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Taylor Swift has no beef with Beyoncé. In fact, the singer is “really happy” for her. In case you missed it, Billboard revealed its list of the century’s greatest pop stars. Some big names are featured, including Katy Perry, Drake, and Justin Bieber. But what people had been waiting for was to see who would take the top spot. On November 26, Billboard revealed Taylor Swift had been named the runner-up. The “Fortnight” singer’s fans were not pleased. Many took to social media to blast Beyoncé (even though she had not been crowned the greatest at that point). And some slammed the publication while questioning its authority in the music industry.
On December 3, 2024, Beyoncé was officially named the century’s greatest pop star. However, some people seemed confused about how the “Single Ladies” singer could be No. 1 despite selling fewer albums than Swift. “While Taylor Swift is the century’s biggest pop star by the numbers, Beyoncé tops our staff-chosen editorial list based on her full 25 years of influence, impact, [and] evolution,” Billboard said about its decision.
“It’s an injustice to put Taylor Swift at number 2 when she is clearly number [one],” someone wrote on Reddit. “It doesn’t matter that Beyonce started earlier (they count only the 21st century anyway). Taylor far surpassed her in sales, impact, influence, charts, awards, popularity, hits, etc.” Despite the strong opinions of her fans, however, Taylor feels completely different.
Taylor Swift Understands Beyoncé Is the Queen of Music
According to Page Six, Taylor Swift couldn’t be less concerned about her fans’ displeasure with Billboard’s list. An insider told the publication Swift is “really happy for Beyoncé.”
They continued, saying the “Anti-Hero” hitmaker would “always” be supportive of powerhouse female artists. “[She] thinks Beyoncé is so deserving of this honor.”
Although some are confused about Beyoncé’s status as a queen in the music industry, Taylor is not. The same source shared that Swift understands Bey “is a legend in the music industry,” and she’s happy to be placed next to her.
“Ehh..Billboard is supposed to be based on numbers,” one person commented. “Taylor outshines Beyonce in every category; it’s not even a competition.”
Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, responded to the news about her daughter’s new title; however, she wasn’t surprised by the honor. When TMZ asked if they’re used to experiencing celebrations like this, she replied, “Yeah.” Bey’s father seemed to agree. “This is another one of your many major distinctions, yet I sit here not surprised because I knew you were meant for greatness from the moment I held you in my arms for the first time,” he shared on X.
Why Beyoncé Topped Billboard’s List
Although Taylor Swift has more streams than Beyoncé, the public can’t forget that the latter has been a powerhouse since the late ’90s. She debuted as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child, who, by the way, had four No. 1 hits. Throughout her time in DC, Bey made a name for herself, impressing fans worldwide with her stellar voice and breathtaking dance moves.
Eventually, Desitny’s Child split and Beyoncé went solo. Her first release was Dangerously In Love, a 2003 record that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Her following seven albums also snagged this honor, making her the only artist in history to achieve this feat. Plus, she’s the most nominated and awarded performer in Grammy’s history.
The singer pulled off the unthinkable in March 2024 when she released a full-length country album. The project featured one Hot 100 chart-topper, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and sold over 400,000 copies in its first week. Beyoncé will make headlines again on Christmas Day when she performs songs from CC for the first time during the NFL halftime show.
