Drake rules Billboard’s Top Artists of the 2010s chart and will receive the Artist of the Decade Award at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards on May 23. Billboard previously revealed, among multiple decade-end charts, the overall top artists from Nos. 6 through 100 for the 2010s, along with the decade’s top artists for country, rock, R&B/hip-hop, Latin, Christian, gospel, dance/electronic and all-genre touring.
Drake’s dominance during the 2010s wins him top honors in the overall top artist category, which ranks the best-performing artists based on activity on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and the Billboard 200 albums tally, as well as social media data and touring revenue from Billboard Boxscore, during the decade (see full methodology below).
After first appearing on Billboard charts in 2009, Drake banked nine Billboard 200 No. 1s in the 2010s, first leading with his debut 2010 studio LP, Thank Me Later, and most recently reigning with 2019’s Care Package. He also scored six Hot 100 No. 1s in that span. Since his debut, he has obliterated numerous chart records, including the most Hot 100 top 10s (45, to-date) and overall entries (232).
At the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, Drake — who holds the title for most BBMAs with 27 after taking home 12 prizes in 2019 — will receive the Artist of the Decade Award. Drake is a finalist in seven categories at this year’s show, including top artist. The Nick Jonas-hosted event will air live Sunday, May 23, on NBC at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Below, Billboard also reveals for the first time the Nos. 2 through 5 top artists, among all genres, of the 2010s.
Billboard’s Top Artists of the 2010s:
1, Drake
2, Taylor Swift
3, Bruno Mars
4, Rihanna
5, Adele
6, Ed Sheeran
7, Justin Bieber
8, Katy Perry
9, Maroon 5
10, Post Malone
View the 100-position Top Artists of the 2010s chart here.
At No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Artists of the 2010s chart, Taylor Swift tallied five No. 1s apiece on the Hot 100 and Billboard 200 during the decade. Bruno Mars ranks at No. 3 (seven Hot 100 No. 1s and one Billboard 200 leader in the 2010s), followed by Rihanna at No. 4 (nine and two No. 1s, respectively) and Adele at No. 5 (four and two No. 1s, respectively).
Drake’s victory on Billboard’s Top Artists of the 2010s chart follows Eminem, who won for the 2000s, and Mariah Carey, the champion for the 1990s. Eminem ruled the Billboard 200 with five albums and the Hot 100 with two songs in the 2000s, while Carey collected 14 Hot 100 No. 1s and four Billboard 200 leaders in the ’90s (the first decade for which the achievement was awarded).
As Drake presides over the Top Artists of the 2010s chart encompassing all genres, he joins the previously announced winners for specific genres: Luke Bryan (country), Imagine Dragons (rock), Romeo Santos (Latin), The Chainsmokers (dance/electronic), MercyMe (Christian) and Tasha Cobbs Leonard (gospel). Additionally, U2 boasts top honors for touring, while Drake was previously announced as the winner in the R&B/hip-hop category.
Plus, Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!,” featuring Bruno Mars, reigns as the Hot 100’s No. 1 song of the 2010s and Adele’s 21 rules as the Billboard 200’s No. 1 album of the decade.
Click on the following links for deeper dives into Billboard’s 2010s decade-end charts covering country, rock, R&B/hip-hop, Latin, Christian, gospel, dance/electronic, social activity and all-genre touring.
How We Charted the Decade: Billboard’s 2010s decade-end recaps encompass chart performance from Dec. 5, 2009, through Sept. 28, 2019 (except for those for the Social 50, which began on Dec. 11, 2010, and Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and Streaming Songs, each of which launched on Jan. 26, 2013).
On decade-end Hot Songs and Top Albums recaps, titles are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 on weekly charts earning the greatest value and weeks at lower positions earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology and title turnover rates over the decade, certain periods were weighted differently.
Top Artists recaps are ranked based on a formula blending performance, as outlined above, of all their chart entries. Specifically, the overall Top Artists category ranks the best-performing artists based on activity on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and the Billboard 200 albums tally, as well as social media data and touring revenue from Billboard Boxscore, while genre-focused Top Artists rankings blend acts’ decade-spanning performance on each genre’s main song and album charts (such as, for country, Hot Country Songs and Top Country Albums).
Billboard’s decade-end touring charts are based on Billboard Boxscore data for performances between Dec. 1, 2009, and Sept. 30, 2019.
The 2021 Billboard Music Awards are produced by dick clark productions, which is owned by MRC; MRC and Penske Media are co-parent companies of Billboard.
