Billboard released its year-end charts, with significant good news for both Drake and Taylor Swift. Drake found himself topping the Top Artists ranking for the year, in significant part due to his chart-topping album Scorpion with a number of hit singles (including ‘God’s Plan’, the No. 1 Hot 100 song of the year).
Drake is the first rap act to be the year’s top artist since 2005, and he is the third rapper to hold the position following 50 Cent (2003, 2005) and Nelly (2002). He is also the first male Canadian performer to top the list (the first Canadian performer to take the top spot was Alanis Morissette in 1996).
The year’s top female artist was Taylor Swift, ranking 4th on the Top Artists list and joined by the year’s top new artist Cardi B. (5th) and Camila Cabello (10th). Swift topped the Billboard 200 Albums recap with reputation, as she previously did in 2015 (with 1989) and 2009 (with Fearless).
