It was a busy December at Billboard, as we rolled out all our annual year-end charts, as well as our usual editorial lists of our staff’s favorite albums and favorite songs of the year. But before we close the books on the past year, we have one more editorial-based list to get through: The Greatest Pop Stars of 2025.
This list — which we first debuted as a year-end top 10 ranking in 2021, though we’ve been doing it in some form since 2018, where we first named a Greatest Pop Star for every year dating back to 1981 — is one we really take the entire year to monitor and debate on staff, and we’ve even started doing monthly check-ins on the 2025 race through the Who Won the Month series on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast. You can see our full list for 2024 here — and for 2025, we’re also asking for your help.
From now until next Tuesday (Jan. 13), you can take our poll here to cast your vote for who you think should be the 10 Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 — we have a nominee shortlist of 30 pop stars you can choose from — as well as your pick for Rookie of the Year, and Comeback of the Year. We’ll tabulate your votes and count the final reader-voted results towards our eventual staff rankings. (No showing up just to vote for your one absolute fav, though — you’ll have to vote for 10 different pop stars for your vote to count.)
Then, starting next Thursday (Jan. 15), we’ll start to unveil the final list results — starting with our 10 honorable mention pop stars, then the Rookie and Comeback of the Year winners, and starting the week after (Jan. 19), our picks for the 10 Greatest Pop Stars of 2025.
Remember, when we’re deciding our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025, we’re going beyond the charts, even beyond just the hit songs and albums. That stuff is all important in this discussion, of course — but so are things like tours and live performances, music videos, pop culture and social media moments, and overall impact and influence on the larger culture and music of 2025. (And we’re also considering the entire year from start to finish, so if you arrived late or checked out early, that’ll hurt you in comparison to artists who were active the whole year.)
Mostly, we’re asking: Which artists best personified across-the-board greatness with their 2025 pop stardom? Which artists can you not imagine the year without? Those are the artists who you should be voting for.
Find our ballot again here, and see the complete list of nominees below. Happy voting and let the debates begin!
Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 Nominees:
Addison Rae
Ariana Grande
KPop Demon Hunters Cast
Bad Bunny
Benson Boone
Beyoncé
BLACKPINK (including solo artists)
Bruno Mars
Chappell Roan
Charli xcx
Chris Brown
Doechii
Drake
Ella Langley
Justin Bieber
Karol G
Kehlani
Kendrick Lamar
Lady Gaga
Lorde
Morgan Wallen
PinkPantheress
Playboi Carti
Rosalía
Sabrina Carpenter
SZA
Tate McRae
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Tyler, the Creator
2025 Pop Star Rookie of the Year Nominees:
Alex Warren
KATSEYE
Leon Thomas
Lola Young
Mariah the Scientist
Olivia Dean
Sombr
YKNIECE
2025 Comeback Artist of the Year Nominees:
Cardi B
Clipse
Kesha
Lily Allen
Oasis
Selena Gomez
YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Zara Larsson
