Getty Image / James Devaney
With just over two weeks left in the year, plenty of year-end lists are coming out across any topic. It’s Billboard’s turn, and they have released their full list of the top pop stars in 2023.
In a surprise to absolutely nobody, Taylor Swift was named as the top pop star of the year following a dominant year. She’s been dominating in music, on the football field and people are even infatuated with Taylor Swift’s car collection.
“It didn’t seem possible that anyone could have a year this dominant: not this deep into the streaming era, not this long after the oft-proclaimed death of the monoculture, not when the entire industry seems to be in crisis over how to capture and hold onto listener attention. It was a year not to be judged against Swift’s 2023 peers, but against the entirety of modern pop history,” the article said.
There was no real intrigue at number one, considering Taylor Swift was named Time Person of the Year last week, the first musician to ever win. But, the rest of the list could raise some eyebrows.
Number two wasn’t Beyoncé, Drake, Rihanna, Harry Styles or Olivia Rodrigo. Instead, it was SZA that got the nod. The “Kill Bill” singer had a huge year, as her album SOS was among the best-selling albums of the year.
I think many would have expected Beyoncé to be number two, but she was, in fact, number three. Her world tour this year would have been as big as any tour in years, had it not been overshadowed by Swift’s record-setting “Eras Tour”. In terms of music stars, she and Taylor Swift are in a league of their own in terms of influence.
Here is the full list from Billboard.
1. Taylor Swift
2. SZA
3. Beyoncé
4. Ice Spice
5. Morgan Wallen
6. Karol G
7. Olivia Rodrio
8. Bad Bunny
9. Doja Cat
10. Drake