It’s official: Taylor Swift is the biggest-selling recording artist on the planet, again.
The pop music superstar is crowned on the IFPI’s 2023 Global Recording Artist of the Year Award, an honor that recognizes the top artist across physical sales, downloads and streaming.
The dominance of K-pop is on display, as four acts from the genre crack the IFPI’s top 10: SEVENTEEN (No. 2), Stray Kids (No. 3), TOMORROW X TOGETHER (No. 7) and NewJeans (No. 8). Also, IVE and NCT Dream make their first appearances in the IFPI Global Artist Chart Top 20, at No. 12 and No. 15, respectively.
However, it’s Swift who takes back-to-back titles and the glory.
And, as she tends to do, Swift makes history by becoming the first artist to top the IFPI tally on four occasions — doing so in 2014, 2019, 2022 and now 2023.
According to the trade body, the artist award and chart is the first and only ranking to accurately capture the popularity of artists across streaming channels, alongside digital and physical album and singles sales on a global basis, across the calendar year.
Swifties propelled their hero to a “stellar year” during which she ignited charts around with globe with her Midnights LP and the “Taylor’s Version” releases of the Speak Now and 1989 LPs. Also, her record-breaking The Eras Tour, which is currently midway through a seven-stadium run in Australia, helped “lift engagement with her entire catalog on streaming platforms around the world,” reads a statement.
This “phenomenon,” notes the IFPI, was demonstrated by the second life given to “Cruel Summer,” which initially dropped with 2019’s Lover but took flight on charts as she toured the globe.
“We are immensely proud to award the IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award to Taylor Swift for the fourth time, as she continues to redefine the limits of global success,” comments Lewis Morrison, director of charts and certifications at IFPI. Swift “is a singular talent and her commitment to her craft and her fans is truly phenomenal.”
The IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year Award is now celebrating its 11th year, and is presented to the leader of the IFPI’s Global Artist Chart, also released today.
Top 20 IFPI Global Recording Artist Chart 2023
1 — Taylor Swift
2 — SEVENTEEN
3 — Stray Kids
4 — Drake
5 — The Weeknd
6 — Morgan Wallen
7 — TOMORROW X TOGETHER
8 — NewJeans
9 — Bad Bunny
10 — Lana Del Rey
11 — Ed Sheeran
12 — IVE
13 — SZA
14 — Eminem
15 — NCT DREAM
16 — Zach Bryan
17 — Travis Scott
18 — Kanye West
19 — Post Malone
20 — King & Prince
Previous IFPI Global Recording Artist Chart No. 1 Artists
2022 — Taylor Swift
2021 — BTS
2020 — BTS
2019 — Taylor Swift
2018 — Drake
2017 — Ed Sheeran
2016 — Drake
2015 — Adele
2014 — Taylor Swift
2013 — One Direction
