#10: Drake 

My number ten music artist of the 21st century is Drake, who is easily one of the most well known rappers both in Canada and in the United States. Though he has some great hits that he’s done himself, he’s much more of an accomplished feature artist in my personal opinion. He features in quite a few amazing songs and, musically, brings a lot to the table. I put him at number ten because he honestly is a great artist. Though he definitely isn’t my number one, a lot of people seem to enjoy his songs and the songs he features in, including myself. He has a style that many people can place, and I can appreciate consistency (while still changing it up and being unique) in a music artist.

# 9: Brendon Urie from Panic! At The Disco 

My number nine music artist is Brendon Urie. Some don’t know him as Brendon Urie — if you don’t recognize his name, he is the lead singer of the well known band Panic! At The Disco. They make alternative and punk rock music known for hits such as “I Write Sins Not Tragedies”, “High Hopes”, and “Emperor’s New Clothes”. He has one of the best male voices in music throughout the 21st century. Panic! At The Disco has quite a few popular songs as a band, but Brendon Urie is an often under-appreciated artist when featuring a solo or duetting with other artists. He deserves a spot in the top ten artists of the century.

#8: Billie Eilish 

Ny number eight was tougher than I thought it would be, but I have to give it to Billie Eilish. Billie Eilish is a newer artist, but I believe the albums that she has released so far prove her current talent and the talent that is to come. Even though “Bad Guy” is one of the most popular released songs she has and a main reason she is well known, she also has other songs that show off her unique style and reveal who she is as an artist, some of which include “Everything I Wanted”, “Ocean Eyes”, “Lovely” (feat. Khalid), and “Therefore I Am”. Her brother, Finneas O’Connell, is her producer and does an amazing job highlighting her talent.

#7: Dua Lipa  

My number seven is Dua Lipa. In all honesty, she is my current favorite artist. You might be thinking, “If she’s your favorite, why isn’t she number one?”. The answer is that Dua Lipa is still a new artist and I acknowledge that she definitely has room for improvement. She isn’t quite as striking and iconic as some other artists on this list in many peoples’ eyes, but she is still talented and has an interesting music style. She has two albums: one is her debut self titled album “Dua Lipa” and the other is my current favorite album (and Grammy winning) “Future Nostalgia”. She is known for songs like “New Rules”, “Don’t Start Now”, “Electricity”, and, my personal favorite, “Levitating”. I highly recommend listening to her music. I think she could become one of the best pop artists of all time in the future if given the chance.

#6: H.E.R 

My number six has to be H.E.R. — one of the best R&B artists right now. A few of my favorite songs from her include “Damage”, “Best Part” (feat. Daniel Caesar), and her well known Grammy Winning “I Can’t Breathe”. She also performed “America the Beautiful” during this season’s Super Bowl 55 and proved that she has both extreme talent with her voice and with a guitar. She is overall an incredible music artist and definitely deserves to be on this list despite her relatively recent popularity.

#5: Katy Perry 

Do I even have to say anything? Katy Perry is my number five. She has numerous amazing hits that will literally never die, some of which include “Firework”, “California Gurls”, “Roar”, and others. Though I do somewhat enjoy some of her newer releases, I truly believe her talent and style can be seen more prominently throughout her older songs. They went viral for a reason, after all. Katy Perry is now a judge on American Idol and has been nominated for a total of 13 Grammys. Her music will never get old, and she is an absolute icon for late 2000s and 2010s pop.

#4: Taylor Swift 

It would be disrespectful to not put Taylor Swift, who has remained relevant throughout her entire career, in a high ranking spot. If the word “iconic” was a person, she would be it. She has won Album of the Year three times with three separate genres. Taylor Swift is known for her hit albums “Fearless”, “Red”, “1989”, and “Folklore”. Some of my favorite songs from her include “Cardigan”, “I knew You were Trouble”, ‘“22”, and “Mean”. I truly think she could be in the top ten music artists of all time, not just the 21st century — she truly has music for everybody. “Folklore” and “Evermore” are perfect for people who lean towards the alternative/indie side of music. “Lover”, “1989”, “Red”, and “Reputation” are perfect for those who like more traditional pop music. “Speak Now”, “Fearless”, and her debut album are perfect for people you enjoy country music. She has an incredible voice, a positive personality, and an impressive stage presence. Taylor Swift could be argued to be number one.

#3: Brittany Spears 

Brittany Spears is my number three. Come one — you thought there was going to be a top ten music artists of the century without Brittany Spears? Absolutely not. She is known as the “princess of pop” for good reason. Brittany Spears has hits that are still constantly listened to today, some of which include “Oops I Did It Again’”, “Toxic”, and “… Baby One More Time”. She is one of this century’s icons and single handedly revived pop in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Brittany was also a great feature artist on the song “Scream and Shout” by Will.i.am. She deserves this number three spot.

#2: Beyoncé 

Beyoncé started off with a group called Destiny’s Child and, after separating and embodying her own style, has now made history by receiving the most Grammy Awards (a total of 28). She definitely could (and will most likely) receive even more — I wouldn’t be surprised. A few Beyoncé albums that I personally enjoy include “Lemonade”, her self-titled “Beyoncé”, and “I Am… Sasha Fierce”. She deserves this number two spot because her music and personality will always be acknowledged as both incredible and iconic.

#1: Ariana Grande

Obviously, number one has to be Ariana Grande. Somehow, every single one of her songs is a showstopper. There is not a single song of hers that will not make everyone hearing it sing along and be in complete awe of her sheer talent. Her albums include “My Everything”, “Dangerous Woman”, “Sweetener”, “Thank U Next”, and her new album, “Positions”. She has one of the best voices on this planet and is an overall uplifting, sweet person. It would be disrespectful to not have her as the number one music artist of the 21st century.

*A few brief honorable mentions that didn’t quite make my personal top ten include Justin Bieber, Jay Z, and Luke Combs.*