Taylor Swift Crowned Best-Selling Artist Again

London, 18 February 2026 (Reuters) – For the sixth time, Taylor Swift has been named the world’s best-selling artist of the year, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) announced on Wednesday. The recognition cements Swift’s remarkable global influence and commercial dominance in the music industry.

The accolade follows the unprecedented success of her latest studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, which Billboard reported sold more copies in its first week than any album in the modern era, according to data from Luminate. Swift’s achievement spans multiple formats, including streaming, digital downloads, and physical sales, underscoring her versatile appeal across global audiences.

Alongside the album, her tour documentary, The End of an Era, contributed to widespread engagement, capturing both live performance enthusiasts and streaming audiences worldwide. The IFPI highlighted that Swift’s combination of innovative release strategies and enduring creative output has enabled her to maintain consistent success on an international scale.

Swift’s recognition by the IFPI is not new. She first earned the title of Global Recording Artist of the Year in 2014, followed by another win in 2019, and a remarkable streak from 2022 through 2024. According to the IFPI, she has now matched the total number of awards won by all other artists combined over the past decade, a testament to both her artistic consistency and the strategic global management of her releases.

The IFPI calculates the award by analysing worldwide sales across all major music formats—streaming, downloads, and physical copies—over the course of a calendar year, taking into account the artist’s entire body of work.

In 2025, Swift was followed by K-pop sensation Stray Kids in second place and Canadian rapper Drake in third, highlighting the diverse global music landscape.

Top 5 IFPI Global Artists of 2025

The IFPI’s announcement reinforces Swift’s enduring position at the forefront of the global music industry and her unparalleled ability to connect with audiences across multiple platforms and regions.