IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry), a renowned international organization that defends copyright protection in the recording industry, has revealed the world’s top 10 recording artists of 2024 in its 2025 report. Compiled using data from physical sales, digital downloads and streaming on a global scale, this list provides a better understanding of the current state of listening habits worldwide.
These charts are based on artists’ total commercial activity in 2024, across all formats. It reflects both their presence on platforms and their ability to build a loyal audience in a market that has become extremely competitive.
1: Taylor Swift
IFPI has confirmed that Taylor Swift is the 2024 Artist of the Year. This is the fifth time the pop star has won the award, for the third year running. This is due in part to the enormous success of her eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, released in April 2024. Her position in the charts was also influenced by the record-breaking Taylor Swift |The Eras Tour, which boosted fan engagement with her entire catalog on streaming platforms.
Taylor Swift made a name for herself with her first country album in 2006, before going on to become a global pop icon. Renowned for her personal lyrics, she has won numerous awards, including several Grammys. The singer is also known for her close relationship with her fans, known as “Swifties”.
- Most listened-to track: Cruel Summer (2023)
- Most listened-to album: The Tortured Poets Department (2024)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): The Tortured Poets Department
2: Drake
In second place is Canadian rapper Drake. Born Aubrey Drake Graham, the artist rose to fame with the TV series Degrassi, before breaking into the music industry with his mixtape So Far Gone in 2009. Since then, he has become one of the world’s biggest rap stars, with a string of hits including Hotline Bling, God’s Plan, One Dance and In My Feelings.
- Most listened-to track: One Dance (2016)
- Most listened-to album: Views (2016)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): God’s Plan (2018)
3: SEVENTEEN
South Korean boy band SEVENTEEN takes the bronze medal in the 2024 charts. Despite what its name might suggest, the K-pop band formed by Pledis Entertainment has 13 members. It made its official debut in 2015 with the mini-album 17 Carat and is considered a “self-produced” idol group, with members involved in composition, music production and choreography.
- Most listened-to track: Maestro (2024)
- Most listened-to album: FML (2023, EP)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): FML
4: Billie Eilish
Occupying the fourth spot on this list, Billie Eilish made a name for herself in 2015 with the track Ocean Eyes, written and produced by her brother Finneas. Her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me (2017), met with critical and commercial success, followed by her debut album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019), which propelled her to global stardom. She is renowned for her dark, introspective musical world, as well as for her unique, muted vocals.
- Most listened-to track: lovely (2018)
- Most listened-to album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
5: Stray Kids
Proof of the huge popularity of the Korean music scene, a second K-pop group, Stray Kids, is in the middle of the 2024 chart. This boy band was created during the eponymous 2027 reality TV show and officially debuted in 2018 with the mini-album I Am NOT. Renowned for their energetic musical style blending hip-hop, EDM and rock, Stray Kids were very active in 2024, releasing a studio album, an EP and a mixtape, as well as embarking on a world tour.
- Most listened-to track: God’s Menu (2020)
- Most listened-to album: 5-Star (2023)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): 5-Star
6: Zach Bryan
In sixth place in the top 10 artists of 2024 chart is country musician Zach Bryan. Bryan’s career began when he began to share his soulful, stripped-down compositions on YouTube, which quickly won him a large following. Recorded in an Airbnb while the artist was in the US Navy, his debut studio album, DeAnn, was released in 2019.
- Most listened-to track: Something in the Orange (2022)
- Most listened-to album: Zach Bryan (2023)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): American Heartbreak (2022)
7: The Weeknd
Rising from fifth to seventh place in the IFPI charts, Canadian singer The Weeknd made a name for himself in 2011 with several mixtapes before achieving worldwide success with albums such as Starboy (2016) and iconic tracks like Blinding Lights. In 2024, The Weeknd launched an immersive experience called Open Hearts in collaboration with Apple Vision Pro, offering fans 3D narration and spatial audio.
- Most listened-to track: Blinding Lights (2020)
- Most listened-to album: The Highlights (2021)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): Beauty Behind the Madness (2015)
8: Eminem
An iconic figure of the American rap scene, Eminem is eighth in these world-renowned charts. This is likely thanks to the release of his latest album, The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce), in 2024. The first single, “Houdini”, topped the charts in many countries, reaching number one on the Billboard Global 200 chart.
- Most listened-to track: Without Me (2002)
- Most listened-to album: The Eminem Show (2002)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
9: Kendrick Lamar
In second-to-last place on this Top 2024 list is Kendrick Lamar, one of the most influential rappers of his generation and an artist who has won numerous awards, including a Pulitzer in 2018. After a sixth studio album in 2024, the start of 2025 was marked by his performance at the Super Bowl.
- Most listened-to track: HUMBLE (2017)
- Most listened-to album: DAMN. (2017)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): DAMN.
10 : Sabrina Carpenter
A real phenomenon last summer with her hit Espresso, singer Sabrina Carpenter is in tenth place in the IFPI charts. She first gained prominence in the Disney series Girl Meets World before starting her music career. In 2024, her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart and was praised for its catchy, upbeat style.
- Most listened-to track: Espresso (2024)
- Most listened-to album: emails i can’t send (2022)
- Best-selling release (physical + streaming): Short n’ Sweet (2024)
The IFPI Top 10 Global Artists of 2024 chart confirms the omnipresence of the North American scene in the global music industry, with Taylor Swift dominating in terms of streams and record sales, but also the international success of K-pop artists. Together, these figures reflect an industry with diverse listening habits, where different cultures, generations and technologies converge.
Source: IFPI 2025 report
