Music’s Platinum Players: From Beyoncé to Chappell Roan, Meet the 25 Stars Who Are Setting the Culture Afire

Unhealthy Bunny

The Latin celebrity logged his sixteenth tune to succeed in greater than a billion streams on Spotify, hosted Saturday Night time Stay and co-chaired the Met Gala, all whereas finishing his hit-filled, moneymaking Most Needed Tour. His 5 albums are sitting comfortably within the high 30 on the Billboard Latin chart, from his full-length debut, 2018’s X 100pre, to final 12 months’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana. It’s clear Unhealthy Bunny by no means has a nasty 12 months.

Beyoncé

The artist with essentially the most wins in Grammy historical past continues to make use of music to entertain — and educate (to not point out endorse, with “Freedom” changing into Kamala Harris’ unofficial anthem). With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé gave the world a historical past lesson on the origins of nation music, and consequently, Black artists are discovering main success within the style. She’s additionally given us — surprisingly — a number of the finest collaborations of her profession. She and Miley Cryus are supernatural on “II Most Needed,” and who would have thought Publish Malone and Queen Bey mixing vocals can be otherworldly? 

Benson Boone

This 12 months has bequeathed many epic new abilities, and Boone is without doubt one of the frontrunners. The 22-year-old well left American Idol in 2021 to pursue his music full time, and he discovered main success with the pop-rock anthem “Lovely Issues,” which went viral on TikTok in 2024. He adopted it up with one other hit, “Gradual It Down,” and has opened for Swift on her Eras Tour. These achievements make him a shoo-in nominee for the very best new artist Grammy.

Zach Bryan

Consistency is Bryan’s center title: He’s dropped albums in 2022, 2023 and 2024 like a rapper placing out hearth mixtapes. His newest, The Nice American Bar Scene, continues to show he’s on the street to celebrity standing: 17 songs from the mission hit the all-genre Billboard Scorching 100 and the album reached the No. 1 spot on a number of style charts, from nation to rock to Americana/folks. Bryan additionally obtained Bruce, sure that Bruce, to collaborate on a tune. Springsteen even joined Bryan onstage at a present in Philadelphia. Clearly, Bryan is a boss, too.

Sabrina Carpenter

You’d be mendacity in case you stated you didn’t love “Espresso,” within the operating for bop of the 12 months. The irresistible smash established Carpenter as a bona fide pop star, and the No. 1 follow-up, “Please Please Please,” solely sealed the deal. With the August launch of her album Brief n’ Candy and a tour of the identical title kicking off in September, the 25-year-old who toured with Swift and carried out at Coachella will proceed to attain musical firsts, together with including “Grammy nominee” as a prefix to her title. Truly, it’ll seemingly be “Grammy winner.”

Charli XCX

“Brat” summer time has develop into a way of life model because of Charli. Impressed by her explosive and carefree BRAT album, the Brit owned the summer time and is on monitor to take over the autumn, winter and spring, too. Her popular culture second has even turned political: She made Barack Obama’s summer time playlist and her endorsement of Kamala Harris helps the Democratic presidential nominee attain youthful voters. Charli may simply be thought-about the present VP’s MVP.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish

She kicked off the 12 months profitable her second Oscar and two extra Grammys, bringing her profession complete to 9 — and that was earlier than she launched an album. Then got here Hit Me Laborious and Tender, one other lofty Eilish affair that launched extra high 10 hits for the younger icon, together with “Lunch” and the fascinating “Birds of a Feather.” The latter was used to tease the upcoming season of Netflix’s Heartstopper, was carried out on the Olympics closing ceremony and is bound to win Eilish, and her brother/producer/engineer/co-writer Finneas, a pair extra Grammys.

Eminem

His new album ended the 12-week reign of Swift’s The Tortured Poets Division on high of the Billboard 200 albums chart, proving Slim Shady’s nonetheless obtained it. The Loss of life of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) grew to become Em’s eleventh No. 1 album and scored the biggest week for any rap album this 12 months. The album contains the hit “Houdini,” marking his first high 10 hit on pop radio since “The Monster,” that includes Rihanna, dominated airwaves. 

Ariana Grande

After releasing back-to-back albums, the vocalist took a four-year break earlier than dropping this 12 months’s Everlasting Sunshine, one in all her most emotional albums to this point. And it has linked with followers in an enormous manner, reaching the No. 1 spot whereas its singles “Sure And?” and “We Can’t Be Buddies (Look ahead to Your Love)” additionally topped the charts. She enlisted R&B icons like Mariah Carey, Brandy and Monica for remixes, and her collaboration together with her 98-year-old grandmother on “Strange Issues” made Nonna the oldest act to chart on the Scorching 100. Oh, and Depraved is out in November. Grand 12 months for Grande.

Hozier

A decade in the past, Hozier made a splash with the unconventional and thrilling rock monitor “Take Me to Church,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Scorching 100. This 12 months, he’s returned to his candy spot — on high of the charts — with “Too Candy.” It hit the No. 1 place this 12 months, making him the primary Irish artist to perform that feat in 34 years, following Sinéad O’Connor’s success with “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1990. 

Jimin

Although BTS remains to be on hiatus, the band members proceed to search out success by solo tasks. Jimin practically topped the Billboard 200 with Muse, one spot behind Stray Youngsters’ ATE. However it traditionally marked the primary time two Okay-pop acts held the highest two positions on the chart. And his single “Muse” hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard International 200 and debuted at No. 12 on the Scorching 100.

Kendrick Lamar

The rap prince’s beef with Drake was a worldwide anthem and will develop into the primary diss monitor to win a serious Grammy. “Not Like Us,” which has topped the pop and rap charts, additional proves why Lamar is a Pulitzer Prize winner and hip-hop’s main lyricist: It’s intelligent, tactful, inventive and poignant. And somewhat petty. Perhaps loads petty. 

Megan Thee Stallion

Kendrick isn’t the one one topping the charts with a diss monitor this 12 months. Megan’s “Hiss,” geared toward Nicki Minaj, debuted at No. 1 on the Scorching 100, and he or she scored one other hit with “Wanna Be” with GloRilla, who’s opening for the “Scorching Lady Summer season” rapper on her sold-out enviornment tour. Her electrical efficiency at Kamala Harris’ Atlanta rally matched the surge of vitality surrounding the VP’s presidential marketing campaign. And Megan’s not stopping there: After going viral with “Savage” in 2020, she is trending on TikTok with “Mamushi,” that includes Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba.

Victoria Monét

Her major-label debut, Jaguar II, was named THR’s high album of 2023 and earned her seven Grammy noms. She went on to win three and have become the primary Black lady in Grammy historical past to obtain the coveted finest engineered album (non-classical) honor. The tune she wrote whereas battling postpartum, the hip-hop-flavored gem “On My Mama,” grew to become a world anthem, and its music video gained video of the 12 months at June’s BET Awards. With a brand new spicy single that includes Usher, Monét is on the cash.

Publish Malone

How does one high working with each Beyoncé and Swift in the identical 12 months? Following his appearances on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter and Swift’s The Tortured Poets Division, Publish Malone continues his profitable streak along with his foray into nation music on F-1 Trillion. That album options much more high-profile collabs, from Dolly Parton to Chris Stapleton to Morgan Wallen, who seems on “I Want Some Assist,” which has spent six weeks on high of the Scorching 100. Everybody desires a chunk of Publish.

Tommy Richman

The breakthrough singer has spent greater than 4 months (and counting) on high of Billboard’s Scorching R&B songs chart with the addictive “Million Greenback Child.” The monitor, which exploded on TikTok, peaked at No. 2 on the Scorching 100, and the Virginia native signed to R&B singer Brent Faiyaz’s label has extra up his sleeve, together with the highest 40 follow-up “Satan Is a Lie.” 

Chappell Roan

Roan is on roll. Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, was launched a 12 months in the past however continues to rise on the Billboard chart. Her songs are streaming like loopy, with “Scorching to Go!” and “Good Luck, Babe!” — from her upcoming album — main the pack. Her dwell performances have been revered, and he or she’s saturating all points of popular culture, from music to vogue to social media. A few of her followers? Girl Gaga, Adele and the Elton John. 

Shaboozey

Beyoncé placing Shaboozey on two Cowboy Carter tracks would make him worthy of this record alone. However the hybrid performer ran with the ball and scored along with his third album, The place I’ve Been, Isn’t The place I’m Going. His single, “A Bar Music (Tipsy),” has dominated the nation charts, topped the all-genre Scorching 100 and proved that Black artists on the modern nation scene isn’t a development, it’s the norm.

Stray Youngsters

This 12 months has been one for the document books for Stray Youngsters. The Okay-pop all-stars topped the Billboard 200 with ATE, changing into the primary group ever to debut at No. 1 with their first 5 charting albums. Their tune “Splash” is featured on the soundtrack for the field workplace hit Deadpool & Wolverine; in addition they hit on the Met Gala; and after years of dominating Billboard’s World and International charts, the group landed three songs on the all-genre Scorching 100 chart: “Lalalala,” “Lose My Breath” with Charlie Puth and the still-climbing “Chk Chk Increase.” 

Taylor Swift

Do I would like to jot down something right here? Her historic fourth win for album of the 12 months on the Grammys; record-breaking streams for The Tortured Poets Division; her ongoing Eras Tour: When is Swift not profitable? Even her boyfriend is a champ. Every little thing she touches turns into gold (and platinum and diamond).

Teddy Swims

With a big-ass voice filled with soul, Swims has develop into one to look out for. His commanding single “Lose Management” topped the Billboard Scorching 100 and makes him one of the nominated acts on the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, the place he’s up for tune of the 12 months and finest new artist. He’ll seemingly earn the identical nominations on the Grammys.

SZA

It was the season of SZA in 2023, however her success simply has spilled over to 2024. Her SOS album, launched in December 2022, nonetheless ranks as one of the streamed albums of the 12 months, and her hit “Snooze” was nonetheless in rotation, spending 70 weeks on the Scorching 100 and setting a document on city radio. She gained three Grammys and launched her tenth high 10 hit this 12 months with “Saturn,” from the upcoming album Lana. It’s by no means not SZA season.

Tinashe

Ten years in the past, Tinashe burst on the music scene with the inescapable, beat-driven smash “2 On” from Aquarius, an album that also sounds stable at present. However she’s again on the charts with the viral anthem “Nasty,” which is the TikTok hit of the 12 months. Killer dance strikes plus slick lyrics make the tune simple. And he or she’s obtained extra hearth tunes prefer it, from final 12 months’s “Wants” to any tune on her just lately launched Quantum Child album.

Tyla

After profitable followers over with “Water,” Tyla proved she would escape one-hit-wonder standing. Whereas her Met Gala “sand gown” put her on the map for vogue watchers, Tyla’s self-titled debut is a important success because of tracks like “ART,” “Reality or Dare” and “No.1.” And he or she’s nonetheless swimming within the success of “Water”: The tune sits atop the Billboard Afrobeats charts, 10 months and counting, and the bop gained the inaugural finest African music efficiency Grammy earlier this 12 months.

Kali Uchis

You couldn’t put Uchis in a field in case you tried. The Colombian American singer, whose mix of R&B and Latin music is a profitable components, ranked second on THR’s high albums of 2023 record with Purple Moon in Venus, and fewer than a 12 months later she put out one other best-of-the-year contender with Orquídeas. It grew to become her highest-charting album when it reached No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200 this 12 months and in addition gained finest pop album on the 2024 Latin American Music Awards.

This story first appeared within the Sept. 4 subject of The Hollywood Reporter journal. Click on right here to subscribe.