AT A GLANCE
"There are no flop eras for Bey, no periods where she disappeared for a half-decade, no clear missteps that were not immediately and emphatically course-corrected."
All hail Queen B!
Beyonce has been crowned the top artist of the last 25 years by Billboard magazine, a reputable American entertainment magazine, for over 130 years.
Billboard said Beyonce was the top pick in its list based on her influence, evolution, and impact.
"With the first quarter of the 21st century coming to a close, Billboard has spent the last few months counting down our staff picks for the 25 greatest pop stars of the previous 25 years.
"While Taylor Swift is the century’s biggest pop star by the numbers — from album sales to streams to touring dominance — our editorial staff chose Beyoncé as our Greatest Pop Star of the Century, based on her full 25 years of influence, evolution, and impact," the article read.
On March 18, 2000, Beyoncé Knowles achieved a significant milestone in her career by reaching the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the very first time in the 21st century.
This landmark moment marked a turning point for the talented artist, as it showcased her immense popularity and solidified her status as a leading figure in the music industry.
With her powerful vocals and dynamic stage presence, Beyoncé captivated audiences and paved the way for many more successes in her illustrious career.
Billboard wrote:
"And the most remarkable thing about the Houston-born superstar’s greatness is how consistent it’s been.
"She was still a teenager managed by her father when “Say My Name” hit No. 1; she was a 42-year-old married mother of three by the time “Texas Hold ‘Em” got there – and in between the two, there were precisely zero moments in which Beyoncé was not *BEYONCÉ*.
"There are no flop eras for Bey, no periods where she disappeared for a half-decade, no clear missteps that were not immediately and emphatically course-corrected.
"There are only varying degrees of winning for over two decades. In this sense, her closest peers this century are not other pop stars, they’re LeBron James and Serena Williams," the article read.
As she was becoming one of the decade’s leading pop stars, Beyoncé was also setting her sights on proper film stardom. She appeared in successful movies The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records and Obsessed.
Several music fans disagreed with Billboard's choice, saying Taylor Swift should be on top of the list. Billboard defended the selection of Beyonce for the top spot saying the ranking of the stars went beyond sales and numbers.
"If you go by the sheer numbers, Taylor would easily top this list — and she will undoubtedly reign on many of the chart-based quarter-century rankings we’ll publish in 2025. Even with her late start, she has more No. 1 albums and as many No. 1 singles this century as Beyoncé," the article added.
Billboard agreed that Taylor had reached the level of pop star greatness with her "Eras Tour" and Taylor's Version recordings. But the editors said the longevity of Beyonce remains continually awe-inspiring.
Beyonce has received 32 Grammys, 30 MTV Video Music Awards, and 27 Billboard Music Awards.
"But when you’re talking about greatness, and when you’re talking about greatness for the 21st century specifically, no one has a longer or fuller track record than Beyoncé," the article said.
It added: "She’s been *BEYONCÉ* for 25 years now, and as she continues to challenge herself (and by extension, the rest of the pop world) to find new and different ways to define greatness, it doesn’t seem like she’s going to stop being *BEYONCÉ* anytime soon. Better say her name."
In November, Beyonce made history again after her new album "Cowboy Carter" received 11 nominations at the 2025 Grammy Awards.
Beyoncé, who holds the distinguished title of the most-decorated artist in Grammy history with an impressive total of 32 wins, has now achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the most-nominated artist of all time.
Over the course of her illustrious career, she has accumulated a staggering total of 99 nominations. This achievement surpasses her previous tie with her husband, Jay-Z, who also had 88 nominations.
Beyoncé’s unparalleled contributions to music and her artistic excellence have solidified her position as a leading figure in the entertainment industry.
Billboard's Top 25 artists for the last 25 years are:
1) Beyonce
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
