Yahoo Lifestyle Beyoncé Named Billboard's No. 1 Artist Of The 21st Century
The Beyhive doesn’t seem to be the only ones “Crazy In Love” with Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter.
Today, Billboard has officially crowned the entertainer the greatest pop star of the 21st century, securing her the No. 1 title on the site’s staff curated list.
Beyoncé, who stepped onto the scene in the early ’90s with the group Girl’s Tyme, is no stranger to the limelight. From her start with the R&B ensemble to her success with the R&B supergroup “Destiny’s Child,” Bey has delivered hit after hit.
The artist scored her first No.1 Billboard spot with the outlet on March 18, 2000, with Destiny’s Child’s female anthem “Bills, Bills, Bills.” The music icon received her second No. 1 with Destiny’s Child’s breakout hit “Say My Name.”
In May 2003, the multi-hyphenate artist went solo with her debut album “Crazy In Love.” Since then, she has racked up numerous accolades — including being named the Recording Industry Association of America’s top-certified artist of the decade in the 2010s.
“With her solo bonafides more than established, Bey would spend 2004 doing one more lap around the Billboard charts alongside Kelly and Michelle in Destiny’s Child,” Billboard wrote in its ranking.
“The group reunited for that year’s ‘Destiny Fulfilled,’ which saw them embracing grittier sounds on hits like the marching band-led “Lose My Breath” and the trap-tinged “Soldier” (featuring then-ascendant southern rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne), and playing to devoted domestic partners for the first time on the lush “Cater 2 U.”
Beyoncé has also changed the trajectory of how we consume music. The surprise release of her 2013 self-titled visual album revolutionized the art of record releases. Before “Beyoncé,” albums were traditionally released Tuesdays, but Bey’s unprecedented Friday drop changed that trend.
“There are no flop eras for Bey, no periods where she disappeared for a half-decade, no clear missteps that were not immediately and emphatically course-corrected. There are only varying degrees of winning for over two decades,” Billboard’s piececontinues.
Bey has also released a slew of visual projects, such as “Lemonade,” and “Black Is King.” Her eye-catching visuals helped reestablish music video releases as not-to-be-missed pop culture events.
Even after all of this success, Bey is still delivering hit after hit — as evidenced by her releases of “Renaissance” and “Cowboy Carter” albums.
Beyoncé’s accolades read like a history of modern music itself, as she continues to break boundaries and redefine what it means to be an artist. From revolutionizing girl groups to dominating the solo charts, she’s not just won 32 Grammys, made history at Coachella or become the most awarded artist in Grammy history — she’s set the standard for excellence, innovation and cultural influence. Beyoncé isn’t merely a performer, she’s a global phenomenon.
