Billboard has sparked controversy among music enthusiasts with its newly updated list of the “25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century.”
The outlet caused a stir on Tuesday when Taylor Swift, who has achieved unprecedented success this year, was ranked No. 2. The top position is set to be unveiled next week, but speculation is rife that Beyoncé might claim the title.
The announcement has triggered intense discussions on social media, with both Beyhive and Swifties passionately defending their respective idols.
Swift’s No. 2 ranking comes after a phenomenal year, highlighted by her Eras Tour, which became the highest-grossing tour in history, surpassing $1 billion in revenue. Forbes also recognized her as the wealthiest female musician of 2023, with a net worth of $1.6 billion, marking her as the first artist to reach billionaire status solely through music and touring.
Billboard praised Swift for “gravitationally bending culture to her will” and transitioning from her country roots to becoming one of the most iconic pop stars of all time. She outranked Rihanna (No. 3), Drake (No. 4), Lady Gaga (No. 5), Britney Spears (No. 6), Kanye West (No. 7), Justin Bieber (No. 8), Ariana Grande (No. 9), and Adele (No. 10).
Nonetheless, Swift’s fans argued that she “deserved” the top spot, citing her unmatched commercial achievements, numerous chart-topping albums, and cultural significance.
One X user commented under Pop Base’s tweet: “seated for the beyhive vs swifties stan war that is about to happen”
“This is like trump winning over kamala… im sorry Taylor”, joked another.
“????? Im sorry but Taylor deserves to be #1… wdym she has the highest grossing tour of all time and multiple best selling albums… this is a joke fr”, wrote one X user.
“oh i need to know how much they paid billboard for this because taylor only being 2nd is EXTRAORDINARILY FISHY”, noted one.
Meanwhile, Beyoncé’s fans celebrated the prospect of her being No. 1.
“WE WON QUEEN BEYONCÉ ON TOP”, rejoiced one fan.
“swifties were so sure she was gonna be #1”, one person mocked Taylor’s fans.
“beyoncé has way more music industry impact than her set records for over 20 years so not surprising”, wrote another.
