Taylor Swift emerged as 2025’s best-selling global artist, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced Wednesday, marking her sixth time receiving the honour. The recognition follows the commercial success of her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl.”
According to Billboard, the album recorded the biggest first-week sales of the modern era, citing data from Luminate. IFPI said Swift dominated global consumption across streaming, digital downloads and physical formats, boosted further by the release of her tour documentary “The End of an Era.”
Swift first claimed the IFPI global recording artist title in 2014, later repeating the feat in 2019 and consecutively from 2022 through 2024. With her latest win, she has matched the combined total of all other artists over the past decade, underscoring both her sustained popularity and carefully coordinated global releases, the organisation noted.
Global rankings highlight diverse competition
The IFPI calculates the award using worldwide performance across all formats throughout the calendar year, measuring an artist’s full catalogue rather than a single release. This methodology highlights consistent engagement across multiple markets and platforms.
K-pop group Stray Kids secured second place for 2025, reflecting continued global growth in Korean pop music. Meanwhile, Canadian rapper Drake ranked third, maintaining his long-standing presence among the world’s most commercially successful artists.
The latest ranking reinforces Swift’s enduring influence in the recorded music industry, with strong sales and streaming numbers driving her continued dominance worldwide.
