Bad Bunny Tops Billboard’s 10 Greatest Pop Stars of 2025, Beating Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar

Bad Bunny has officially claimed the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s 10 Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 list. After rolling out the rankings throughout the week, Billboard revealed the top position today, placing Bad Bunny ahead of major names like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, and Sabrina Carpenter.

Billboard credited the Puerto Rican artist’s dominant year to several key accomplishments, including his sixth studio album Debí Tirar Más Fotos and his widely praised “No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí” residency. Together, those projects helped solidify his cultural and commercial impact across music, touring, and global pop influence. As of now, Bad Bunny hasn’t publicly reacted to the honor.

Looking ahead, 2026 is already shaping up to be another massive year for the superstar. He’s nominated for six GRAMMY Awards at this year’s ceremony, set for February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. His nominations include Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Música Urbana Album, Best Global Music Performance, and Best Album Cover.

Beyond awards season, Bad Bunny is also preparing for one of the biggest stages in entertainment: headlining the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on February 8. That announcement has sparked controversy, particularly among conservative commentators and politicians. Donald Trump even weighed in last October, dismissing the choice and questioning why the NFL selected him.

The backlash went as far as a Change.org petition calling for Bad Bunny to be replaced by George Strait, which reportedly gathered over 95,000 signatures. The petition criticized Bad Bunny’s fashion and performance style, arguing it didn’t align with what some viewers expect from the Super Bowl stage.

Despite the criticism, Billboard’s ranking underscores just how dominant Bad Bunny’s run has been. Whether through chart-topping music, sold-out shows, or cultural influence, 2025 firmly belonged to him—and by the looks of it, that momentum isn’t slowing down anytime soon.