles would have several years too. 

Billboard had  separate top artists for singles and albums before 1981.

[Peak Now]

21 minutes ago, Feanor said:

2014 - One Direction

Genuinely wanna know how this happened, was their tour gross that good? 

[RoyalT]

2014 - One Direction

That's pretty surprising 

 

Taylor slaying as always 

[sugarysunflower]

14 minutes ago, NEUTRON said:

the 2000's were black as hell until Taylor crashed the industry

Yeah, for the worst 

 

why do you think pop music is so stifled nowadays and people are always reminiscing about the 80s, 90s and 00s

[NEUTRON]

3 minutes ago, sugarysunflower said:

Yeah, for the worst 

 

why do you think pop music is so stifled nowadays and people are always reminiscing about the 80s, 90s and 00s

For the worst???

 

The 2000's were one of the best times ever in music. It was the perfect blend of everything before social media bullshit ruined everything

[Dante Silva]

Surprised Madonna only won once, she seemed to dominate that time period.

[Arrows]

Taylor being #1 in 3 different decades, her longevity is insane

[Prodigal Self]

Dark times we're living in.

[X~MoviePoP]

Britney never topped 1999 or 2000?

[Tusk]

7 minutes ago, X~MoviePoP said:

Britney never topped 1999 or 2000?

Her singles were not that big of smashes that fans make them out to be.

[*.Digambar.*]

Taylor dominating 3 decades. Her longevity is insane 

[rhaenyra]

Why is Bruno not listed for 2024? Literally had the 3 biggest singles this year

[Luckitty]

i knew the go go's were successful but i didn't know they were that big

[Illuminati]

Taylor

[Johnny Jacobs]

No Rih or Britney? 

 

[Wicked]

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

 

Very telling the only R&B or Hip-Hop act to get the top spot after this has songs like "Hotline Bling", "One Dance" & "HOWGH" to thank for it  

[sugarysunflower]

1 hour ago, NEUTRON said:

For the worst???

 

The 2000's were one of the best times ever in music. It was the perfect blend of everything before social media bullshit ruined everything

 

2 minutes ago, Wicked said:

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

 

Very telling the only R&B or Hip-Hop act to get the top spot after this has songs like "Hotline Bling", "One Dance" & "HOWGH" to thank for it  

Exactly the point I was trying to make. 

 

But idiots on here, including @NEUTRON and others who downvoted me have 1st grade literary comprehension. 

Edited 10 hours ago by sugarysunflower

[Trent W]

No Britney, Eminem or even Rihanna?

 

DC being over Britney and Eminem is literally insane

 

Also One Direction was definitely not the biggest in 2014, Beyonce and Taylor were dominating 

 

Chris Brown for 2 years?

 

Yeah this list doesn't make sense

[jdanton2]

14 minutes ago, rhaenyra said:

Why is Bruno not listed for 2024? Literally had the 3 biggest singles this year

actually 2 songs that were released in the last few months of the year with no album . he has potential next year if he releases an album.

[Cruel Summer]

Came here to read about how Taylor dominated with the most wins in the most distinct decades and was not disappointed