Billboard names Beyoncé as the greatest pop artist of the century

Over the past almost 25 years, Beyoncé has dominated and transformed American culture, despite having strong competitors. The singer’s trajectory and presence in the media of different sectors was what motivated the American magazine Billboard to choose the artist as the pop singer of the century.

“An artist and creator whose commitment to innovation, evolution and excellence in all things has long made her the standard by which all other pop stars of this century have been measured,” the article describes.

“You can see her on stage for half a minute and instantly recognize that she is an all-time star; her inherent combination of stunning beauty, impeccable fashion, captivating theatrics and simultaneously soaring vocals speak for themselves.”

The publication recalls the beginning of the singer’s career at the age of 18, still in the female musical group Destiny’s Child, with hits such as “Say My Name” and “Independent Woman”. The article compares Beyoncé’s evolution from 2000 to 2024, with her last album, “Cowboy Carter”.

“There aren’t many obvious threads. The productions are of different genres and generations (obviously), with practically no overlapping collaborators, themes or even techniques. The only thing they have in common is the singer behind it.”

The article highlights that Taylor Swift was a strong competitor with the Texan and the only one who really challenged her. “But Bey has a clear statistical lead in many important categories.”