Taylor Swift tops this list of artists with the most Billboard Music Awards

Written by:
April 26, 2019
Updated on July 23, 2020
Christopher Polk/Billboards2012/Getty Images for ABC

Taylor Swift tops this list of artists with the most Billboard Music Awards

Taylor Swift, whose , sits atop the throne for artists who have won the most Billboard Awards since they were first given out in 1990. scoured to present the following list of 16 artists who have garnered the most Billboard Music Awards since the award show's conception in 1990, ranked by the number of awards won. All artists who have won Billboard awards in any category were considered.

Billboard magazine has been around for more than a hundred years, and the magazine has in music since 1936. The Billboard charts tell the story of a year in music鈥攏ot the best songs or the most important ones, but the ones that played again and again on the radio waves. Pop music is a shared history for people of a certain age; almost everyone knows the words to their era's #1 hits, whether that be "Bridge Over Troubled Water" or "In Da Club."

While the Grammys mirror the Oscars with Academy voters selecting the winners, the Billboard Music Awards . The awarded artists are decided based on popularity, sales, radio play, tour revenue, and other factors. This award ceremony took a four-year hiatus from 2007 to 2010 before returning with slightly different categories in 2011. The 2020 awards, for which Kelly Clarkson had been tapped as host for the third time, were postponed due to coronavirus .

Though music genres have become increasingly fluid, it's reasonable to classify four of the top 16 Billboard Music Award winners as rappers and 2.5 as country singers. However, the majority of winners are R&B singers. While the , the numbers don't lie: There's not a single rock band among the top 16 most decorated artists. Many believe this is an era of hip hop, R&B, dance music, and country鈥攅ven more straightforward "pop" music is some amorphous mix of two or more of those genres.

Keep reading to discover the 16 artists with the most Billboard Music Awards.

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#12. Mary J. Blige (tie)

Awards won: 10

R&B legend Mary J. Blige has been winning music and acting awards for an incredible three decades. Her 1994 album 鈥淢y Life鈥 was awarded Billboard's R&B Album of the Year in 1995. The album was also  on Rolling Stone's list of 500 greatest albums of all time. In 2005, Blige released 鈥淭he Breakthrough鈥 which cleaned up at the Billboard Music Awards. She won nine awards at the 2006 event, including R&B/Hip-Hop Song of the Year for her megahit 鈥淏e Without You,鈥 which spent 33 weeks on the Billboard charts.

#12. Eminem (tie)

Awards won: 10

It's hard to remember, given his precipitous fall, but there was a time around the year 2000 the best rapper alive. The antagonistic singer from Detroit broke through with guest spots on Dr. Dre's 鈥2001鈥 before putting out back-to-back classic albums. Eminem won his first Billboard Music Award for 鈥淭he Eminem Show," which nabbed 2002's Album of the Year. In 2009, the Billboard's Artist of the Decade for the 2000s.

#12. Destiny's Child (tie)

Awards won: 10

Before she was a one-name industry-dominating force of nature, Beyonc茅 Knowles was the frontwoman for Destiny's Child, a girl group out of Houston, Texas, that became a powerhouse in its own right. Beyonc茅 sang beside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and the band broke through with its second album, 鈥淭he Writing's On The Wall,鈥 before hitting its ultimate peak with the 2001 release of the album 鈥淪urvivor.鈥 Destiny's Child had , a #2 hit, and four #3 hits during its 16-year run. The band won Artist of the Year in 2000 and 2001, and Top Female Artist of the Decade for the 2000s.

#12. Carrie Underwood (tie)

Awards won: 10

After winning season four of 鈥淎merican Idol,鈥 country singer Carrie Underwood became a force on the country and Top 40 charts, selling more than 65 million records in her 14-year career. Underwood's 2005 debut album 鈥淪ome Hearts鈥 earned her the Grammy for Best New Artist, and her next three albums all debuted at #1 on the all-genre Billboard 200. She to have four country albums land atop the Billboard 200 charts. Underwood has won 10 Billboard Music Awards and is nominated for two more for her 2018 album 鈥淐ry Pretty.鈥 She  "American Idol" winner in the show's history.

#12. 50 Cent (tie)

Awards won: 10

The Queens-born rapper first made a name for himself with the track "How to Rob," in which he detailed ways he'd stick up well-known and prominent artists. The young rapper seemed on his way, but was while sitting in a car in Jamaica, Queens. 50 Cent recovered and was signed by Dr. Dre and Eminem. His debut album "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" came out in February 2003 and vaulted 50 Cent to rap's elite. The legendary album  that year, and earned 50 Cent five Grammy nominations and two #1 hits. 50 Cent won 10 Billboard Music Awards between 2003 and 2005.

#10. Lil Jon (tie)

Awards won: 11

The Atlanta DJ crunk, a fast-paced rap genre out of Atlanta. Along with his band The East Side Boyz, Lil Jon hit the scene with their debut album 鈥淕et Crunk, Who U Wit: Da Album鈥 in 1997. Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz only grew more prominent with each of their next four releases, which included charting singles 鈥淏ia' Bia',鈥 鈥淟overs and Friends,鈥 and 鈥淕et Low.鈥 When Lil Jon went solo in 2006, he didn't slow down, charting again with 鈥淪nap Yo Fingers鈥 and much later with 2013's 鈥淭urn Down for What.鈥 (The latter's music video nearly 850 million times on YouTube.) Lil Jon was also regularly featured on songs by other prominent Atlanta acts, including Usher, Ludacris, Ying Yang Twins, and YoungBloodZ. Lil Jon won the first three of his 11 Billboard Music Awards in 2003鈥攊ncluding R&B/Hip Hop Group of the Year鈥攁nd his last in 2015 for 鈥淭urn Down for What.鈥

#10. Janet Jackson (tie)

Awards won: 11

The youngest of the Jackson children, Janet Jackson began performing on stage at giant venues and acting in TV shows at age 7. Jackson put out her first two solo albums as a teenager. However, it was her third album, 鈥淐ontrol,鈥 released in 1986, as a force-of-nature pop star. 鈥淲hen I Think of You鈥 became Jackson's first #1 hit. She had nine more chart-topping singles during her career. Jackson won her first eight Billboard Music Awards at the 1990 event, following her mega-selling 1989 album 鈥淛anet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814鈥 which is the only album to have a #1 single chart in three separate calendar years. She , her 11th Billboard Music Award, in 2018.

#9. Rihanna

Awards won: 12

It's hard to remember a world before Rihanna, but the singer from Barbados only broke into the music industry in 2005. Rihanna first hit #1 on the charts with 鈥淪OS鈥 in May 2006 and followed it up with the megahit 鈥淯mbrella鈥 in June 2007. Rihanna has had an incredible 14 #1 hits and has had 31 songs hit the Billboard Top 10. She has won 12 Billboard Music Awards and has been nominated 68 times. Rihanna also started two gigantic fashion brands鈥擣enty Beauty and Savage Lingerie鈥攁nd of $210 million.

(Editor's note: R. Kelly tied with Rihanna for 12 awards, but has not been included in the gallery due to recent controversies surrounding the artist.)

#8. Mariah Carey

Awards won: 14

Mariah Carey has a voice to be reckoned with. She can hit five octaves and than anyone in Rolling Stone's list of 100 greatest singers of all time. Following her iconic performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards (held in late February 1991), her self-titled debut rocketed to the top of the charts, where it stayed for 11 straight weeks. In total, Carey has an amazing 18 #1 hits spread over 18 years. Carey's 1994 Christmas song 鈥淎ll I Want for Christmas Is You鈥 is the most downloaded holiday song in history. She won 14 Billboard Music Awards between 1991 and 2005 and when she receives the ICON Award.

#7. Drake

Awards won: 15

Drake first started stealing hearts and minds as Jimmy Brooks on the Canadian teen drama "Degrassi: The Next Generation." In 2009, the rapper self-released his third mixtape "So Far Gone," which became a viral success. One of the album's singles, "Best I Ever Had," hit #2 on the charts. The next year, Drake released his first major-label album, "Thank Me Later," which debuted at #1. His music streams in 2018 accounted for 1.2% of all music streams worldwide with . Drake has won 15 Billboard Music Awards total, collecting 13 of them in a single record-breaking night at the 2017 awards show, following the release of his 2016 album "Views."

#6. Whitney Houston

Awards won: 16

One of the true powerhouse divas in history, Whitney Houston arrived at age 19 ready to take over the music world. Her first two studio albums hit #1 on the Billboard 200, and she had 11 #1 hits between 1985 and 1995. In 1992, Houston starred alongside Kevin Costner in 鈥淭he Bodyguard,鈥 and her soundtrack for the film is the best-selling in history. Her cover of Dolly Parton's 鈥淚 Will Always Love You鈥 by a female artist in history. Houston won 11 of her 16 Billboard Music Awards in 1993 following the record-breaking release of 鈥淭he Bodyguard鈥 soundtrack. She at the 2012 event posthumously, after she died of an overdose earlier that year.

#4. Adele (tie)

Awards won: 18

With a truly striking voice, the British singer Adele broke onto the international scene with her 2008 debut album 鈥19.鈥 Adele won Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammys, but it was her second album 鈥21鈥 that rocketed her to the music industry's throne. 鈥21鈥 hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for 24 weeks; it was on the charts for . In 2015, Adele released her third album, 鈥25,鈥 which also hit #1 on the Billboard 200. 鈥21鈥 had three #1 hits, including 鈥淩olling in the Deep,鈥 and her 鈥25鈥 album had one, 鈥淗ello.鈥 Adele 12 Billboard Music Awards in 2012 following 鈥21.鈥 She won five more in 2016, amounting to 18 total wins.

#4. Usher (tie)

Awards won: 18

Usher released his first album in 1994, but it wasn't until a decade later that it became clear the R&B singer was a legendary performer. His 2004 album 鈥淐onfessions鈥 dominated the year, eventually in 2012. Four of Usher's nine #1 hits were on his classic album, including 鈥淵eah!鈥 which spent 12 weeks in the top spot. Usher won 11 awards at the Billboard Music Awards in 2004, including Billboard 200 Album of the Year. He has 18 in total. Usher won R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year in 1998 and was nominated again 15 years later in 2013.

#3. Garth Brooks

Awards won: 19

Garth Brooks became a country star the instant he released his self-titled debut album in 1989, but it was his 1990 second album 鈥淣o Fences鈥 that made him a crossover star. The album featured his classic song 鈥淔riends in Low Places鈥 and vaulted to #3 on the Billboard 200. Brooks followed 鈥淣o Fences鈥 with megahit after megahit. As of last year, he in history (148 million), trailing only The Beatles. Brooks has been nominated for 23 Billboard Music Awards and has won 19.

#2. Justin Bieber

Awards won: 20

Justin Bieber was famously discovered at 14 by manager Scooter Braun, who saw the young Canadian's YouTube videos and signed him, along with Usher and L.A. Reid. The next year, in 2009, Bieber put out his debut EP "My World," which hit #5 on the Billboard 200. The teenager was a singing and dancing phenom and quickly followed up his debut with three full-length albums from 2010 to 2012 which all hit #1. Bieber's 2015 album "Purpose" featured "Sorry," "What Do You Mean?" and "Love Yourself," which each topped the Billboard Hot 100. In 2017, he hopped on tracks by DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee, and Luis Fonsi, which hit #1. But early stardom has led to some instability for Bieber, who has found himself in trouble and . He took two years off performing before at Ariana Grande's 2019 Coachella performance. Bieber has won 20 awards and has been nominated 48 times. His first seven wins came in 2011, and he won five more awards at the 2018 ceremony.

#1. Taylor Swift

Awards won: 23

Love her or hate her鈥攊t's impossible to deny the genius of Taylor Swift. The Nashville pop star released her self-titled debut country album at 16 and instantly became a force on the Billboard charts. That album peaked at #5 and featured 鈥淥ur Song,鈥 which hit #1. Her 2008 follow-up, 鈥淔earless,鈥 of 2009 and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. (She won a second Album of the Year Grammy in 2015 for 鈥1989.鈥) In 2012, Swift shifted from country to pop with her album 鈥淩ed.鈥 She nabbed her first #1 hit with 鈥淲e Are Never Ever Getting Back Together鈥 in September of that year. Swift has become one of the wealthiest musicians in history, with  of $320 million. Her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour was the , bringing in $266.1 million. Swift has won a record 23 Billboard Music Awards, netting eight in both 2013 and 2015.

Swift made a surprise announcement on July 23 that her eighth album, "Folklore," would drop that night.

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