Top 13 Most Famous Singers in the World

Singer Taylor Swift began her country music career at the age of 14. She gained recognition with her second studio album, Fearless (2008), a country album that was certified Diamond by the RIAA, featuring hit singles like 'Love Story' and 'You Belong with Me.' Her third album, Speak Now (2010), blended country-pop with rock influences, achieving massive success with singles like 'Mine' and 'Back to December.' With over 200 million albums sold worldwide, Swift is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Her accolades include 11 Grammy Awards (including 3 Album of the Year wins), 1 Emmy, 12 Country Music Association Awards, 25 Billboard Music Awards (the most by any female artist), 49 Guinness World Records, and 32 American Music Awards (the most for any artist). She ranks eighth on Billboard’s Greatest Artists of All Time list (2019) and was included in Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time (2015). Swift has also appeared in numerous influential rankings, such as Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World (2010, 2015, 2019) and Forbes' Celebrity 100 (where she ranked first in 2016 and 2019). At the 2020 American Music Awards, Swift won three awards, including Artist of the Year for a record third consecutive year. Her album Folklore won Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making Swift the first woman in history to win this award three times. On July 7, 2023, she released Speak Now (Taylor's Version), setting a new record for the most No. 1 albums by a female artist in Billboard 200 history, surpassing Barbra Streisand. On October 27, 2023, she released 1989 (Taylor's Version).

Justin Bieber is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Discovered at the age of 13 by Scooter Braun after seeing his cover song videos on YouTube, Bieber signed with RBMG Records in 2008. His debut EP, My World, released in late 2009, made him the first artist to have seven songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

With over 150 million albums sold worldwide, Bieber is one of the best-selling music artists. He has earned Diamond certifications from the RIAA for songs like 'Baby,' 'Sorry,' and 'Despacito.' Bieber's extensive list of accolades includes 31 Guinness World Records, 2 Grammy Awards, 18 American Music Awards, and 20 Billboard Music Awards. He was also featured in Forbes' list of the 10 most powerful celebrities in the world in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2016, Bieber became the first artist to surpass 10 billion video views on Vevo.

On April 29, 2022, Bieber released a new single titled 'Honest,' featuring Don Toliver, along with a music video directed by Cole Bennett.

Lady Gaga is an American singer-songwriter, businesswoman, fashion designer, actress, and social activist. Her musical influences evolved from pop icons like Madonna and Michael Jackson to rock legends such as David Bowie and Freddie Mercury, as well as the avant-garde stage artistry of pop art icon Andy Warhol.

Her debut studio album, The Fame, was released by Interscope Records in August 2008. This album spawned a series of her hit songs, including the Grammy-nominated 'Just Dance,' which was up for Best Dance Recording. The Fame received numerous awards and nominations, including a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year and a win for Best Electronic Dance Album. Two other tracks from The Fame, 'LoveGame' and 'Paparazzi,' also earned her additional nominations.

In April 2023, Gaga was appointed by President Joe Biden as co-chair of the Presidential Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She collaborated with the Rolling Stones on the track 'Sweet Sounds of Heaven' from their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds, featuring vocals by Stevie Wonder. Gaga is set to star alongside Joaquin Phoenix in the 2024 film *Joker: Folie à Deux*.

Bruno Mars is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in a family of musicians in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mars began performing at a young age. After entertaining locally during his teenage years, he decided to pursue a career in music and began producing songs for other artists, as part of the production team The Smeezingtons.

Bruno Mars earned recognition as a solo artist after contributing vocals and co-writing the hit songs 'Nothin' on You' by B.o.B and 'Billionaire' by Travie McCoy. In October 2010, he released his debut album, *Doo-Wops & Hooligans*, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Two singles from the album, 'Just the Way You Are' and 'Grenade,' both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Mars naturally infused the lively spirit of his Hawaiian roots into his music, helping him become a contemporary music phenomenon with numerous record-breaking releases, numerous prestigious awards, and a positive energy that resonates with listeners.

Katy Perry was born on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California, USA. Raised in a family with a deep passion for music, she showed her singing talent from a young age. Perry entered the music scene with infectious hits like 'California Gurls,' 'Teenage Dream,' 'Roar,' and 'E.T.' She quickly became the center of attention wherever she performed.

With 9 chart-topping singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Perry has won numerous prestigious awards, including 4 Guinness World Records, 5 Billboard Music Awards, 5 American Music Awards, 1 Brit Award, and 1 Juno Award. From 2011 to 2019, she was consistently named among the highest-earning women in music by Forbes. In 2016, her net worth was estimated at $125 million. In addition to her music career, Perry released a self-documentary film, Katy Perry: Part of Me, in 2012, voiced Smurfette in the 2011 *Smurfs* film and its 2013 sequel, and delivered the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. Perry also joined *American Idol* as a judge in 2018.

Ariana Grande is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Throughout her career, she has earned numerous accolades, including 2 Grammy Awards, 1 Brit Award, 2 Billboard Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards, 9 MTV Video Music Awards, and 22 Guinness World Records.

Born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida, Grande made her first appearance on the Broadway stage in 2008, playing Charlotte in the musical *13*. All five of her debut albums have been certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. In both 2016 and 2019, she was featured on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Beyond music, Grande has used her social media platforms to advocate for gender equality, racial equality, and LGBT rights, and has been the most-followed woman on Instagram since 2019.

Drake is a Canadian rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor of Arab descent, born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He first gained public attention for his role as Jimmy Brooks in the TV series *Degrassi: The Next Generation*. Drake later rose to fame as a rapper, releasing several independent mixtapes before signing with Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment in June 2009.

Blending rap and singing in most of his music, Drake has earned a Grammy Award, 3 Juno Awards, and 6 BET Awards. He has also achieved 3 number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart and 16 number-one singles on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In early 2012, Drake founded his own record label, OVO Sound. Additionally, he produces many of his tracks under the alias Champagne Papi. Drake was ranked 5th on Forbes Five in 2016, which lists the wealthiest hip-hop artists.

The Weeknd has long been recognized worldwide as a talented Canadian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his many hit songs that have gained him a massive fan following both domestically and internationally. The real name of the famous Canadian artist is Abel Makkonen Tesfaye. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, The Weeknd has achieved remarkable milestones in his music career.

He once topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with one of his singles and has ranked 10th on the famous global R&B chart. Additionally, according to Guinness World Records, The Weeknd became the most famous artist in the world at just 33 years old.

Nicki Minaj is a renowned American female rapper, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj. She gained widespread fame after joining the hip-hop collective Young Money. Nicki Minaj was also honored with a spot in Rolling Stone magazine's list of "Hip-Hop Royals." Her debut studio album, titled *Pink Friday*, was released in both standard and deluxe versions. Remarkably, the album topped the Billboard 200 chart and received a rare platinum certification from RIAA.

Nicki Minaj has achieved tremendous success throughout her music career. Her singles from *Pink Friday* were certified platinum four times in the United States. In addition to her musical accomplishments, Nicki has also lent her voice to several prominent films, including a supporting role in the animated movie *Ice Age: Continental Drift* and a part in *The Other Woman*.

Chris Brown is an acclaimed African-American singer who achieved remarkable success at the young age of 19. Raised in a loving family in a small town in Virginia, he was drawn to music early on, listening to the radio and dancing to hits from icons like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. At 13, he began his music journey after being discovered by a well-known producer.

2008 was a standout year for Chris Brown, earning multiple prestigious global awards. Recently, he was named Artist of the Year by the influential Billboard magazine. After Michael Jackson, Chris Brown was crowned the 'King of Music' for 2008.

Rihanna is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, actress, diplomat, and entrepreneur. She rose to fame in 2005 with the release of her debut album, *Music of the Sun*, and its follow-up, *A Girl like Me* (2006). Both albums hit the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, with singles like 'Pon de Replay', 'SOS', and 'Unfaithful'.

Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Rihanna is one of the best-selling music artists globally, with over 250 million records sold. She became the youngest artist to have 14 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and she has had more than 31 top-10 hits. Recognized by Billboard as the Digital Songs Artist of the Decade and the 2010s Hot 100 chart topper, she is also the all-time leader on the Pop Songs chart. In 2012, Forbes ranked her as the fourth most powerful celebrity, while Time magazine included her among the world's most influential figures. In 2018, Rihanna was appointed Barbados' Ambassador, promoting 'education, tourism, and investment' for her home country. In 2021, she was honored as a National Hero of Barbados when the country became a republic.

Adele began her career after being offered a recording contract with XL Recordings, following the upload of a demo by a friend on Myspace in 2006. The next year, she received the 'Critics' Choice' award at the Brit Awards and won the BBC's Sound of 2008 poll. Her debut album, *19*, was released in 2008 and became a commercial and critical success in the UK. It was certified four times platinum in the UK and double platinum in the United States.

Adele released her second album, *21*, in early 2011, which was certified 16 times platinum in the UK. *21* also earned Adele a place in the Guinness World Records. She became the first female artist in history to have three singles in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time, and two albums in the top 5 of the Billboard 200. Adele also holds the record for the most weeks an album by a female artist spent at number one on the UK and US album charts. In 2011 and 2012, she was named Billboard's Artist of the Year. At the 85th Academy Awards, Adele became one of only six singers in history to win the Oscar for Best Original Song with 'Skyfall', the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name.

Beyoncé is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, music producer, and actress. She began performing in singing and dancing competitions as a child and rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead vocalist of Destiny's Child. During the group's hiatus, Beyoncé released her debut album, *Dangerously in Love* (2003), which established her as a solo artist worldwide. The album won five Grammy Awards and topped the Billboard Hot 100 with hits like 'Crazy in Love' and 'Baby Boy'.

Throughout her career, she has sold over 100 million records as a solo artist and more than 60 million with Destiny's Child, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Beyoncé has won 28 Grammy Awards, the most by any female artist, and holds the record for the most MTV Video Music Awards, with 24 wins. The Recording Industry Association of America recognized her as the 'Artist with the Most Certifications of the 2000s'. In 2009, Billboard honored her as the 'Top Radio Songs Artist of the Decade' and named her the 'Top Female Artist of the 2000s'. She also received the Millennium Award in 2011. Time magazine included her in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, Forbes named her the most powerful female artist in entertainment.