Billboard Year-End Top Artist

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Billboard Year-End Top Artist (also known as Billboard Artist of the Year) is the annual top-charting music artist in the United States. The accolade has been published by Billboard magazine since 1981, based on a combined statistical performance on the weekly charts of the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100. [1] Between 1963 and 1980, the top artists were separated for albums and singles. In 1963, Peter, Paul and Mary became the first annual Top Albums Artist and The Beach Boys became the first annual Top Singles Artist. In 1981, REO Speedwagon became the first annual Top Artist of the Year.

During the 1970s and the 1980s, before the advent of the Billboard Music Awards, the Year-End Top Artists were honored with trophies as part of the Billboard Number One Awards/Trendsetter Awards. The Top Artist category of the Billboard Music Awards has been created since 1993, although it did not always correspond with the Year-End Top Artist, due to the difference of cut-off period. The 2011 Year-End Top Artist was Adele, but Eminem received the Top Artist trophy at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. Other Year-End Top Artists who did not win the trophy include One Direction in 2014, when Justin Timberlake won instead.

Taylor Swift has been named the Year-End Top Artist four times, more than any other act. She achieved the title in three separate decades—the 2000s, the 2010s, and the 2020s. In 1990, New Kids on the Block became the first act to top the Year-End Top Artists chart twice, and in 2016, Adele became the first act to top the chart three times. Prior to the existence of the combined artists charts, the Beatles became the first act to be simultaneously listed as the Top Albums Artist and Top Singles Artist of the Year in 1964. In 1983, Michael Jackson became the first act to achieve all the Top Artist, Top Albums Artist, and Top Singles Artists titles in the same year.

List of top artists of the year

Taylor Swift is the Top Artist of 2009, 2015, 2023, and 2024. 191125 Taylor Swift at the 2019 American Music Awards (cropped).png
Taylor Swift is the Top Artist of 2009, 2015, 2023, and 2024.
Adele is the Top Artist of 2011, 2012, and 2016. Adele for Vogue in 2021.png
Adele is the Top Artist of 2011, 2012, and 2016.
New Kids on the Block is the Top Artist of 1989 and 1990. New Kids On The Block - Vienna 2014 13.JPG
New Kids on the Block is the Top Artist of 1989 and 1990.
Garth Brooks is the Top Artist of 1992 and 1993. Garth Brooks 2019 By Glenn Francis.jpg
Garth Brooks is the Top Artist of 1992 and 1993.
Destiny's Child is the Top Artist of 2000 and 2001. Destiny Child at Super Bowl XLVII halftime show.jpg
Destiny's Child is the Top Artist of 2000 and 2001.
Usher is the Top Artist of 1998 and 2004. Usher Ring (cropped).jpg
Usher is the Top Artist of 1998 and 2004.
50 Cent is the Top Artist of 2003 and 2005. 50 Cent (Cropped).jpg
50 Cent is the Top Artist of 2003 and 2005.
YearTop Artists of the Year
(Combined)
Top Albums ArtistsTop Singles ArtistsRef.
1963 Peter, Paul and Mary The Beach Boys [2]
1964 The Beatles The Beatles [3]
1965 The Beatles Herman's Hermits [4]
1966 Herb Alpert The Beatles [5]
1967 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass The Monkees [6]
1968 Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Aretha Franklin [7]
1969 The Beatles Creedence Clearwater Revival [8]
1970 Creedence Clearwater Revival The Jackson 5 [9]
1971 Chicago Three Dog Night [10]
1972 Roberta Flack Al Green (tie)
Michael Jackson (tie)
[11]
1973 Deep Purple Gladys Knight & the Pips [12]
1974 Jim Croce Gladys Knight & the Pips [13]
1975 Elton John [14]
1976 Aerosmith Diana Ross [15]
1977 Fleetwood Mac Rod Stewart [16]
1978 Bee Gees Bee Gees [17]
1979 Billie Joel Donna Summer [18]
1980 Pink Floyd Michael Jackson [19]
1981 REO Speedwagon REO Speedwagon Kenny Rogers [20]
1982 The Go-Go's The Go-Go's Olivia Newton-John [21]
1983 Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson [22]
1984 Lionel Richie Lionel Richie Lionel Richie [23]
1985 Madonna Price and the Revolution Madonna [24]
1986 Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Janet Jackson [25]
1987 Bon Jovi Bon Jovi Madonna [26]
1988 George Michael George Michael George Michael [27]
1989 New Kids on the Block Guns N' Roses Bobby Brown [28]
1990 New Kids on the Block New Kids on the Block Janet Jackson [29]
1991 Mariah Carey Garth Brooks Mariah Carey [30]
1992 Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Boyz II Men [31]
1993 Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Whitney Houston [32]
1994 Ace of Base Ace of Base Ace of Base [33]
1995 TLC Hootie & the Blowfish TLC [34]
1996 Alanis Morissette Alanis Morissette Mariah Carey [35]
1997 LeAnn Rimes LeAnn Rimes Elton John [36]
1998 Usher Celine Dion Usher [37]
1999 Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys TLC [38]
2000 Destiny's Child Britney Spears Destiny's Child [39]
2001 Destiny's Child The Beatles Destiny's Child [40]
2002 Nelly Eminem Ashanti [41]
2003 50 Cent 50 Cent 50 Cent [42]
2004 Usher Usher Usher [43]
2005 50 Cent 50 Cent 50 Cent [44]
2006 Chris Brown Rascal Flatts Sean Paul [45]
2007 Akon Daughtry Akon [46]
2008 Chris Brown Josh Groban Chris Brown [47]
2009 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Lady Gaga [48]
2010 Lady Gaga Taylor Swift Kesha [49]
2011 Adele Adele Katy Perry [50]
2012 Adele Adele Rihanna [51]
2013 Bruno Mars Justin Timberlake Bruno Mars [52]
2014 One Direction Taylor Swift Katy Perry [53]
2015 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift The Weeknd [54]
2016 Adele Adele Drake [55]
2017 Ed Sheeran Drake Ed Sheeran [56]
2018 Drake Drake Drake [57]
2019 Post Malone Post Malone Post Malone [58]
2020 Post Malone Post Malone The Weeknd [59]
2021 Drake Taylor Swift Olivia Rodrigo [60]
2022 Bad Bunny Taylor Swift Bad Bunny [61]
2023 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Morgan Wallen [62]
2024 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Taylor Swift [63]

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  59. Billboard 2020 year-end charts:
  60. Billboard 2021 year-end charts:
  61. Billboard 2022 year-end charts:
  62. Billboard 2023 year-end charts:
  63. Billboard 2024 year-end charts: