The red carpet has finally been unrolled for the long-awaited declaration of the Greatest Pop Star of the Century, a journey marked by constant debates and debacles over who truly deserves the crown. With Taylor Swift
securing the second spot, it was not exactly rocket science to guess who claimed the ultimate honor. However, the official announcement for Beyoncé was peppered with a striking 13 references to Swift. While some may wonder what it is about Swift’s approach that makes her such a fixture in another artist’s achievement, fans were absolutely beside themselves over the way the announcement unfolded.
After weeks of nail-biting tension, Billboard recently declared Beyoncé the greatest pop star of the century
, citing her 25 years of “influence, impact, and evolution.”
The article dubs Taylor Swift, the greatest pop star of the 21st century by statistics, from album sales to streams. Still, Beyoncé was allegedly crowned the top star of the season for the indelible mark she has left as a cultural touchstone. However, with Swift rounding out the announcement 13 times, fans could not help but wonder why Queen Bey’s achievement was downplayed like that.
taylor was mentioned THIRTEEN times in beyoncé’s article, and each time was basically saying “taylor ended beyonce but beyonce has been in the industry longer” pic.twitter.com/mwxspxOcZ4
— tanyel (@nba_yb_tv) December 3, 2024
The seemingly intractable issue over who deserves to sit on the throne of the greatest pop star of the century has finally come to a halt. Although the divisive topic still has fandoms split, pop enthusiasts cannot help but raise eyebrows over the treatment of Beyoncé. Fans always knew that the real tug-of-war was between Taylor Swift and Queen Bey, but none really acknowledged that the official declaration would look more like a shade than an honor.
Read More: Azealia Banks Ranks the Greatest 21st Century Pop Stars Only to Leave Fans All the More Frustrated
While some argue that the outlet went into overdrive to justify their choice, others contend that the decision was perhaps inherently flawed, relying on a staggering 13 references to Taylor Swift to prop up their argument.
Fans raise eyebrows as Beyoncé’s Greatest Pop Star announcement echoes only Taylor Swift
honor home. Even though the discussion always became heated when Beyoncé and Taylor Swift were brought up, the final announcement was no exception. As a result, fans believe the assessment was practically unfair since it came with 13 reasons why Swift reigned the statistics the entire time.
Who ever wrote that article didnt agree with the decision and the 13 Taylors is a cry for help 😂
— jacqui 💛🫶🏻 (@JacquiXO__) December 3, 2024
This is basically like people getting promotions based on seniority.
And, let me be clear, congratulations to Beyonce.
She’s beautiful, talented and timeless.
Billboard working overtime to defend their decision is weak.
— Janet Lynne✏️ (@janetlynnewrite) December 3, 2024
So they basically were like Taylor was the #1 global artist in terms of every category but we ignored ALL of that and picked who we wanted. They literally admitted it. WILD.
— Stephanie (@snhitchcock) December 3, 2024
Fans found the situation quite dazing, with some sympathizing with Queen Bey for having her spotlight stolen despite the milestone.
i just don’t understand this. no other article mentions why one artist was over the other. i just think it’s disrespectful to Bey downplaying the achievement. after what they put tay through last week you’d think they would just shut up
— ً (@scammerswifts) December 3, 2024
Honestly I feel bad for Beyoncé because can you imagine having this big of an honor and the article mentioning another artist a bunch of times who outperformed you?? Like I feel like it’s just rude to Beyoncé. Id be pissed if I were her
— Nat (@itsfrickennat) December 3, 2024
On the flip side, Swifties could not help but troll the article for basically disregarding every official number to go with their decision. As scathing critiques and biting remarks poured in from all corners of the globe, a notable absence of infighting among fans stood out. While the artists’ have time and again left many agog, the crowning left a spellbound audience bewildered but not entirely in awe.
What do you think of fans’ reaction to Taylor Swift’s references in honoring Beyoncé as the greatest pop star? Let us know in the comments below!
