Year-End Top Artist (also known as 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 performances on the weekly charts of the Billboard 200 and the Billboard Hot 100.[1]
The Year-End Top Artist did not always correspond with the Billboard Music Award for Top Artist. The 2011 Year-End Top Artist was Adele, but Eminem received the Top Artist throphy at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards. Other Year-End Top Artists who did not win the trophy include One Direction in 2014.
List of number-one artists of the year
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| Year | Top Artist of the Year | Nationality | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | REO Speedwagon | United States | REO Speedwagon's Hi Infidelity (1980) was the top-charting album of 1981, topping the Billboard 200 chart for a total of 15 non-consecutive weeks. It spawned the single "Keep On Loving You", the band's first number one on the Billboard Hot 100. | [2] |
| 1982 | The Go-Go's | United States | The Go-Go's topped the Billboard 200 chart for six consecutive weeks of 1982 with their album Beauty and the Beat (1981), the first chart-topper by all-female rock band. Its single, "We Got the Beat", peaked at number two on the Hot 100. | [3] |
| 1983 | Michael Jackson | United States | Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) was the top-charting album of 1983 and 1984, with a total of 37 non-consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 (including 22 weeks in 1983). He also released seven Hot 100 top-ten singles throughout the year, including three number ones: "Billie Jean", "Beat It", "Say Say Say". | [4] |
| 1984 | Lionel Richie | United States | Lionel Richie charted five Hot 100 top-ten singles during the year, more than any other artist, including "Hello", which topped the chart for two weeks. His album, Can't Slow Down (1983), spent the entire 1984 chart year in the top ten of the Billboard 200, after topping the chart in the previous year. | [5] |
| 1985 | Madonna | United States | Madonna scored five Hot 100 top-five singles—including number-one singles "Like a Virgin" and "Crazy for You"—and spent more weeks at the top of the chart than any other artist throughout the year. Her album, Like a Virgin (1984), peaked at number one one the Billboard 200 for three weeks in 1985. | [6] |
| 1986 | Whitney Houston | United States | Whitney Houston's self-titled album was the top-charting album of 1986, topping the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks of the year. She also charted two Hot 100 number-one singles that year, "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All". | [7] |
| 1987 | Bon Jovi | United States | Bon Jovi achived the top-charting album of 1987 with Slippery When Wet (1986), which returned to the top of the Billboard 200 for seven weeks. It produced two additional top-ten singles, including "Livin' on a Prayer", which topped the Hot 100 for four weeks. | [8] |
| 1988 | George Michael | United Kingdom | George Michael's album Faith and its title track were the top-charting album and single of 1988, respectively. The album topped the Billboard 200 for 12 non-consecutive weeks. He also scored the most number-one singles (with four) and the most top-ten singles (with five) on the Hot 100 chart that year. | [9] |
| 1989 | New Kids on the Block | United States | New Kids on the Block scored six Hot 100 top-ten singles in 1989 (the most by any act), including the number ones "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)" and "Hangin' Tough". Their album, Hangin' Tough (1988), topped the Billboard 200 for two weeks. | [10] |
| 1990 | New Kids on the Block achieved their second number-one album on the Billboard 200, with Step by Step (1990). They also charted three top-ten singles during 1990, including the title track which topped the Hot 100 for three weeks. | [11] | ||
| 1991 | Mariah Carey | United States | ||
| 1992 | Garth Brooks | United States | ||
| 1993 | ||||
| 1994 | Ace of Base | Sweden | ||
| 1995 | TLC | United States | ||
| 1996 | Alanis Morissette | Canada | ||
| 1997 | LeAnn Rimes | United States | ||
| 1998 | Usher | United States | ||
| 1999 | Backstreet Boys | United States | ||
| 2000 | Destiny's Child | United States | ||
| 2001 | ||||
| 2002 | Nelly | United States | ||
| 2003 | 50 Cent | United States | ||
| 2004 | Usher | United States | ||
| 2005 | 50 Cent | United States | ||
| 2006 | Chris Brown | United States | ||
| 2007 | Akon | United States | ||
| 2008 | Chris Brown | United States | ||
| 2009 | Taylor Swift | United States | ||
| 2010 | Lady Gaga | United States | ||
| 2011 | Adele | United Kingdom | ||
| 2012 | ||||
| 2013 | Bruno Mars | United States | ||
| 2014 | One Direction | United States | ||
| 2015 | Taylor Swift | United States | ||
| 2016 | Adele | United Kingdom | ||
| 2017 | Ed Sheeran | United States | ||
| 2018 | Drake | United States | ||
| 2019 | Post Malone | United States | ||
| 2020 | ||||
| 2021 | Drake | United States |
References
edit- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20211208000625/https://www.billboard.com/photos/billboard-artist-of-the-year-gallery-1981-to-2015/1-2015/
- ^ "Number One Awards – Billboard's 1981 Year-End Charts : Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. December 26, 1981. p. YE-9.
- ^ "1982 Talent in Action : Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 94 (51): TIA-20. December 25, 1982.
- ^ "Talent Almanac 1984: Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 95 (52): TA-18. December 24, 1983.
- ^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 96 (51): TA-19. December 22, 1984.
- ^ "1985 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 97 (52): T-21. December 28, 1985.
- ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 98 (52): Y-21.
{{cite journal}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ "1987 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. 99 (52): Y-22. December 26, 1987.
- ^ "1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 100 (52): Y-20. December 24, 1988.
- ^ "1989 The Year in Music: Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. 101 (51): Y-22. December 23, 1989.
- ^ "The Year In Music 1990 - Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 102, no. 51. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 22, 1990. p. YE-14. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 11, 2021. The chart is on page 70 of the PDF.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210411230808/https://www.wired.com/2016/02/riaa-streaming-platinum/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220417130605/https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2016/02/01/465178626/forget-selling-albums-artists-can-now-go-platinum-via-streaming
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170409213005/http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/04/07/kanye-west-album-goes-platinum-through-streams-alone.html
- https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093046/https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2016/02/02/riaa-adds-streaming-to-gold-platinum-album-certifications/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210922003517/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/50-cent-reacts-to-pop-smokes-posthumous-album-going-platinum-news.116372.html
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220816023751/https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-41495162
- https://web.archive.org/web/20161014070900/http://news.softpedia.com/news/riaa-1-500-music-streams-equals-one-album-sale-500445.shtml
- https://web.archive.org/web/20180615154942/https://themusicnetwork.com/streaming-will-count-towards-the-aria-albums-chart-from-next-week/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220511011725/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2017/04/04/kanye-west-the-life-of-pablo-first-platinum-streaming-only-album/100039896/
- https://web.archive.org/web/20220816024646/https://news.sky.com/story/how-jay-zs-4-44-album-went-instant-platinum-10938714
- https://web.archive.org/web/20210731101556/https://www.essence.com/celebrity/kanye-west-life-of-pablo-platinum/