Taylor Swift leads the IFPI’s rankings for a sixth time overall, outperforming Stray Kids, Drake, Billie Eilish and Bad Bunny.
Taylor Swift has been named the biggest-selling global artist of 2025 by the IFPI in their annual round-up.
It marks the sixth time that Swift has achieved the feat having also done so in 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024. This is the fourth year in a row that she has hit the No. 1 spot. BTS were the last artist to beat Swift to the crown back in 2021 and 2020.
The IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry) represents the recorded music industry worldwide and releases a Global Artist Chart annually to recognise the biggest-selling artists of the previous calendar year.
In 2025’s list, Swift sees off competition from Stray Kids, Drake, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish and more.
Swift released her 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl in October 2025 and broke numerous records. The LP spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and scored the largest week for an album by equivalent album units earned (4.002 million) in its opening-week debut. Adele’s 25 (2015) previously held the record with 3.482 million units.
The LP also spawned a Hot 100 No. 1 in “The Fate of Ophelia,” which ruled for 10 weeks. All 12 tracks from the LP landed in the top 12 positions on the Hot 100, a feat no other artist has ever achieved.
Elsewhere on the chart, Tyler, the Creator makes his first appearance inside the top 20 (No. 12) and follows a supporting tour for his 2024 LP Chromakopia, as well as surprise LP Don’t Tap The Glass. Japanese rock band Mrs. Green Apple also make their debut on the chart at No. 13.
A number of artists return to the chart following successful releases and tours in 2025 including Lady Gaga (No. 10), Ed Sheeran (No. 18), SZA (No. 19) and Justin Bieber (No. 20).
The IFPI compiles streaming, downloads and physical formats in every country directly from over 8,000 participating record labels. The figures are then converted using IFPI’s unique methodology to a single, global chart figure, and cover the artist’s entire body of work, and is not exclusive to new material released in the calendar year.
The results of the IFPI’s Global Single Chart and Global Albums Chart will be shared later this week.
Top 20 IFPI Global Artist Chart 2025
| Position | Prior Year | Artist |
| 1 | 1 | Taylor Swift |
| 2 | 5 | Stray Kids |
| 3 | 2 | Drake |
| 4 | 7 | The Weeknd |
| 5 | 20 | Bad Bunny |
| 6 | 9 | Kendrick Lamar |
| 7 | 13 | Morgan Wallen |
| 8 | 10 | Sabrina Carpenter |
| 9 | 4 | Billie Eilish |
| 10 | Re-entry (2020) | Lady Gaga |
| 11 | 11 | Ariana Grande |
| 12 | NEW | Tyler, The Creator |
| 13 | NEW | Mrs. GREEN APPLE |
| 14 | 3 | SEVENTEEN |
| 15 | 8 | Eminem |
| 16 | 19 | Linkin Park |
| 17 | 6 | Zach Bryan |
| 18 | Re-entry (2023) | Ed Sheeran |
| 19 | Re-entry (2023) | SZA |
| 20 | Re-entry (2021) | Justin Bieber |
