As the first quarter of the 21st century reaches a close, Billboard’s editorial staff claims the Queen of the Beyhive, Beyoncé, is the greatest pop star of the past 25 years. Though Taylor Swift is the most successful pop star of the century in terms of the number of albums sold and the cultural phenomenon of The Eras Tour, Swift ultimately came in second place behind Beyoncé. Billboard explains that Beyoncé’s multifaceted career, influence, evolution and impact on the music industry made her the only artist eligible to take on the number one spot on the list of the century’s greatest pop stars. Other honorable mentions featured on the list were Rihanna, Drake and Lady Gaga, ranking third through fifth, respectively, and Katy Perry, who closed the list as the 25th entry. Despite all the artists exemplifying pop stardom, Beyoncé is in a league of her own regarding the longevity of her career, her performance abilities, industry influence and critical accolades.
At 18, Beyoncé made her Billboard debut on the Top 100 Hits of 1999 with the Desitny’s Child song “Say My Name.” Four years later, Beyoncé was named the greatest pop star of 2003. Since then, the Houston-born superstar has never once left the spotlight. Throughout her three-decade career, she has appeared in over 15 films, won 30 MTV Video Awards and 27 Billboard Music Awards, and is the most-awarded Grammy artist of all time, with 32 wins and 99 overall nominations. On top of all her accolades, Beyoncé has built a business empire and gave birth to 3 children. She has done all that while looking flawlessly fabulous and remaining poised as she navigates stardom, standing at the top of the pop music industry.
Despite Beyoncé’s decades of tremendous success and authentic musical artistry, the globally renowned sensation received considerable backlash for earning the title of the greatest pop star of the century. It is a surprise to no one that most of the criticism came from mostly Swifties, who argue that Swift outshines Beyoncé because of the impact of “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings, the economy-shaking Eras Tour and being named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year in 2023. However, there is no denying that Beyoncé has had a more versatile career, has sung more heterogeneous vocals and has had a significant impact on creating a mainstream space for Black Culture in this century than Swift.
Although there are disputes over which female superstar is the best of the 21st century, University senior Makenzie Novak claims that Beyoncé’s talent is unmatched. Novak stated, “I’ve seen Beyoncé in concert, and I can vouch that I have never been in a room with somebody that talented. I’m sorry, Taylor Swift. I know people want to compare women against each other, but it’s really two different things. Sure, you can say that Taylor is a talented singer, but Beyoncé performs at a level that is beyond talent. It is almost like she’s superhuman. I back Billboard’s decision 100%. We should continue to celebrate women of color.”
Beyoncé has spent the past 25 years breaking barriers, epitomizing greatness in every form, building an empire and dazzling audiences with her beauty and voice. With every song, album, music video, magazine cover, film, live performance, business endeavor and interview, Queen Bey has never fallen short. She continues to raise the bar for stardom.
Billboard’s acknowledgment reflects more than numbers; it honors Beyoncé’s resilience, versatility and influence over the past three decades. She is an artist who redefines boundaries and personifies stardom. Beyoncé has carved a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come. Her reign as Queen Bey endures, reminding the world why she stands strong at the pinnacle of pop music.
