Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights.
To celebrate the first 25 years of the twenty-first century, Billboard has unveiled its ranking of the top 100 women artists of the era. The list includes all of the biggest superstars of our time - but, of course, only females and groups fronted by them - from veteran hitmakers who have been at it for decades to newer names who have managed to break records and claim chart-topping smashes in just a few years.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, only a small number of musicians born in the 2000s appear on the ranking. What is shocking, however, is how incredibly well those who were born this century have performed, especially when compared to many artists with much longer careers.
The youngest stars who land on Billboard's quarter-century roster are Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo. Both of them place within the top 25 - an incredible feat considering their relatively short time in the industry.
The highest-ranked musician born this century on Billboard's chart is Billie Eilish. At just 23 years old, she has already turned herself into one of the most successful women in music this century.
Eilish has scored multiple top 10 singles on the Hot 100, including "Bad Guy," which reached No. 1, and other major wins like "Everything I Wanted" and "Therefore I Am," as well as her current smash, "Birds of a Feather." Her music has resonated across streaming platforms, with her tracks regularly amassing hundreds of millions of plays, if not billions.
The Grammy and Oscar winner's albums discography is just as impressive. Two of her full-lengths -- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and Happier Than Ever - debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while her most recent effort Hit Me Hard and Soft only missed the penthouse by one space.
All three of her collections, as well as her debut EP Don't Smile at Me, spawned multiple smashes and lived on the weekly rankings for years. In fact, it's not unusual to see most of them on the Billboard 200 at the same time.
Olivia Rodrigo isn't far behind Eilish, placing at No. 21 on the Billboard's chart. While she was first introduced to the public as part of the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series franchise, it didn't take long for her to step out of that world and become a true pop sensation.
Rodrigo's career skyrocketed with the release of her debut single, "Driver's License." The song made history when it debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in early 2021, a rare feat for a new artist's first proper release. She quickly proved that she wasn't a one-hit wonder, following up with more smashes, including "Good 4 U" and "Vampire," two more No. 1 hits, as well as the top 10 successes "Deja Vu" and "Traitor."
Her first album, Sour, was a commercial juggernaut. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained in the top 10 for months. It went on to become one of the bestselling albums of the year and solidified Rodrigo as a pop heavyweight. Her sophomore effort, Guts, followed a similar trajectory.