Taylor Swift Crowned IFPI’s Global Recording Artist For Record Fourth Time

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