Taylor Swift Named Top Global Artist
Taylor Swift has been confirmed as the Official Biggest-Selling Global Artist of the Year for 2025.
This recognition represents the sixth time Swift has received the award, and her fourth year in a row at the chart’s peak. She has now earned the award as many times as all other artists combined over the last decade, reflecting both consistent creative output and sustained global release strategies.
2025 saw significant engagement with her work worldwide, across streaming, physical, and digital platforms, following the release of her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, and a documentary about her tour, The End of an Era.
Stray Kids, a Korean group, achieved their highest ranking ever at #2 on the Global Artist Chart, appearing in the global top five for the third consecutive year. Stray Kids, a Korean group, achieved their highest ranking ever at #2 on the Global Artist Chart, appearing in the global top five for the third consecutive year. Bad Bunny placed at #5, marking his sixth consecutive year on the chart and joining Taylor Swift, Drake, SEVENTEEN, The Weeknd, and Eminem as artists appearing on the chart for the past five years.
Tyler, The Creator entered the chart at #12, driven by strong vinyl sales of his catalog, and Mrs. GREEN APPLE, a Japanese group, debuted at #13 following the success of their anniversary album, 10. Lady Gaga returned to the chart at #10, her first appearance since 2020, while Ed Sheeran (#18), SZA (#19), and Justin Bieber (#20) also re-entered the rankings.
The chart results are attributed to the work of international label teams and their investment in global marketing, distribution, and fan engagement. Artist Management and Label Updates are crucial to these successes.
“Taylor Swift’s sixth award is a truly historic achievement.”
“The chart represents the remarkable artists across the globe and the teams and long-term commitment behind each release, ensuring fans around the world can connect with music.”
The Global Artist of the Year Award is determined by an artist’s worldwide sales across streaming, download, and physical formats throughout the calendar year, encompassing their entire discography.
The Global Charts provide a comprehensive view of artist performance worldwide, capturing streaming, downloads, and physical format data from record labels globally. This data is then converted into a single, global chart figure using a methodology developed with member record labels, reflecting commercial success by combining unit sales and streams with country-level economics. Music Industry News provides further context on these trends.
