The Biggest Pop Music Stars of 2020
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2020 has been a big year for pop music. Here are some of the biggest stars that have taken the world by storm.
Pop Music Stars
Although it may seem like the world of pop music is always changing, there are always a few constants. The biggest pop music stars of 2020 are a mix of newcomers and veterans.
Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell (born December 18, 2001), known professionally as Billie Eilish, is an American singer and songwriter. She first gained media attention in 2016 when she uploaded the song “Ocean Eyes” to SoundCloud, and it was subsequently released on iTunes and Spotify. Her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me, followed later that year. In 2019, she released her debut studio album When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which debuted atop the US Billboard 200, and received widespread critical acclaim.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress. A multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her wide vocal range, which spans four octaves. Born in Boca Raton, Florida, Grande began her career in 2008 in the Broadway musical 13. She rose to prominence for her role as Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious (2010–2013) and Sam & Cat (2013–2014). As she grew interested in pursuing a music career, Grande recorded songs for the soundtrack of Victorious and signed with Republic Records in 2011 after the label’s executives discovered videos of her covers of songs by Adele and Whitney Houston on YouTube.
Grande’s debut studio album Yours Truly was released in 2013 and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart; it featured the top-ten single “The Way” as well as “Baby I”. Grande’s second studio album, My Everything, entered the charts at number one in several countries including the US and UK; it also became her first album to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). With “Problem” and “Break Free”, both from My Everything, she set records as the only artist to have concurrent singles inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart; this feat was previously achieved only by The Beatles, who did so with eight songs in April 1964. The album’s third single “Love Me Harder” reached number seven on Billboard Hot 100. Her fourth studio album Dangerous Woman debuted at number two on Billboard 200. The lead single “Dangerous Woman”, peaked atop numerous Spotify Viral 50 worldwide and received platinum certifications from Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
In 2019, Grande achieved several Guinness World Records, including becoming the most streamed female artist on Spotify in one day, accumulating over 56 million streams globally across all platforms; most streamed artist within 24 hours on Apple Music with over 80 million streams globally across all platforms; most watched music video within 24 hours on YouTube with over 55 million views; youngest person to headline Coachella Valley Music Festival; first solo artist to simultaneously hold all three top spots on Billboard Hot 100: “7 Rings” at number one, “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” at number two and “Thank U, Next” at number three—making her only the second act overall to achieve this feat after The Beatles—and also becoming first female artist to have three songs debut atop Billboard Hot 100 within 12 months since Adele did so between 2015–2016 with lead singles from 25 (“Hello”), 25 (“Send My Love (To Your New Lover)”) and 27 (“Water Under the Bridge”).
Halsey
Halsey is an American pop singer and songwriter. She first came to prominence in 2014 with the release of her debut single, “New Americana”. Since then, she has released two studio albums, “Badlands” and “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom”, which have both been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Her music has often been described as “alternative pop” or “indie pop”.
Halsey rose to fame as a result of her unique sound and style, which mixes elements of indie and electronic music with poignant lyrics about mental illness and toxic relationships. She has been praised for her openness about her personal struggles, which has helped to break down stigma around mental health issues. In addition to her musical achievements, Halsey is also an outspoken advocate for social justice, having lend her platform to various causes such as reproductive rights and gun reform.
Khalid
Khalid Donnel Robinson (born February 11, 1998), known mononymously as Khalid, is an American singer and songwriter. He is signed to Right Hand Music Group and RCA Records. His debut single, “Location”, was released in July 2016 and peaked at number 16 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and was later certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His debut studio album, American Teen, was released on March 3, 2017. The album received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 chart. It was later certified double platinum by the RIAA. His second studio album, Free Spirit, was released on April 5, 2019.
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X is a rapper, singer, and songwriter from Atlanta, Georgia. He is best known for his breakout hit “Old Town Road,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for a record-breaking 19 weeks.
Lil Nas X first gained notoriety in 2018 when he released the single “Old Town Road” on SoundCloud. The song went viral on TikTok, with users creating videos set to the song’s catchy melody. In March 2019, Lil Nas X signed with Columbia Records, and the official music video for “Old Town Road” was released in April. The remix of the song featuring country music star Billy Ray Cyrus was also released in April, and quickly rose to the top of the charts.
Lil Nas X’s debut EP, 7, was released in June 2019. The EP includes the singles “Panini” and “Rodeo,” both of which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In November 2019, Lil Nas X released his first full-length album, titled NASALAND. The album includes guest appearances from Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Travis Barker.
Country Music Stars
If there’s one thing that 2020 has made abundantly clear, it’s that people love pop music. Whether it’s because we’re all looking for a little escapism or because we need something to help us forget about our troubles, pop music has been there for us. And while there are plenty of pop stars out there, there are a few who have truly shone this year. Here are the biggest pop music stars of 2020.
Luke Combs
Luke Combs is a country music singer and songwriter from North Carolina. He has released two albums, “This One’s for You” and “What You See is What You Get”, which have both been certified platinum by the RIAA. Combs has also won multiple awards, including the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year, the ACM Award for New Male Artist of the Year, and the CMT Music Award for Breakthrough Video of the Year.
Thomas Rhett
Thomas Rhett is one of the biggest pop music stars of 2020. His latest album, “Center Point Road,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Rhett’s previous album, “Life Changes,” was also a huge success, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and being certified double platinum. Rhett has won multiple Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards, and Country Music Association Awards. He is married to Lauren Akins and they have two daughters.
Maren Morris
Maren Morris is an American country music singer and songwriter. She has released three studio albums, one live album, and fifteen singles, including eight number ones on the Country Airplay chart. Morris has thrice been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance and won the award in 2020 for “My Church”.
Florida Georgia Line
Florida Georgia Line is an American country music duo consisting of vocalists Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley. Their 2012 single “Cruise” topped the US Country charts and became the best-selling digital country song of all time. They have released five studio albums – Anything Goes (2014), Dig Your Roots (2016), Here’s to the Good Times (2012), December’s Back (2017) and Life Rolls On (2021). They have also had 12 number-one singles on the US Country charts.
Blake Shelton
Blake Shelton is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, Shelton made his debut with the single “Austin”. The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, “Austin” spent five weeks at Number One on the Billboard Country Singles chart. He has since released eleven albums, three of which are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. Shelton has also charted thirty-six singles on the Billboard Country Singles chart, including twenty number one hits and sixteen additional top ten singles.
Hip-Hop and R&B Music Stars
It’s no surprise that some of the biggest pop music stars of 2020 are hip-hop and R&B artists. With the release of new albums and singles, these artists have been dominating the charts. From Drake to Kendrick Lamar, here are some of the biggest pop music stars of 2020.
Lil Baby
Lil Baby is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is signed to Quality Control Music and has released two studio albums, “Harder Than Ever” and “Street Gossip”. He is best known for his singles “Yes Indeed” and “Life Goes On”.
Lil Baby was born on December 3, 1994, in Atlanta, Georgia. He began his career in 2016, when he released the mixtape “Perfect Timing”. In 2017, he signed with Quality Control Music and released the mixtapes “Harder Than Ever” and “2 The Hard Way”, with the latter being a collaborative project with rapper Marlo. His debut studio album, “Harder Than Ever”, was released in 2018 and peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart. It featured the singles “Yes Indeed” and “Life Goes On”. Lil Baby’s second studio album, “Street Gossip”, was released in 2018 and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
Lizzo
Lizzo is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and flutist. She started rapping in 2010 and released her first album, Lizzobangers, in 2013. Her second album, Big Grrrl Small World (2015), was a critical success, and her third album, Coconut Oil (2016), became a commercial success. In 2019, she released her fourth studio album, Cuz I Love You. It topped the charts in the United States and United Kingdom, making her the first black woman to top the UK chart with a debut album since 1985. Lizzo’s music focuses on body positivity and self-love.
Post Malone
Post Malone is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He first gained attention in 2015 with his debut single “White Iverson”, which peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. His debut album, Stoney, was released in 2016 and debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. His second album, Beerbongs & Bentleys, was released in 2018 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
In 2020, Post Malone was ranked as one of the top 10 most popular musicians in the world by Forbes magazine.
Cardi B
Cardi B, born Belcalis Almanzar, is an American rapper, songwriter and television personality. She first rose to prominence as a cast member on the VH1 reality series Love & Hip Hop: New York in 2013. In 2019, she released her debut studio album Invasion of Privacy, which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 and earned her numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. She is the only female rapper to achieve this feat. Cardi B has also been featured on several hit singles, such as “Bodak Yellow” and “I Like It”.
Drake
Drake is a Canadian hip hop recording artist, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world’s best-selling music artists and his achievements have led him to being dubbed one of the most commercially successful rappers of all time. As an actor, he has appeared in films such as Degrassi: The Next Generation and Ice Age: Continental Drift. In 2020, he starred in the critically acclaimed film Knives Out.
