From Beyoncé and Taylor Swift to SZA and Luke Combs, The Hollywood Reporter introduces its inaugural Platinum Gamers energy checklist honoring 25 musicians who’ve owned the 12 months.
From left: Ice Spice, Luke Combs, Peso Pluma, SZA and Olivia Rodrigo
Christian Cody; Eric Ryan Anderson; Mary Beth Koeth; Sami Drasin (2)
The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Platinum Gamers energy checklist honors 25 acts in music who’re on high of the charts and on the high of the sport. They transfer the needle on tradition. They personal their narratives. They create songs and albums that outline a era and join with listeners all around the world. They mix genres, set data and break them, solely to set new data. They carry out for 1000’s — and, in some instances, tens of millions — on tour. In different phrases, these are the artists who’ve outlined the 12 months in music.
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Beyoncé
Picture Credit score: Kevin Mazur/WireImage Beyoncé continues to be using off the success of her Renaissance album, which introduced her Grammy wins to 32 this 12 months, making her the present’s most embellished recipient of all time. And with all that gold comes silver — the sequins and disco ball cowboy hats, worn by Queen Bey and the Beyhive in the course of the Renaissance World Tour, a game-changing, moneymaking, internet-breaking popular culture second for the historical past books. The tour broke data with $461.2 million in ticket gross sales to this point, in accordance with Touring Knowledge, and have become the highest-grossing tour by a feminine act ever, boosting each native and nationwide economies.
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boygenius
Picture Credit score: Noam Galai/Getty Photographs Boygenius is in every single place. The supergroup of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker carried out at Coachella. Billie Eilish introduced them out as particular friends throughout a present in London. And Bridgers shared the stage along with her bandmates throughout her first cease opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The extraordinarily gifted particular person performers make up a must-listen collaboration — and the document is proof. The album, which was launched in March and earned an ideal rating ranking from Rolling Stone, is a creative, indie-rock journey that rocks in all the appropriate methods.
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Zach Bryan
Picture Credit score: Wealthy Fury/Getty Photographs Bryan marches to the beat of his personal drum — technically, he’s a rustic singer, however his music blends feels like rock, various and singer-songwriter vibes to make one thing that’s really his personal. And it’s working: In the identical week, his new self-titled album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, whereas his single “I Keep in mind Every thing” with Kacey Musgraves debuted on high of the Billboard Sizzling 100. Bryan had the largest streaming week for a rock album in historical past, and it’s the primary rock album to hit No. 1 in additional than a 12 months. And “I Keep in mind Every thing” is the primary track in historical past to hit No. 1 on the Sizzling 100, Sizzling Nation Songs and Sizzling Rock & Different Songs charts. Up-and-coming artists may need to observe Bryan’s parade.
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Burna Boy
Picture Credit score: Frazer Harrison/Getty Photographs Because the sound of Afrobeats continues to rise — particularly with the newly introduced greatest African music efficiency class on the Grammys — Burna Boy is on the forefront and continues to interrupt floor for the style. This summer season, he grew to become the primary Nigerian artist to headline a U.S. stadium when he carried out at New York Metropolis’s Citi Discipline, which homes 40,000 seats; a 12 months earlier, he was the primary Nigerian act to headline Madison Sq. Backyard. In August, he launched his seventh studio album, I Instructed Them … with appearances from J. Cole, 21 Savage, GZA and RZA. And he was a particular visitor on the opening evening of Dave Chappelle’s It’s a Celebration B!%?#&$! Tour at MSG, the place Chappelle was seen backstage studying the signature dance to Burna Boy’s anthemic “Metropolis Boys.” Burna stays on hearth.
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Luke Combs
Picture Credit score: Jason Kempin/Getty Photographs Nation music reached new ranges on the pop music scene this 12 months, and Combs is without doubt one of the important causes. His cowl of Tracy Chapman’s “Quick Automobile” is without doubt one of the 12 months’s largest hits, and he additionally had main success with the platinum hit “Love You Anyway.” In a single week, these songs have been No. 1 and a couple of on the Billboard Nation Airplay chart, making Combs the primary solo artist to carry the highest two positions. He was named entertainer of the 12 months for the previous two years on the CMA Awards and is defending his honor at this 12 months’s present, set for Nov. 8.
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Miley Cyrus
Picture Credit score: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Photographs A decade after releasing her most profitable album so far, Bangerz, Cyrus bloomed on the charts this 12 months with “Flowers,” which set a number of streaming data and spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The irresistible groove — with a music video filmed on the famed Los Angeles home the place Frank Sinatra as soon as lived — is from Countless Summer season Trip, which grew to become the 30-year-old’s 14th high 10 album. It was accompanied by a Disney+ live performance particular, and her limitless 12 months didn’t finish there: She seems on Dolly Parton’s upcoming rock album; she launched one other high 10 hit with “Used to Be Younger” from her newest album’s digital reissue; she launched one other live performance doc particular, this time for ABC; and he or she voiced the character Van for season two of Netflix’s Large Mouth spinoff Human Assets.
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Lana Del Rey
Picture Credit score: Kristy Sparow/Getty Photographs THR cowl star Lana Del Rey has been probably the most constant artists since dropping 2012’s Born to Die, now thought of a traditional that has influenced pop stars world wide, together with Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and extra. From Ultraviolence to Norman Fucking Rockwell! to Chemtrails over the Nation Membership, Del Rey has showcased her sharp songwriting, vivid storytelling and vocal coolness on songs that really feel epic and grand. And with the addition of this 12 months’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Underneath Ocean Blvd — one other stunning collectible that sits on her musical mantel — she’s confirmed you could affect popular culture with out being loud and in every single place. She all the time lets the music do the speaking. Learn THR’s cowl story.
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Drake
Picture Credit score: Prince Williams/Wireimage Has there been a 12 months when Drake didn’t dominate the charts? He simply has been probably the most constant artists since releasing his official debut single in 2009 and hasn’t missed a beat since. You possibly can write a thesis about his musical takeover as a result of there’s a lot information to assist it: He’s the artist with probably the most Billboard Sizzling 100 hits — 298, to be actual. He’s the artist with probably the most high 10 hits — 69. And he’s set data for many hits within the high 5, high 20 and high 40. And with a brand new album out in October, the rapper-singer is anticipated to increase his data, creating a good bigger margin between him and whoever is second place. Although he stopped submitting his work for Grammys, he nonetheless continues to win them. Drake is unstoppable.
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Billie Eilish
Picture Credit score: Monica Schipper/Getty Photographs Everybody’s nonetheless taking part in Eilish’s first two albums from 2019 and 2021 — streaming numbers don’t lie — however the gifted singer-songwriter blessed the world with one other dynamic single that would win her, and her uber-talented brother-producer-songwriter-engineer-BFF Finneas, one other Academy Award. “What Was I Made For?” is successful from the Barbie soundtrack, even reaching the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Sizzling Rock & Different Songs chart. And whereas we wait to see what hearth Eilish and Finneas prepare dinner up for album No. 3, we’ll wait patiently by listening to her wonderful cowl of Drake’s 2015 hit “Hotline Bling,” launched this 12 months, and rewatch Eilish’s performing debut in Donald Glover’s Emmy-nominated Prime Video collection Swarm.
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Karol G
Picture Credit score: Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs Taylor Swift and Beyoncé aren’t the one ones having enjoyable promoting out 60,000-seat stadiums on tour. So is Karol G. The Colombian celebrity wrapped her Mañana Será Bonito Tour in September that included two nights at each the Rose Bowl and MetLife Stadium. The tour was in assist of her album of the identical identify, which grew to become the primary all-Spanish-language album by a lady to achieve No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It featured the Billboard Sizzling 100 high 10 hit “TQG,” on which she partnered with fellow Colombian Shakira, profitable greatest collab on the MTV Video Music Awards. This 12 months, Karol G additionally signed a serious take care of Interscope Information, dwelling to Woman Gaga and Billie Eilish, and he or she’s set to kick off 2024 in a serious means — she’ll star reverse Sofía Vergara within the Netflix collection Griselda, which debuts in January.
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Ice Spice
Picture Credit score: Paras Griffin/Getty Photographs Ice Spice got here out swinging with hit songs, simply claiming the title of rap’s new princess. Even Taylor Swift grew to become a fangirl, inviting the rapper to remix her hit “Karma,” which reached the No. 2 spot on the Sizzling 100. And the collaborations don’t finish there: With twin levels from the Nicki Minaj Faculty of Music and the Cardi B Rap Academy, Spice launched multiplatinum hits alongside Minaj with “Princess Diana” and “Barbie World” from the Barbie soundtrack, in addition to “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” with PinkPantheress. A proud New Yorker with a cool and calm circulate, Ice Spice’s supply is tough to withstand, particularly when she’s rapping hilarious traces like: “She a Barbie bitch along with her Barbie clique/I preserve draggin’ her, so she bald a bit.” Insert laughing emoji right here.
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Jelly Roll
Picture Credit score: Kevin Winter/Getty Photographs Jelly Roll is on a roll: His mixture of nation music with rap and rock is a profitable formulation that’s helped him turn out to be one among music’s high new acts, although he launched his first mixtape 20 years in the past. His exhausting work is actually paying off — he’s had albums and songs land on the nation, rap, rock, pop and grownup modern charts; he gained three CMT Music Awards for his hit “Son of a Sinner,” which went to No. 1 at nation radio; “Want a Favor,” from his latest album Whitsitt Chapel, is one other No. 1 hit and is nominated for single of the 12 months on the Nation Music Affiliation Awards, the place his 5 nods make him the second most nominated act.
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Coco Jones
Picture Credit score: Bennett Raglin/Getty Photographs Jones was a rising teenage Disney Channel star, however her music didn’t take off when she initially thought it might. A decade later, she launched a No. 1 hit at R&B radio with “ICU,” a sultry, easy smash that helped the multihyphenate win new artist honors at this 12 months’s BET Awards and NAACP Picture Awards and makes her one of many frontrunners for a greatest new artist nomination on the Grammys. The star of Bel-Air, the spinoff of the hit ’90 TV collection The Recent Prince of Bel-Air, has a placing vocal potential that not solely impressed followers world wide however fellow well-known musicians, together with Justin Timberlake, who jumped on a remix to “ICU.”
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Jungkook
Picture Credit score: Elsa/Getty Photographs Everyone knows the challenges that include going solo after being in a world group — it isn’t straightforward, however Jungkook of BTS makes it look easy. BTS might have hit the pause button as varied members full navy service, however Jungkook is having probably the most enjoyable by topping the charts with the thumping hit “Seven,” a collaboration with Latto that reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The track carried out so properly world wide that it reigns as Billboard’s No. 1 world track of the summer season in 2023. However there’s room for everybody on the charts, and his BTS brothers are additionally having fun with success: Jimin launched a No. 1 hit this 12 months with “Like Loopy”; V launched his solo debut in September; and Suga dropped an album in April.
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Noah Kahan
Picture Credit score: Barry Brecheisen/WireImage The breakthrough alternative-folk singer not too long ago bought out New York Metropolis’s Radio Metropolis Music Corridor for 2 nights, and at one among his reveals, he discovered his single, “Stick Season,” hit platinum standing whereas his album of the identical identify is a gold success. Kahan has slowly constructed a powerful fan base that connects with him and his openness over his psychological well being struggles, from melancholy to nervousness. Kahan’s already had 19 songs attain Billboard’s Sizzling Rock & Different songs chart, together with 5 high 10 hits, and his latest hit, “Dial Drunk” with Publish Malone, is on its approach to turning into an authorized pop smash.
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Lil Uzi Vert
Picture Credit score: Arturo Holmes/Getty Photographs It’s ironic that within the 12 months celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, there have been seven months when no rap album hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. However Lil Uzi Vert saved the day. The star ended the drought in July when Pink Tape grew to become the primary rap album to achieve No. 1 this 12 months. Eighteen of the album’s tracks debuted on the Billboard Sizzling 100, making Lil Uzi one of many uncommon acts to log 100 profession entries on the Sizzling 100 in its 65-year historical past. And whereas Rihanna was this 12 months’s halftime present all-star, Lil Uzi was a giant a part of the Tremendous Bowl due to the Philly native’s Jersey Membership anthem “Simply Wanna Rock,” which the Philadelphia Eagles performed as they entered the large recreation. The track is so addictive that Tremendous Bowl champs Kansas Metropolis Chiefs trolled the Eagles by dancing to the TikTok-approved smash after profitable the sport.
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Metro Boomin
Picture Credit score: Theo Wargo/Getty Photographs For years, Metro Boomin labored behind the scenes and produced main hits for Future, Drake, Migos, Publish Malone, The Weeknd and others. However this 12 months, he stepped into his personal limelight and topped the charts along with his sophomore album, Heroes & Villains — additional proving that producers are main artists, too. His single “Creepin’ ” — a remake of Mario Winans, Diddy and Enya’s “I Don’t Wanna Know” — options 21 Savage and The Weeknd and is a multiplatinum success. Metro’s so in-demand, he was recruited to provide the all-star soundtrack to the animated movie Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse, the sequel to the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
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Nicki Minaj
Picture Credit score: Mike Coppola/Getty Photographs Minaj deserves applause for holding the feminine rap torch for years as the only lady on the hip-hop scene. Fortunately, that’s modified and the trade is at the moment flooded with varied feminine voices, some straight influenced by Minaj’s type and sound, from Doja Cat to Ice Spice. Whereas she’s impressed others, Minaj continues to be on the high of her recreation and placing out hits, together with “Tremendous Freaky Lady,” “Princess Diana,” “Pink Ruby da Sleeze,” “Barbie World” and “Final Time I Noticed You.” And extra of that’s on the way in which: She’s launching her personal label, Heavy on It, and can launch her extremely anticipated fifth album, Pink Friday 2, later this 12 months.
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Kim Petras
Picture Credit score: Alberto Tamargo/Getty Photographs When Petras grew to become the primary out transgender artist to win a major-category Grammy this 12 months, she thanked “all of the unbelievable transgender legends … who kicked these doorways open for me.” And she or he’s proudly persevering with to interrupt the glass ceiling for others to hitch her. Petras gained the Grammy alongside Sam Smith for the hit “Unholy,” which topped the Billboard Sizzling 100 and made Petras the primary brazenly transgender solo artist to achieve No. 1 within the U.S. After years of pursuing music, she lastly launched her debut studio album, Feed the Beast, which options collaborations with Nicki Minaj and Banks, and is being promoted on a world tour.
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Peso Pluma
Picture Credit score: Ethan Miller/Getty Photographs Latin music has been a world phenomenon and streaming juggernaut, with the Latin lure and pop sound main the way in which. However previously 12 months, acts like Pluma have pushed the normal regional Mexican sound to the highest of the charts. The success makes Pluma the main nominee at this 12 months’s Billboard Latin Music Awards (Oct. 5), the place he has a whopping 21 nominations. All year long, a number of Pluma songs will dominate the highest 10 of the Billboard Sizzling Latin songs chart (as of press time, he had 5 of the highest 10 songs). With the discharge of his album Génesis, he positioned 25 songs on the Sizzling Latin songs chart in his profession, breaking the 24-title document set by worldwide celebrity Dangerous Bunny. Pluma additionally made historical past when “Ella Baila Sola,” his collaboration with Eslabon Armado, reached the highest 10 of the Billboard Sizzling 100, turning into the primary regional Mexican high 10 within the chart’s historical past.
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Olivia Rodrigo
Picture Credit score: Rob Kim/Getty Photographs Rodrigo made a serious splash on the music scene along with her 2021 Grammy-winning debut, Bitter, which grew to become the quickest album in historical past to have all of its songs licensed RIAA platinum or greater. She’s not slowing down with the latest launch of GUTS, which options her signature pop-rock anthems which have us all, together with grown-ups, screaming on the high of our lungs. “Vampire,” the brand new album’s lead single, blasted to the highest of the Billboard Sizzling 100 and made Rodrigo the youngest artist in Sizzling 100 historical past to debut three hits at No. 1, following “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U.” And she or he’s not even 21 but.
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Taylor Swift
Picture Credit score: John Medina/Getty Photographs Swift may simply make this checklist primarily based on the monstrous gross sales of her rerecorded Taylor’s Model albums. However she continues to work extra time — per common — and dominated the 12 months in music along with her tenth album, Midnights, which carried out so properly that she grew to become the primary artist to occupy each single spot within the high 10 of the Billboard Sizzling 100 with songs from the album. And allow us to not overlook about her groundbreaking, four-hour-long Eras Tour, a trek so scorching it blasted her 2019 monitor “Merciless Summer season” to the highest of the charts. Up subsequent? Conquering Hollywood with the Oct. 13 theatrical launch of her filmed Eras Tour.
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SZA
Picture Credit score: Jemal Countess/Getty Photographs “I would kill my ex,” SZA sings on her worldwide hit “Kill Invoice.” She ought to sing about killing the music recreation. The singer reached historic heights this 12 months along with her sophomore album, SOS, which topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart for greater than 5 months, making the undertaking the chart’s longest-leading No. 1 of the twenty first century to this point. A number of songs from the album have turn out to be chart-topping singles — from “Shirt” to “Snooze” — and the success additional proves why SZA would be the high contender on the upcoming Grammy Awards.
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Tems
Picture Credit score: Bennett Raglin/Getty Photographs Nigerian celebrity Tems hasn’t even launched her full-length debut album but, however she’s already a Grammy winner and Oscar nominee. On songs she co-stars on — like Future and Drake’s “Look forward to U” and Wizkid’s “Essence” — her serene vocals stand out probably the most, and her soothing sound has helped songs she launched in 2020 and 2021 turn out to be streaming successes in 2023. “Free Thoughts,” for instance, spent 22 weeks at No. 1 on R&B/hip-hop radio this 12 months. Not solely was she featured on Beyoncé’s “Transfer” alongside the icon Grace Jones, Tems was recruited to co-write Rihanna’s “Raise Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Endlessly, incomes the singers their first Oscar nominations.
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Lainey Wilson
Picture Credit score: Rob Kim/Getty Photographs Lengthy gone are the times that Wilson made a residing impersonating Hannah Montana. The nation music star is on the high of her recreation — and if you happen to don’t imagine us, simply ask the CMA Awards. The singer led in nominations ultimately 12 months’s CMAs, and he or she’s finished it once more this 12 months, pulling in 9 noms — even incomes a bid for entertainer of the 12 months, which isn’t straightforward to tug off when your first hit track solely got here three years in the past. However Wilson is particular, and the nation music world has adored the breakthrough performer, who writes music that’s relatable and actual. And performing continues to be one among her hobbies — Wilson landed a recurring function in season 5 of the hit collection Yellowstone, which has featured her music since its second season.
This story first appeared within the Sept. 20 problem of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.
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