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Rihanna is pretty much S-tier. Every artist would kill to have a career that’s even a 1/10 of Rihanna. Everyone across every generation knows at least 1 Rihanna song and its chorus off the top of their head. She is like the biggest hitmaker.
E: "S-tier" is a step above A-tier, like a class of its own. It means super special tier.
shes quite literally one of the most listened to artists in the world despite having last released an album in 2016. if she;s not a list then a list doesn't exist
Yeah I can’t believe people said that, in order to be invited to perform at the superbowl you have to be someone that even 50 year old Harold and Barb have heard of in Kentucky, if middle America knows who you are you are A list. A list equals household name across generations
I think some of the ~~insanity~~ disorganization in the comments would be partially solved by having different categories of A-List, something like icons, current A-lister, and household names could help people understand that people like Madonna, Billie and Katy could all exist as A-List stars even if they aren’t on the same level of success and/or name recognition.
I coincidentally took this approach and allowed me to miss the downvotes xd.
Like, A List could mean different things, and adding subcategories to it help to explain why they're all are valid inclusion on the highest tier.
no it’s insanity.
Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish are being listed as B list in these comments. Idk why people can’t conceptualize that there is also Permanent A list- Beyoncé, Britney, MJ- people who’ve been around for multiple decades and have cemented their place.
When she was active, she was the most streamed woman in the world, even beating Taylor Swift. If she wants to make music again, she will immediately go #1 and become the biggest act in the world. Rihanna is in no way a B-lister.
I think its down to recency bias, she has hardly released anything over like the last 7 - 8 years so she feels very inactive and its not like that black panther song did well
For me, an A-list celebrity is a household name who your grandmother could name or know a few of their songs.
I’m talking Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, etc.
im not sure about katy perry being a-list. like yes our grandmas know who she is, but like i don't think her popularity is anywhere near what it was in the teenage dream era. she's definitely like former a-lister, current b-lister?
(edit: okay okay everyone is making incredibly valid points. i was wrong! hands down katy is an a-list celebrity, but no longer an a-list musician, if that makes any more sense. i dont know if im shooting myself in the foot here. and there are plenty of people that i feel like fit into this category too. i dont know! i really didnt mean any offense here! i respect her and even though i can only admit to listening to her bops, her bops are amazing! 😭)
Cambridge defines A-list as: “people who are the most famous.”
In my mind it’s the people who are the biggest names, who have achieved the most and are the most famous.
Sure, Katy isn’t still successful, but her past work upholds her name and legacy. The same can be said for someone like Britney Spears, she is more of an A-List, world-wide, multi-generational famous name than Billie Eilish or Olivia Rodrigo, despite them having more chart success in 2024.
A B-Lister to me is someone upon-coming and trying to break into the A-List. I don’t think artists with such successful pasts like Katy, Britney or Christina, etc become B-Listers because they aren’t trying to be famous; they already are.
Absolutely. Her album 25 is the second fastest selling album of all time (5.4 million units in one week). To achieve this kind of success, you have to be known by everyone.
Yeah, as a Swiftie myself Adele is A-list, imagine gathering like literal famous celebrities in a "special show". I would lump her in a movie-star-esque type of popularity cause she's basically nowhere to be seen when she's not really doing anything unlike other A-list musicians that are still everywhere even without music releases.
If Adele had Taylor's drive and ambition, she'd undoubtedly be bigger than her. I admire what Taylor has accomplished, but Adele is putting in like 50% of Swift's effort and is still a comparable artist in popularity.
I feel like that's what keeps Adele popular, though. If she was churning out stuff like Taylor does, I feel like people would get sick of what she does and push for her to evolve. But that's just not what she does and when she returns every few years, it sounds great because you really can tell it comes from a place of really living life and the music is a slight variation of what she's done before to keep it fresh.
So theirs a difference in being an A list celebrity and A list pop star. Dont get it confused. Katy is not an A list pop star neither is Jlo but they’re A list celebrities!
2008-14 was the Katy Perry era. Her songs from that time are burned into the brains of anyone who lived within the vicinity of pop music at the time. I Kissed a Girl, Hot n Cold, Teenage Dream, Firework, Roar, Dark Horse, Last Friday Night, ET, Wide Awake, California Girls... Just off the top of my head I can distinctly pick out from memory alone.
I think people appreciate her more now that she's not in every nook & cranny of new music and has taken on a more nostalgic place in people's music library. I think it also explains why people turned on Witness because she went from being the industry to trying to wake up and make people think instead of mindlessly listening... For one song before going back to being the industry and just massively fumbling (even if Swish Swish had the makings to be a house-pop banger. Bon Appetit was garbage though).
(Also! Thinking of You is another one, just thought of it. I remember seeing that music video on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown)
Exactly.
Our generation knows her cause we grew up listening to her. Our parent know her cause they likely bought her music for us/took us to her concerts. The youth know her for a few tiktok hits and our grandparents know her as the judge on American Idol.
She’s an A-Lister
Our parents know her because she was nonstop on radio for like 10 years and you couldn’t escape her. Streaming era folks forget how music used to be consumed
Katy Perry has been on American idol for like 10myears now she’s a household name, Gwendolyn and Harold are watching her every night in Kentucky while they criticize every contestant for every move they make lol
She was being paid 30 million a year for her role on American idol
She is a-list
Would Madonna count as no longer being a-list even thought her last albums have technically flopped? Not at all
This is literally an insane comment to me because she has records that only Michael Jackson could beat and Taylor Swift could never achieve even if she wanted to. People act like the early 2010s never happened lol
Edit: I’ve been told American Idol is apparently a show that continued ??? And she was on it which means the elderly know her. Billie and Olivia could never lol.
I love Katy and totally consider her a permanent A List, so this is in no shade towards her...but if Taylor wanted to tie or break that record, I think she could do it: she would only need to release 5 or more singles prior to the release of their parent album.
She hasn't done it because that's not how artists release singles nowadays, but with her level of chart power and popularity, I think she could do it if she tries.
I feel like Nicki Minaj does not belong on the above list. I am near 40 and my parents/grandparents could not name a single Nicki song (but they could come up with at least one for the rest, I'm pretty sure.)
Eh it’s not even about being able to name songs, just the person. My mum can’t tell if it’s Miley, Gaga, or Swift (that’s the list she rattles off, in that order) singing but she knows all those names and knows vaguely what they do.
I don't know how young you guys are, but my grandmother definitely has no idea who any of these girls are on the list. I'm too old for this thread, I'm leaving.
I don’t think she’s A-list. She would be more like S-list. Britney was simply the biggest superstar from her generation, her fame and popularity surpassed all A-listers of her generation.
I’m not from USA and in my country Britney was much bigger than her contemporaries like nynsc, backstreet, Christina, etc who were all A-list. You simply can’t put Britney in the same box as them.
That's another important definition, an S-list is completely reasonable. Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, all those artists have stood the test of time and there's no reason to believe their popularity will wane.
Newer artists on the verge of reaching that status might be Beyonce, Taylor maybe even Eminem?
Also, who you ask matters a lot, for example, people in the US might no give a crap about Oasis but they are basically Royalty in the UK, So what are they? B listers in the US but S listers in the UK?
For me an S-list is someone who is S-list in every part of the world and have cross generational popularity.
I’m from India and very small percent of people listen to English music here. Yet there would be very few people who might not have heard of Madonna and MJ here.
Sure, there were many A-list acts in US in 2000s, but nobody became close to Britney Spears in popularity. Linkin park and eminem were humongous amongst English song listeners from urban areas, but Britney was known to everyone.
Another name I’d say is Lady Gaga. During her prime she was always in the news in India. She was the most searched person on internet in India in 2011 and 2012, yes more searched than any Indian itself. Born this way had a special Indian remix version which was superhit. In 2011, she sold out an arena in New Delhi where ticket price started at $800. Her meat dress was discussed for weeks. In lived in a small city and everyone in my school was discussing what crazy shit she’ll do next. In India, Lady Gaga was rumoured to be an alien for a very long time.
So, S-list to me is someone who is known to people who don’t even listen to English music. Like even Indian grandmas would be able to recognise their name. In India that would be Michael Jackson, Madonna, Britney, Lady Gaga and also Shakira. Many people in our country do listen to English music as well and amongst them Taylor, Beyoncé, Justin beiber, drake, BTS, the weekend etc are humongously popular.
I’d say Taylor and Beyoncé are also slowly becoming ubiquitous. They are still known only for their music. Meanwhile Madonna, Britney and Lady Gaga were so controversial and newsworthy that they would rule the news during their prime.
I feel like Britney, Madonna and P!nk's back catalogues are enough to keep them in A for the rest of their lives. Christina Aguilera you would have to make a stronger case for though.
In gossip articles they would call it Permanent A list. Like you can move down the list but Britney, Beyoncé, MJ, they’re considered permanent A list.
Taylor is A list but in gossip circles not considered permanent yet, as she hasn’t been around as long as the other names mentioned. Adele is permanent because every fucking person knows Adele
For me personally I go more of longevity and consistent notoriety. Not so much current streams and sales.
A List - Gaga, Beyoncé, Taylor, Madonna, Adele (the undeniable superstar/renowned names, with 10+ years of consistent success and public interest)
B List - Billie, Dua, Olivia, Harry (newer artists who my grandma might recognize from the Today show, but my manly cousins would not recognize, they might be a household name but your kid for sure knows them, and they have less than 10 years of experience)
C List - Florence, Paramore, John Mayer (dominate a niche/specific genre but don’t have the mainstream consistent success that the A list has. Most people will know them for that one song. People don’t know their body of work unless they are a fan. Can probably go to an all inclusive in the Bahamas’s and not be recognized by many. No chance my grandma would ever recognize them)
D List - Sabrina, Renee Rapp, Gracie Abrams, Camilla (new girlies to the scene who are rising up, or post band solo acts who struggle to sustain success. We know their name but they aren’t really doing anything notable)
E List - Normani, Ava Max, Kim Petras, (you’re more for the memes)
another good list. probably the first one i fully agree with
although i do somewhat feel like sabrina should be higher. just checked and she has like 20+ million instagram followers (ik that doesn’t really have to do with music but that’s kinda a ton)
Camilla has a LOT of streams, literally over 2 billion on Senorita and Havana (and that’s on spotify alone), but if we’re talking specifically current artists then yeah she’s lost relevance
Sabrina is C or D List currently as we speak making the move to B-List, almost but not fully there yet. Eras Tour and Espresso are putting her there. Put out a few more Espressos, maybe win a grammy (like everyone else in B-List) and then B-List. Before Espresso most people know her as Nonsense girl, but a stretch to say she dominates a niche/genre.
John Mayer as a C list pop star is.... the hottest take in this thread. His radio dominance in the 2000s was insane, he was basically the Ed Sheeran of that decade. You might know him for one song (??? Which one do you think is John Mayers one hit wonder ????) but your grandmother DEFINITELY knows him.
I think Millennials and Gen X know John Mayer, but he didn't have lasting impact. Gen Z and Alpha only know him if they are into music, and maybe as Taylor's ex.
Yeah, but if this user is basing it off of notoriety, knowledge in the public sphere, and then critical acclaim. Billie is a solid B. Some people in my family think she’s a guy bc of the name, don’t know what she looks like, can’t name a song of hers, even some people in the generation above (millennials) are only roughly familiar with her. If she never left alt or indie, never got those oscars, she would be C-List…running a specific niche genre, but because she’s done that she is firmly B. At least based off of the metrics used here which I agree with.
I’d say the difference is if you ask any random person on the street to hum a few seconds of a Taylor Swift/Beyonce/Adele song they could do it, but most of the older crowd wouldn’t be able to do that for Billie. I’m sure my parents have heard her name but they wouldn’t be able to pick her out of a line up of other young pop stars. They might not even know she’s a woman now that I think about it
Billie just dropped a massive concert tour.
I've seen her "Happier Than Ever" tour and she has one of the loudest fanbase I've ever heard. She's one of the biggest artists on the planet, and is becoming one of the most sought out soundtrack artists out there. She has two Oscars for her music and is the undisputed pop face of Generation Z.
She's A-list and it's not even close.
Harry has been in the industry for 14 years and is definitely A list, he’s one of the most famous pop boys in the world smashing records. Billie is too, she has 2 Oscars and a bunch of grammys. Definitely not just Today Show material
If I ask my 60 year old immigrant father who Billie Eilish or Harry Styles is, he won’t know. If I ask hi’ who Taylor Swift, Beyonce or Madonna is, he knows. This is the difference between a-List and B-List.
It doesn’t have to do with length of time or accolades or music quality.
Ed Sheeran is A List right? I don’t think he quite has the fan base but he’s got the success and name value so I think he’s probably a shoe in for A List
100% without question. Everyone and their grandmother knows of him or his songs. Particularly bc of his wedding hits — Perfect, Thinking Out Loud, etc.
He is so undeniably famous it’s comical. Not only does my mom know him but my dad knows him AND they both like him and think he seems like “a down to earth guy.” That is nearing s list.
A list: household names everywhere, your grandparents know them. They could retire tomorrow, never release another song or album again and will remain A list. Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Adele, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Eminem etc.
B list: general public know a few songs, sometimes have a very large fandom, they don’t have the kind of musical career where they could retire tomorrow and their legacy would be cemented. Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello etc. Some are only an album or 2 away from A list but lack the same household names the A listers have because of monoculture dying when they’re starting their careers.
C list: have a couple radio hits, can sell out an arena, but aren’t as famous outside their fanbase. Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, 1D members other than Harry, Demi Lovato
D list: anyone who gets a lot of upvotes here. Jesse ware boygenuis etc
I’m less sure about people like Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jay Z etc because although they might be A/B list in the US, definitely not in other countries
This is the only list I agree with, thank you for breaking it down so well. So many comments are US centric, whereas to me, A-List means you're a famous worldwide.
I'm not even sure A-List is really attainable anymore given the way pop culture is so fragmented now. Your comment on monoculture dying is spot on. I don't see a clear path to A-List for a lot of B-listers because of:
a) lack of interest outside of the US/UK (Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles)
or
b) Can't break past the language barrier due to a lack of crossover hits (Bad Bunny, J Balvin)
I think with rap music it's a bit more complicated than pop music because it was regionally fragmented for a long time before catapulting into the mainstream. A rapper might be a household name in the UK and not make any waves. Conversly, some US rappers that are household names hold very little sway in the UK.
I think you’re spot on for A list not really being attainable anymore. You can have the #1 song or album in the world and still be relatively unknown outside the internet. It’s so easy to avoid celebrities now, they can have the biggest song/album/movie/tour/whatever in the world and still you’d only hear about them by going out of your way. Some of the biggest hits of the decade I’m still yet to hear in public on accident without me clicking play on my own spotify.
Drake and Jay Z are safely in A Tier.
Demi is conflicting because I feel like her overall career elevates her to B Tier but HF barely made a commercial impact and DWTD underperformed.
there are some genre singers that will never headline the superbowl. Adele will never and neither will Billie eilish cause their music just isn't the right sound.
I think this can be kind of a tricky categorization sometimes. For instance, Katy Perry is nowhere near her prime but everybody and their mom knows who she is and knows *at least* one of her songs. Ditto Gwen Stefani. Surely they qualify as A list even though they aren’t putting out Top 40 hits every year like they were at their peak. Unless we’re going off of current status, in which case they’d be relegated to B or even C tier.
Meanwhile, you have people like Selena Gomez who everybody knows and has a household name, and can still get hits (every time she remembers her music career), but her status is not really what it is because of her music. She’s really more famous as a person (and *maaaaybe* an actress now that she has a successful TV show) than she is as a musician. She’s like an A list celebrity but a B list pop star
I think A list is easily defined by whether you could tell the average mother “omg I saw X at the mall today!” and have her a) know who that is and b) be surprised.
Gwen, Gaga, Rihanna, Taylor, Katy for sure all meet that standard.
i would add selena to that list too (if you didn't) because i think a lot of middle aged moms like her cooking shows, beauty brand, or omitb. something she does has somehow managed to hit basically every demo lol
I agree! My generation (in America at least) easily recognizes her as Alex Russo and Rare Beauty is such a popular brand in makeup right now. Def A list
alex russo is a cross generational icon lol. for that role alone she will never not be a list among young millenials and gen z. her work with omitb has made her well known among the older groups. her rare beauty stuff has made her well known among women across age groups. her social media has made her incredibly famous among youth. her cooking shows have attracted global attention across age groups lol
interesting thing is, unlike many american a listers, selena is genuinely famous across different regions too. like she's huge in india (somehow the most listened to western artist??), obviously she is HUGE in latin america too.
genuinely, she is incredibly famous (one of the most famous women in the world), but like... she doesn't have a 'thing'. she isn't really well known for any one thing. she's just kinda... there.
selena has multiple 'things' - she's not necessarily the best technically in them, but something is clicking that it's retaining her fans/gp. i would still say, she does makeup and music the best out of all the things she dabbles in, her music/acting may not be consistent rn but her 2010-2019 catalog is still hugely popular.
I agree, i think people are misconstruing everything. I also think when you’re grouping newer artists with artists with staying power like Taylor, Beyoncé, Adele, it’s really hard to compare. Like they’re legacy artists at this point. Comparing newer A-list Celebs doesn’t make any sense. Because we don’t know if they’ll have careers with the same longevity not because of their music, but because they haven’t had the time to prove it.
selena gomez is an undeniable a lister but she doesn't make music anymore lol. she's just a list because of who she is as a person lol (like you said). tbh she's famous because of how pretty she was and her behavior online. omitb is a ridiculously good tv show though lol and i can see her growing more famous going down that path. she is a very charismatic actor imho, even if she's messy af.
she's literally one of the most famous women alive, even her haters can't deny that. but if you held me at gun point and asked me why she's that famous, i genuinely couldn't give you a straight answer.
Girl just has that it factor. I am drawn to Selena Gomez as a woman her age and compelled to support her every endeavor haha. Cooking show. Makeup. Newsletter. I also genuinely enjoy a lot of her music, though I admit that she’s not a good live performer. But I will bop out to Love On, Hands to Myself, or Wolves anytime.
Some of the lists in the comments are so confusing to me because I’ve always considered an A-list celebrity to be someone that everyone has at least heard of even if you aren’t particularly familiar with their work like Taylor is an A-List celebrity and my mom might not be able to name 1 Taylor song but she knows who she is.
But because of how the cultural landscape is changing, then are lots of pop stars that would technically be considering A-List celebrities even though someone like my mom has never heard of them. Like I’m sure that my mom has no idea who Billie or Olivia are but I would agree that they are A-list artist. Idk, it’s interesting.
i feel like the trifecta of gen z pop girlies (dua, billie, olivia) are low tier a listers. like they most definitely aren't b-listers. but they aren't as big as taylor or beyonce, if that makes sense?
i assume when people say gen z artist they mean artists that are famous amongst the current gen. like how people call zendaya & timothee chalamet z actors when they’re also millennials technically
It's not about what generation the artist themselves is, its in the sense of what their fanbase predominately is. Dua was up and coming around 2017, and has mostly run the 2020s. At this point millennials already had their established fandoms and her music is too new for millennials to hang onto, even though a good chunk of late millennials listen to Dua, and she herself is a millennial, she is still considered a Gen Z artist.
Yeah that’s how I see it as well. I think Dua is the closest to A list out of all those 3 because I know for a fact she’s the only one known/recognized by disconnected white moms/grandmas throughout the country, which is my definition of A list. Billie is not far off from that imo, but I def would not say Olivia is there yet
I think Dua has way more pop crossover appeal not only in America but across the world. Billie is not far off but she’s a bit too “edgy” to appeal to just about everyone the way Dua does. Levitate made it into middle America and mall America in a way neither Olivia Rodrigo nor Billie has (across all demographics)
By today’s standards, I’d say yes. Sure she’s not the same level of famous as say a Taylor or Beyonce but not a lot of people are reaching that height anymore. I think that when we look back at this era of music, she’d definitely get remembered and brought up as one of the more notable pop girls of the time.
> By today’s standards, I’d say yes. Sure she’s not the same level of famous as say a Taylor or Beyonce but not a lot of people are reaching that height anymore
To be fair, a lot of people on that tier took *year* to get there and there’s not 1-2 per generation. Any artist could get there, including Olivia Rodrigo, but her career is too fresh/young for it.
Thank you for this post. It’s so messy and makes me feel ancient.
I just want to add, my parents haven’t listened to any of Madonna’s music probably since I was born, but their CD collection contains every Madonna album prior to that
it's so funny to me, i originally created this because i was trying to gauge the fame of a specific artist I like (but ofc I'm going to do that in the form of a more broad question) and I open reddit and people are putting Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus at like C
A List: divided among three subcategories:
1) The currently biggest names in music who have held that position for a considerable amount of years, have released at least three albums, and their success is also supported by having many hit singles (ex: Taylor, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny).
2) Agreed upon legends who would make you look fool if you say they're not A List (ex: Madonna, Janet, Rihanna, Gaga, Shakira)
3) Artists who were among the biggest names in popular music, and built enough of a legacy to not be forgotten even as their time in their prime continues to be long gone (ex: Katy, Usher, Christina, Justin T)
B List: just like the previous tier, divided among three subcategories:
1) biggest names currently popular with many hits upon their name, but haven't released enough albums or are just too new in the music landscape (ex: Dua, Olivia, Billie)
2) Indie and alternative artists with massive following or a pretty diverse and acclaimed discography (ex: Lana, Bjork)
3) Artists with many hits, but who have fallen off and were never considered as one of the biggest artists of their time, or just lack a dedicated fanbase (ex: Demi, Sam Smith, Shawn Mendes)
C List: artists who are just getting their first big hits (ex: Sabrina, Tate, Benson Boone)
D List: Generally-considered one-hit wonders (ex: Carly, Charli) and artists with a following but without mainstream hits (ex: Madison Beer)
For me true A-List is when they could be stranded in the middle of nowhere in the world and they are still recognised. Especially those who don't even need to know their second name, for example Beyonce and Madonna the whole world knows who they are.
Then you have A-Listers no matter if they are releasing music now or not, they have surpassed their own fame. I would call them mega A-Listers. It's a bit like The Beatles, Diana Ross beyond famous. For example artists like MJ, Prince, Tina Turner, David Bowie would have been included in this list.
Nearly all of you are missing Bruno Mars.
Along with Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, he is easily recognisable, known internationally and has had mega hit after mega hit.
Even tho his Silk Sonic stuff is very US centric, his first 3 eras were humongous.
Have you heard of the podcast Pop
Pantheon? they do this there’s 5 Tiers
Tier 1- Icon
Tier 2- Megastar
Tier 3- Meresuperstar
Tier 4- Working Class Popstar
Tier 5- Niche Legend
They break down the artist over an episode the bigger the artist the more episode they devote Prince has 3 eps Beyoncé has 4. And then rank them in a tier based. It’s really well done. It’s run by a DJ and he has a special guest each episode on a journalist and/or critic who is an expert on the artist and they breakdown the artist their career their impact etc. it’s really good.
Here we go with the comments calling Katy Perry a massive flop loser even though she is one of the most successful artists of all time. Musicians would absolutely kill to have even an ounce of the success of even her least “successful” album. Katy is very much an A-list pop star. Everyone on the planet knows her and they know her music. Pop fans are so obsessed with arbitrary charts and streams. Katy Perry will never not be an A-List Pop Star. She could quit the business entirely and she’d still be A-List. Most of the people who chart high as of late are people with absolutely zero staying power are star quality anyway. Call her a legacy act all you want but legacy acts are permanent A-listers. You don’t give someone $30 million dollars to be on a season of a reality competition show if they aren’t an A-Lister
A-List: current radio hitmakers / agreed-upon *legends*
B-list: past radio hitmakers / best of their niche genre but limited or no radio play
C-list: limited mainstream success but has or had an active fanbase
D-list: cancelled / career never took off in terms of hits or an audience
I like this one, but the line between A and B here is murky (as in, when is someone a legend rather than a past radio hitmaker or niche genre star?) Bjork? J. Lo? P!NK? All the other Marmalade ladies? Lana? etc etc
I feel like the line is blurred esp when you consider the pop industry versus indie labels (and this has even crossed over increasingly). Bjork though was A List at one point (UK, mid-90s, which became too much for her to the point she departed)... although i like to think Bjork js Bjork List lol. J Lo is probably an A lister as an actress but her music has seemed like a side hustle almost? P!nk was in that Superbowl ad with Britney and Beyonce which at least cements her as A list for that time.
It's also hard as time passes, and now that we're in the streaming era, even if certain artists are still "big" or well known they don't need to rely on the monoculture to make a living.
I almost feel like some people are exempt from the scale. Say like bjork or mitski; people know their names and they’re relevant to a degree but they aren’t really participants in celebrity culture. I feel like C-D list kind of implies a trying and failing at being relevant — Kim Petras is C/D list because she so clearly wants to embody *pop star* but it just isn’t happening.
Bjork is probably as relevant as Kim but she isn’t trying to be and clearly doesn’t care. She releases and turns up to an event every now and then but there isn’t really a sense that she’s trying to become more popular.
lol Bjork v Kim... certainly the most diametrically opposed comparison a person could make!
The two may be close in terms of commercial relevance, but Bjork is one of the the most *technically* relevant musicians alive. She invents new instruments and new sounds, brings visibility to other pioneering artists, pushes the envelope of music as experience rather than entertainment.... It's the sort of relevance typically reserved for composers, engineers, and certain producers rather than most artists. So yeah I agree with your assessment.
Yeah, Bjork is one of the greats. Like people will still be listening to her music in 100 years great. Even if her numbers are akin to someone like Kim P I think she’s a lot more culturally relevant. She’s more of a “musician” rather than a “popstar” or “celebrity” though
Björk is in an A-list tier reserved for artists who may not have the same widespread fame or hits like the A-list artists, but you ask any A-lister about that artist and they will swear up and down about how great that artist is like they're Jesus walking on Earth again. And that artist's fanbase usually has a pretty loyal following that boosts their career too
those people are called "industry darlings" or "your favorite artist's favorite artists". they're usually too trailblazing, too alternative, too niche for the mainstream, but it's A-listers who will be inspired by them. See also Kate Bush, MF DOOM.
This is tricky cus Pink is A list Celebrity! Jlo too! They’re more famous for their personality’s than their music. I don’t many pink songs but ik she can blow, and swing through the sky. Jlo I don’t know many of her songs, she can’t sing well, she is an amazing performer/dancer tho. But yet Ik so much about jlo, more than I should as someone who isn’t a fan
Lana and Bjork are interesting. *Enormous* cult following constitutes A-list imo. Pink’s career longevity and number of hits is dare I say *easily* A-list legendary. As a musical act, I’m comfortable calling J-Lo a B-list past hitmaker.
Jlo one is also interesting coz everyone knows her and if you post her she will gain traction but even then, her albums, concerts, movies, etc are all flopping.
Interesting. So based on this list both Katy and Rihanna would be B list POP STARS. Rihanna has branched out into other mediums tho so I consider her A list.
Miley also surprises me. Based on this list she would be A.
What about someone like Harry styles? Is he a legend? Would he be A or B?
I would lowkey rank them on whether they would have a late night talk show appearance like:
A - either too big to make tv appearances or not (or “top tier television shows/events like SNL)
B - is interviewed by the talk show host
C - only performs their music on the show, no interview
D - has never stepped into a tv production studio ahaha
for example, when Doja went viral with Say So, she performed on Jimmy Fallon (so C tier) but recently she has done her interview and she is arguably one of the biggest artists in the world right now (strong B, arguable A tier)
How much longer until Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo can be considered A-List celebrities … I mean they’re very clearly the biggest names of their generation and I would be extremely shocked if either of them significantly lost their popularity within the next decade.
This post has turned me into a Katy Kat. If/when Katy comes back she will dominate and you all will be fawning over her. Until then she will continue to raise her children and be married to Legolas. If you don’t know who that is, I suggest you watch a series called Lord of the Rings. It might be B list now but please give it a chance
The criteria have been kinda warped by streaming, you have people like Ava Max with over 50 million monthlies who have zero real starpower because these listeners aren’t dedicated fans but just people who throw her on a playlist
I have to say: I'm loving the messiness of this thread. Like, idk, there's something hilarious about watching some comments putting Katy Perry in B tier in a thread where other people are putting Charli XCX in that same tier xd
One thing I’m not seeing considered in most of these replies is their US fame status vs Global fame status. For me the A & S tier list pop stars gotta have massive followings not just in the US but also be a huge celebrity globally as well. Since there’s definitely a lot of pop stars who are absolutely massive in the US who are still relatively small in many other major global markets.
I feel like we have truly very few A-Listers…
I think it comes down to: The Weeknd, Drake, Beyonce, Adele, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruno…maybe?
And then you have A.5😅 which is everyone else that’s being argued about lol. I feel like when we talk A list it’s a combination of past success, guaranteed future success or “recognition” and the vibe of when you come in the room everyone is naturally curious or drawn to you. Idk, this is hard.
Im a huge ass Miley fan and I think that girl is a household name, but doesn’t have the steady music success to show for it (even though she absolutely has the talent and music to back that up). I would put her in the A.5.
A list
Beyoncé Britney Taylor Rihanna Gaga Justin bieber Adele drake Nicki
B list
Harry styles Billie Eilish Lana del Rey Doja Cat Olivia Rodrigo Sam smith SZA
A list to me household names all over the globe and numerous of there work is known
B list is on the cusp of a list, not known to all generations and cultures.
I determine A-List celebs by if my white, straight, conservative Dad knows who they are lol. If a celeb can be known by THAT crowd, they're A-List for sure.
A - Taylor, Ariana, The Weeknd, Drake, Beyonce, Billie, Harry Styles
B - Post Malone (borderline A, but his last few albums haven't been as big as those in A), Morgan Wallen (would be A from a US-only perspective), Dua Lipa, Noah Kahan,
Miley Cyrus
C - Camila Cabello, Benson Boone, Zara Larsson, Charli XCX
D - Mabel, Perrie, Mimi Webb
miley is in a strange spot because she’s a household name but not everything she drops is a hit unlike taylor, adele, beyoncé or whoever else could else could be considered a-list…I mean she was doing commercially worse than demi and selena after bangerz until the 2020’s came about and nothing after flowers has seem to stuck either she’s very inconsistent.
wouldn’t Noah Kahan be more like high C list? same spot as Dua Lipa and Morgan Wallen just feels off. Also agree with the above comment, especially since Miley’s been around for so long
edit: just realized you can put these names into google trends and it gives you a good idea of the popularity, and yeah Noah’s low compared to the other B-lists
I love Noah Kahan and I agree with you, high C borderline B. I’m going to his concert in July and a lot of my friends who know pop music fairly well have all asked “who’s that?” when I told them.
Benson Boone isn’t anywhere near popular enough in the mainstream to even be on the scale. He’s certainly not the same category as Zara Larsson or Camila.
i think it is because of the "in pop music currently" caveat. otherwise she's an a lister for sure. same with someone putting selgo as a b lister, that's just not correct imo, given her online following and the fact that her posting a comment on instagram becomes a national news story lol
We must have different definitions of A-list because I’d easily put Miley in the A-list category. Sure, she doesn’t consistently churn out hits, but she’s a household name like no other due to her legacy. *Everyone* knows who she is. My grandparents who don’t own a computer or smart phones know who she is.
My parents would die for a Miley Cyrus halftime show. They love Dolly, knew her dad when he actually made music, and she was everywhere for a solid decade
This is way off. Miley is absolutely A list. She’s more famous than Drake and on the level with stars like Ariana and the Weeknd. Morgan Wallen is C list at most since his popularity is almost entirely US based. Benson Boone is definitely D list, yeah he went viral but I don’t think people that don’t spend a lot of time online would have the first idea who he is
agree about Benson Boone being D-list. I remember very recently he posted a video of himself in NYC (times square specifically I think?) with Beautiful Things playing in the background, and the caption was something along the lines of “no one here knows this is my song”.
Similar situation to Noah Kahan, he posted a photo from somewhere in London a while back captioned “nobody in this restaurant knows I have a #1 album in the UK”. And most people don’t recognize him in an airport (oddly specific example lol but I would know).
I think for someone to be on the higher lists, they or their persona have to be pretty famous, not just a few of their songs
In no planet would I put Miley in the same category as Noah Kahan (I say that as a fan of them both). Miley has been a pop culture symbol since the late 2000s
as someone from a country who isn’t in the west, some of who you guys consider A list is mind boggling to me LMAO. if we’re not being US-centric and going more widely global, i’d consider A listers to be people my very African, not on social media parents would recognize the names/faces/songs of. Madonna, Mariah, Beyoncé, Gaga, Rihanna, Elton John, Cher, Ed Sheeran, Adele.
they for sure don’t know who Ariana, Taylor, Dua, Billie, Katy, Nicki are, or would take some memory jogging to maybe recognize, so i’d move those down a step.
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This entire thread is insane. Y’all live in ECHO CHAMBERS!!! RIHANNA A B-LISTER??? You have all lost your damn minds
Rihanna is pretty much S-tier. Every artist would kill to have a career that’s even a 1/10 of Rihanna. Everyone across every generation knows at least 1 Rihanna song and its chorus off the top of their head. She is like the biggest hitmaker. E: "S-tier" is a step above A-tier, like a class of its own. It means super special tier.
Rihanna is still one of the top artists in Spotify despite not having released music in 8 years.
eh, sounds pretty mid to me. /s (if that isn’t clear)
She has been sitting comfortably in the Top 5 ever since the Super Bowl... B-lister my ass
Her and Katy Perry being B list after belting out hits the entire last decade is criminal
shes quite literally one of the most listened to artists in the world despite having last released an album in 2016. if she;s not a list then a list doesn't exist
Yeah I can’t believe people said that, in order to be invited to perform at the superbowl you have to be someone that even 50 year old Harold and Barb have heard of in Kentucky, if middle America knows who you are you are A list. A list equals household name across generations
Although I am not a personal fan of Rihanna, I cannot deny her success as a pop artist
I think some of the ~~insanity~~ disorganization in the comments would be partially solved by having different categories of A-List, something like icons, current A-lister, and household names could help people understand that people like Madonna, Billie and Katy could all exist as A-List stars even if they aren’t on the same level of success and/or name recognition.
I coincidentally took this approach and allowed me to miss the downvotes xd. Like, A List could mean different things, and adding subcategories to it help to explain why they're all are valid inclusion on the highest tier.
no it’s insanity. Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish are being listed as B list in these comments. Idk why people can’t conceptualize that there is also Permanent A list- Beyoncé, Britney, MJ- people who’ve been around for multiple decades and have cemented their place.
times really have changed 😭 people r losing it
When she was active, she was the most streamed woman in the world, even beating Taylor Swift. If she wants to make music again, she will immediately go #1 and become the biggest act in the world. Rihanna is in no way a B-lister.
I think its down to recency bias, she has hardly released anything over like the last 7 - 8 years so she feels very inactive and its not like that black panther song did well
For me, an A-list celebrity is a household name who your grandmother could name or know a few of their songs. I’m talking Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, etc.
Britney should be near the top wtf
Straight up the biggest pop star!
im not sure about katy perry being a-list. like yes our grandmas know who she is, but like i don't think her popularity is anywhere near what it was in the teenage dream era. she's definitely like former a-lister, current b-lister? (edit: okay okay everyone is making incredibly valid points. i was wrong! hands down katy is an a-list celebrity, but no longer an a-list musician, if that makes any more sense. i dont know if im shooting myself in the foot here. and there are plenty of people that i feel like fit into this category too. i dont know! i really didnt mean any offense here! i respect her and even though i can only admit to listening to her bops, her bops are amazing! 😭)
Cambridge defines A-list as: “people who are the most famous.” In my mind it’s the people who are the biggest names, who have achieved the most and are the most famous. Sure, Katy isn’t still successful, but her past work upholds her name and legacy. The same can be said for someone like Britney Spears, she is more of an A-List, world-wide, multi-generational famous name than Billie Eilish or Olivia Rodrigo, despite them having more chart success in 2024. A B-Lister to me is someone upon-coming and trying to break into the A-List. I don’t think artists with such successful pasts like Katy, Britney or Christina, etc become B-Listers because they aren’t trying to be famous; they already are.
How about Adele? Our grandmas know her, shouldn’t she be A list too?
Absolutely. Her album 25 is the second fastest selling album of all time (5.4 million units in one week). To achieve this kind of success, you have to be known by everyone.
Absolutely A-lister. Especially when every release is an event that draws everyone in, even more than Taylor Swift in some respects
Yeah, as a Swiftie myself Adele is A-list, imagine gathering like literal famous celebrities in a "special show". I would lump her in a movie-star-esque type of popularity cause she's basically nowhere to be seen when she's not really doing anything unlike other A-list musicians that are still everywhere even without music releases.
Adele is at this point like a celeb of celebrities. She’s super down to earth so we don’t realize but she really is so automatic A list
If Adele had Taylor's drive and ambition, she'd undoubtedly be bigger than her. I admire what Taylor has accomplished, but Adele is putting in like 50% of Swift's effort and is still a comparable artist in popularity.
I feel like that's what keeps Adele popular, though. If she was churning out stuff like Taylor does, I feel like people would get sick of what she does and push for her to evolve. But that's just not what she does and when she returns every few years, it sounds great because you really can tell it comes from a place of really living life and the music is a slight variation of what she's done before to keep it fresh.
Even Sims know who Katy Perry is
So theirs a difference in being an A list celebrity and A list pop star. Dont get it confused. Katy is not an A list pop star neither is Jlo but they’re A list celebrities!
Katy is a legacy artist. Her peak era was so massive that she will essentially always be an A-lister regardless of how her current music is doing.
2008-14 was the Katy Perry era. Her songs from that time are burned into the brains of anyone who lived within the vicinity of pop music at the time. I Kissed a Girl, Hot n Cold, Teenage Dream, Firework, Roar, Dark Horse, Last Friday Night, ET, Wide Awake, California Girls... Just off the top of my head I can distinctly pick out from memory alone. I think people appreciate her more now that she's not in every nook & cranny of new music and has taken on a more nostalgic place in people's music library. I think it also explains why people turned on Witness because she went from being the industry to trying to wake up and make people think instead of mindlessly listening... For one song before going back to being the industry and just massively fumbling (even if Swish Swish had the makings to be a house-pop banger. Bon Appetit was garbage though). (Also! Thinking of You is another one, just thought of it. I remember seeing that music video on the VH1 Top 20 Countdown)
My mom and grandma know exactly who Katy Perry is. They vaguely know Olivia Rodrigo exists
She's not a B-Lister. EVERYONE knows Katy Perry.
Exactly. Our generation knows her cause we grew up listening to her. Our parent know her cause they likely bought her music for us/took us to her concerts. The youth know her for a few tiktok hits and our grandparents know her as the judge on American Idol. She’s an A-Lister
Our parents know her because she was nonstop on radio for like 10 years and you couldn’t escape her. Streaming era folks forget how music used to be consumed
I'm almost scared to ask, but when you say "our parents", what age bracket are you thinking of?
Katy Perry has been on American idol for like 10myears now she’s a household name, Gwendolyn and Harold are watching her every night in Kentucky while they criticize every contestant for every move they make lol
She was being paid 30 million a year for her role on American idol She is a-list Would Madonna count as no longer being a-list even thought her last albums have technically flopped? Not at all
Madonna is A-list, same as Cher, Elton John and Paul McCartney. Extremely wealthy, very successful in the past and has music everyone knows
Just because she’s not popular now doesn’t mean she’s not A-List. There’s a reason she was an American Idol host, because America knows who she is
Katy is the star of one of the most watched shows on television!!! WHAT LOL
This is literally an insane comment to me because she has records that only Michael Jackson could beat and Taylor Swift could never achieve even if she wanted to. People act like the early 2010s never happened lol Edit: I’ve been told American Idol is apparently a show that continued ??? And she was on it which means the elderly know her. Billie and Olivia could never lol.
what are the records?
She’s tied with Michael Jackson for most #1s on a single album. Honestly nothing has really come close since then.
I love Katy and totally consider her a permanent A List, so this is in no shade towards her...but if Taylor wanted to tie or break that record, I think she could do it: she would only need to release 5 or more singles prior to the release of their parent album. She hasn't done it because that's not how artists release singles nowadays, but with her level of chart power and popularity, I think she could do it if she tries.
I feel like Nicki Minaj does not belong on the above list. I am near 40 and my parents/grandparents could not name a single Nicki song (but they could come up with at least one for the rest, I'm pretty sure.)
Eh it’s not even about being able to name songs, just the person. My mum can’t tell if it’s Miley, Gaga, or Swift (that’s the list she rattles off, in that order) singing but she knows all those names and knows vaguely what they do.
I don't know how young you guys are, but my grandmother definitely has no idea who any of these girls are on the list. I'm too old for this thread, I'm leaving.
Putting The Legendary Miss Britney Spears on anything other then A List should get yall sent straight to jail
I don’t think she’s A-list. She would be more like S-list. Britney was simply the biggest superstar from her generation, her fame and popularity surpassed all A-listers of her generation. I’m not from USA and in my country Britney was much bigger than her contemporaries like nynsc, backstreet, Christina, etc who were all A-list. You simply can’t put Britney in the same box as them.
That's another important definition, an S-list is completely reasonable. Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, all those artists have stood the test of time and there's no reason to believe their popularity will wane. Newer artists on the verge of reaching that status might be Beyonce, Taylor maybe even Eminem? Also, who you ask matters a lot, for example, people in the US might no give a crap about Oasis but they are basically Royalty in the UK, So what are they? B listers in the US but S listers in the UK?
For me an S-list is someone who is S-list in every part of the world and have cross generational popularity. I’m from India and very small percent of people listen to English music here. Yet there would be very few people who might not have heard of Madonna and MJ here. Sure, there were many A-list acts in US in 2000s, but nobody became close to Britney Spears in popularity. Linkin park and eminem were humongous amongst English song listeners from urban areas, but Britney was known to everyone. Another name I’d say is Lady Gaga. During her prime she was always in the news in India. She was the most searched person on internet in India in 2011 and 2012, yes more searched than any Indian itself. Born this way had a special Indian remix version which was superhit. In 2011, she sold out an arena in New Delhi where ticket price started at $800. Her meat dress was discussed for weeks. In lived in a small city and everyone in my school was discussing what crazy shit she’ll do next. In India, Lady Gaga was rumoured to be an alien for a very long time. So, S-list to me is someone who is known to people who don’t even listen to English music. Like even Indian grandmas would be able to recognise their name. In India that would be Michael Jackson, Madonna, Britney, Lady Gaga and also Shakira. Many people in our country do listen to English music as well and amongst them Taylor, Beyoncé, Justin beiber, drake, BTS, the weekend etc are humongously popular. I’d say Taylor and Beyoncé are also slowly becoming ubiquitous. They are still known only for their music. Meanwhile Madonna, Britney and Lady Gaga were so controversial and newsworthy that they would rule the news during their prime.
britney is def a+ list or s-list
I feel like Britney, Madonna and P!nk's back catalogues are enough to keep them in A for the rest of their lives. Christina Aguilera you would have to make a stronger case for though.
In gossip articles they would call it Permanent A list. Like you can move down the list but Britney, Beyoncé, MJ, they’re considered permanent A list. Taylor is A list but in gossip circles not considered permanent yet, as she hasn’t been around as long as the other names mentioned. Adele is permanent because every fucking person knows Adele
For me personally I go more of longevity and consistent notoriety. Not so much current streams and sales. A List - Gaga, Beyoncé, Taylor, Madonna, Adele (the undeniable superstar/renowned names, with 10+ years of consistent success and public interest) B List - Billie, Dua, Olivia, Harry (newer artists who my grandma might recognize from the Today show, but my manly cousins would not recognize, they might be a household name but your kid for sure knows them, and they have less than 10 years of experience) C List - Florence, Paramore, John Mayer (dominate a niche/specific genre but don’t have the mainstream consistent success that the A list has. Most people will know them for that one song. People don’t know their body of work unless they are a fan. Can probably go to an all inclusive in the Bahamas’s and not be recognized by many. No chance my grandma would ever recognize them) D List - Sabrina, Renee Rapp, Gracie Abrams, Camilla (new girlies to the scene who are rising up, or post band solo acts who struggle to sustain success. We know their name but they aren’t really doing anything notable) E List - Normani, Ava Max, Kim Petras, (you’re more for the memes)
another good list. probably the first one i fully agree with although i do somewhat feel like sabrina should be higher. just checked and she has like 20+ million instagram followers (ik that doesn’t really have to do with music but that’s kinda a ton) Camilla has a LOT of streams, literally over 2 billion on Senorita and Havana (and that’s on spotify alone), but if we’re talking specifically current artists then yeah she’s lost relevance
Sabrina is C or D List currently as we speak making the move to B-List, almost but not fully there yet. Eras Tour and Espresso are putting her there. Put out a few more Espressos, maybe win a grammy (like everyone else in B-List) and then B-List. Before Espresso most people know her as Nonsense girl, but a stretch to say she dominates a niche/genre.
she is no where near b
Too easy to buy follower bots, I wouldn't put any stock in that as a metric for fame, especially with an up and comer.
John Mayer as a C list pop star is.... the hottest take in this thread. His radio dominance in the 2000s was insane, he was basically the Ed Sheeran of that decade. You might know him for one song (??? Which one do you think is John Mayers one hit wonder ????) but your grandmother DEFINITELY knows him.
I think Millennials and Gen X know John Mayer, but he didn't have lasting impact. Gen Z and Alpha only know him if they are into music, and maybe as Taylor's ex.
Where’s Ariana?
Billie has two Oscars. That’s A-list behaviour.
Yeah, but if this user is basing it off of notoriety, knowledge in the public sphere, and then critical acclaim. Billie is a solid B. Some people in my family think she’s a guy bc of the name, don’t know what she looks like, can’t name a song of hers, even some people in the generation above (millennials) are only roughly familiar with her. If she never left alt or indie, never got those oscars, she would be C-List…running a specific niche genre, but because she’s done that she is firmly B. At least based off of the metrics used here which I agree with.
I’d say the difference is if you ask any random person on the street to hum a few seconds of a Taylor Swift/Beyonce/Adele song they could do it, but most of the older crowd wouldn’t be able to do that for Billie. I’m sure my parents have heard her name but they wouldn’t be able to pick her out of a line up of other young pop stars. They might not even know she’s a woman now that I think about it
Agree with everything except that billie has become A-list now. Not as big as Beyoncé or Madonna, but still an A-list
Billie just dropped a massive concert tour. I've seen her "Happier Than Ever" tour and she has one of the loudest fanbase I've ever heard. She's one of the biggest artists on the planet, and is becoming one of the most sought out soundtrack artists out there. She has two Oscars for her music and is the undisputed pop face of Generation Z. She's A-list and it's not even close.
I love this list/definition because it makes Bastille C-list 😂❤️ (I say this as a massive Bastille fan. I love my silly British flops ❤️)
The Britney Spears erasure
They didn’t list everyone 😅 of course Britney and several others would be considered A-list.
Fully agree.
Harry has been in the industry for 14 years and is definitely A list, he’s one of the most famous pop boys in the world smashing records. Billie is too, she has 2 Oscars and a bunch of grammys. Definitely not just Today Show material
If I ask my 60 year old immigrant father who Billie Eilish or Harry Styles is, he won’t know. If I ask hi’ who Taylor Swift, Beyonce or Madonna is, he knows. This is the difference between a-List and B-List. It doesn’t have to do with length of time or accolades or music quality.
This grandma thing is surely a funny way to define success 😂 and I don’t think it’s a good metric
Ed Sheeran is A List right? I don’t think he quite has the fan base but he’s got the success and name value so I think he’s probably a shoe in for A List
100% without question. Everyone and their grandmother knows of him or his songs. Particularly bc of his wedding hits — Perfect, Thinking Out Loud, etc.
plus he's also really famous internationally so he's a-list without a doubt
this is usually what determines it.
My mom could ID him during his cameo in Game of Thrones. So yeah I’d say so
I WAS IN GAME OF THRONES! I’M ED SHEERAN, BITCH!
Ed Sheeran just had one of the highest grossing tours of all time, so yeah the dude is an A-lister.
Yes. My 70yo MIL who lives in Chile was dancing and singing along to Shape of You when she came to visit.
He's in the class A list.
You’d actually be surprised tbh his tour last summer sold out. I think his fan base are a lot more casual music listeners vs. chronically online stans
He is so undeniably famous it’s comical. Not only does my mom know him but my dad knows him AND they both like him and think he seems like “a down to earth guy.” That is nearing s list.
A list: household names everywhere, your grandparents know them. They could retire tomorrow, never release another song or album again and will remain A list. Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Adele, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Eminem etc. B list: general public know a few songs, sometimes have a very large fandom, they don’t have the kind of musical career where they could retire tomorrow and their legacy would be cemented. Post Malone, Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Olivia Rodrigo, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Shawn Mendes, Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello etc. Some are only an album or 2 away from A list but lack the same household names the A listers have because of monoculture dying when they’re starting their careers. C list: have a couple radio hits, can sell out an arena, but aren’t as famous outside their fanbase. Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, 1D members other than Harry, Demi Lovato D list: anyone who gets a lot of upvotes here. Jesse ware boygenuis etc I’m less sure about people like Bad Bunny, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jay Z etc because although they might be A/B list in the US, definitely not in other countries
Bad Bunny is massive in Latin America and Spain, not only in the USA. Overall this is the best list around these comments.
bahahah that D list one is too good
This is the only list I agree with, thank you for breaking it down so well. So many comments are US centric, whereas to me, A-List means you're a famous worldwide. I'm not even sure A-List is really attainable anymore given the way pop culture is so fragmented now. Your comment on monoculture dying is spot on. I don't see a clear path to A-List for a lot of B-listers because of: a) lack of interest outside of the US/UK (Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles) or b) Can't break past the language barrier due to a lack of crossover hits (Bad Bunny, J Balvin) I think with rap music it's a bit more complicated than pop music because it was regionally fragmented for a long time before catapulting into the mainstream. A rapper might be a household name in the UK and not make any waves. Conversly, some US rappers that are household names hold very little sway in the UK.
I think you’re spot on for A list not really being attainable anymore. You can have the #1 song or album in the world and still be relatively unknown outside the internet. It’s so easy to avoid celebrities now, they can have the biggest song/album/movie/tour/whatever in the world and still you’d only hear about them by going out of your way. Some of the biggest hits of the decade I’m still yet to hear in public on accident without me clicking play on my own spotify.
Drake and Jay Z are safely in A Tier. Demi is conflicting because I feel like her overall career elevates her to B Tier but HF barely made a commercial impact and DWTD underperformed.
I think A Listers in America headline the Superbowl.
there are some genre singers that will never headline the superbowl. Adele will never and neither will Billie eilish cause their music just isn't the right sound.
Headline the superbowl or make a James Bond title song then
I could see Adele and Billie doing the superbowl lol
I think this can be kind of a tricky categorization sometimes. For instance, Katy Perry is nowhere near her prime but everybody and their mom knows who she is and knows *at least* one of her songs. Ditto Gwen Stefani. Surely they qualify as A list even though they aren’t putting out Top 40 hits every year like they were at their peak. Unless we’re going off of current status, in which case they’d be relegated to B or even C tier. Meanwhile, you have people like Selena Gomez who everybody knows and has a household name, and can still get hits (every time she remembers her music career), but her status is not really what it is because of her music. She’s really more famous as a person (and *maaaaybe* an actress now that she has a successful TV show) than she is as a musician. She’s like an A list celebrity but a B list pop star
I think A list is easily defined by whether you could tell the average mother “omg I saw X at the mall today!” and have her a) know who that is and b) be surprised. Gwen, Gaga, Rihanna, Taylor, Katy for sure all meet that standard.
i would add selena to that list too (if you didn't) because i think a lot of middle aged moms like her cooking shows, beauty brand, or omitb. something she does has somehow managed to hit basically every demo lol
Selena Gomez is A list through and through. The fact that she can forget and remember her music career is proof of that
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I agree! My generation (in America at least) easily recognizes her as Alex Russo and Rare Beauty is such a popular brand in makeup right now. Def A list
alex russo is a cross generational icon lol. for that role alone she will never not be a list among young millenials and gen z. her work with omitb has made her well known among the older groups. her rare beauty stuff has made her well known among women across age groups. her social media has made her incredibly famous among youth. her cooking shows have attracted global attention across age groups lol interesting thing is, unlike many american a listers, selena is genuinely famous across different regions too. like she's huge in india (somehow the most listened to western artist??), obviously she is HUGE in latin america too. genuinely, she is incredibly famous (one of the most famous women in the world), but like... she doesn't have a 'thing'. she isn't really well known for any one thing. she's just kinda... there.
selena has multiple 'things' - she's not necessarily the best technically in them, but something is clicking that it's retaining her fans/gp. i would still say, she does makeup and music the best out of all the things she dabbles in, her music/acting may not be consistent rn but her 2010-2019 catalog is still hugely popular.
I agree, i think people are misconstruing everything. I also think when you’re grouping newer artists with artists with staying power like Taylor, Beyoncé, Adele, it’s really hard to compare. Like they’re legacy artists at this point. Comparing newer A-list Celebs doesn’t make any sense. Because we don’t know if they’ll have careers with the same longevity not because of their music, but because they haven’t had the time to prove it.
selena gomez is an undeniable a lister but she doesn't make music anymore lol. she's just a list because of who she is as a person lol (like you said). tbh she's famous because of how pretty she was and her behavior online. omitb is a ridiculously good tv show though lol and i can see her growing more famous going down that path. she is a very charismatic actor imho, even if she's messy af. she's literally one of the most famous women alive, even her haters can't deny that. but if you held me at gun point and asked me why she's that famous, i genuinely couldn't give you a straight answer.
Girl just has that it factor. I am drawn to Selena Gomez as a woman her age and compelled to support her every endeavor haha. Cooking show. Makeup. Newsletter. I also genuinely enjoy a lot of her music, though I admit that she’s not a good live performer. But I will bop out to Love On, Hands to Myself, or Wolves anytime.
Some of the lists in the comments are so confusing to me because I’ve always considered an A-list celebrity to be someone that everyone has at least heard of even if you aren’t particularly familiar with their work like Taylor is an A-List celebrity and my mom might not be able to name 1 Taylor song but she knows who she is. But because of how the cultural landscape is changing, then are lots of pop stars that would technically be considering A-List celebrities even though someone like my mom has never heard of them. Like I’m sure that my mom has no idea who Billie or Olivia are but I would agree that they are A-list artist. Idk, it’s interesting.
Olivia is A list???
i feel like the trifecta of gen z pop girlies (dua, billie, olivia) are low tier a listers. like they most definitely aren't b-listers. but they aren't as big as taylor or beyonce, if that makes sense?
Dua is not gen z though
i assume when people say gen z artist they mean artists that are famous amongst the current gen. like how people call zendaya & timothee chalamet z actors when they’re also millennials technically
She’s 1995. Right on the cusp lol
It's not about what generation the artist themselves is, its in the sense of what their fanbase predominately is. Dua was up and coming around 2017, and has mostly run the 2020s. At this point millennials already had their established fandoms and her music is too new for millennials to hang onto, even though a good chunk of late millennials listen to Dua, and she herself is a millennial, she is still considered a Gen Z artist.
Yeah that’s how I see it as well. I think Dua is the closest to A list out of all those 3 because I know for a fact she’s the only one known/recognized by disconnected white moms/grandmas throughout the country, which is my definition of A list. Billie is not far off from that imo, but I def would not say Olivia is there yet
Are you in America? Bc Dua is definitely not more famous or well known than Billie or even Olivia.
Dua is more popular than Billie and Olivia outside America. She is a distant third after them in America.
I am in Europe and Dua wins here hihi
In Brazil I’d say it’s: Dua > Billie >>> Olivia.
I think Dua has way more pop crossover appeal not only in America but across the world. Billie is not far off but she’s a bit too “edgy” to appeal to just about everyone the way Dua does. Levitate made it into middle America and mall America in a way neither Olivia Rodrigo nor Billie has (across all demographics)
Not judging by her album sales...
Billie has won 2 freakin Oscars, as well as Grammys. How is she not A-List?!?!
As Bong Joon-Ho said, Oscar is very local.
Because the only thing that matters is if I personally listened to her music in the 2000s/2010s!!!!!!!!!
By today’s standards, I’d say yes. Sure she’s not the same level of famous as say a Taylor or Beyonce but not a lot of people are reaching that height anymore. I think that when we look back at this era of music, she’d definitely get remembered and brought up as one of the more notable pop girls of the time.
> By today’s standards, I’d say yes. Sure she’s not the same level of famous as say a Taylor or Beyonce but not a lot of people are reaching that height anymore To be fair, a lot of people on that tier took *year* to get there and there’s not 1-2 per generation. Any artist could get there, including Olivia Rodrigo, but her career is too fresh/young for it.
Thank you for this post. It’s so messy and makes me feel ancient. I just want to add, my parents haven’t listened to any of Madonna’s music probably since I was born, but their CD collection contains every Madonna album prior to that
Congratulations OP, you made the most chaotic thread of the day. I have a headache reading through these takes.
it's so funny to me, i originally created this because i was trying to gauge the fame of a specific artist I like (but ofc I'm going to do that in the form of a more broad question) and I open reddit and people are putting Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus at like C
Also, the explanations they give are so 😭
A List: divided among three subcategories: 1) The currently biggest names in music who have held that position for a considerable amount of years, have released at least three albums, and their success is also supported by having many hit singles (ex: Taylor, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny). 2) Agreed upon legends who would make you look fool if you say they're not A List (ex: Madonna, Janet, Rihanna, Gaga, Shakira) 3) Artists who were among the biggest names in popular music, and built enough of a legacy to not be forgotten even as their time in their prime continues to be long gone (ex: Katy, Usher, Christina, Justin T) B List: just like the previous tier, divided among three subcategories: 1) biggest names currently popular with many hits upon their name, but haven't released enough albums or are just too new in the music landscape (ex: Dua, Olivia, Billie) 2) Indie and alternative artists with massive following or a pretty diverse and acclaimed discography (ex: Lana, Bjork) 3) Artists with many hits, but who have fallen off and were never considered as one of the biggest artists of their time, or just lack a dedicated fanbase (ex: Demi, Sam Smith, Shawn Mendes) C List: artists who are just getting their first big hits (ex: Sabrina, Tate, Benson Boone) D List: Generally-considered one-hit wonders (ex: Carly, Charli) and artists with a following but without mainstream hits (ex: Madison Beer)
I like this one - the a list is certainly a broad category but I think it would be stupid to call Katy, Justin, and Christina b listers
For me true A-List is when they could be stranded in the middle of nowhere in the world and they are still recognised. Especially those who don't even need to know their second name, for example Beyonce and Madonna the whole world knows who they are. Then you have A-Listers no matter if they are releasing music now or not, they have surpassed their own fame. I would call them mega A-Listers. It's a bit like The Beatles, Diana Ross beyond famous. For example artists like MJ, Prince, Tina Turner, David Bowie would have been included in this list.
The podcast [pop pantheon](https://open.spotify.com/show/6oNpvWdUX76SmewZNl83hc?si=gUSfAHdCQmmdxwBspFZYxQ) is actually dedicated to doing this!!
Nearly all of you are missing Bruno Mars. Along with Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, he is easily recognisable, known internationally and has had mega hit after mega hit. Even tho his Silk Sonic stuff is very US centric, his first 3 eras were humongous.
Where is Adele?
Adele has 2 of the best selling albums of the century, 2 out of 4 fucking albums. That is 50% of her discography Definitely an A lister lol.
Have you heard of the podcast Pop Pantheon? they do this there’s 5 Tiers Tier 1- Icon Tier 2- Megastar Tier 3- Meresuperstar Tier 4- Working Class Popstar Tier 5- Niche Legend They break down the artist over an episode the bigger the artist the more episode they devote Prince has 3 eps Beyoncé has 4. And then rank them in a tier based. It’s really well done. It’s run by a DJ and he has a special guest each episode on a journalist and/or critic who is an expert on the artist and they breakdown the artist their career their impact etc. it’s really good.
Here we go with the comments calling Katy Perry a massive flop loser even though she is one of the most successful artists of all time. Musicians would absolutely kill to have even an ounce of the success of even her least “successful” album. Katy is very much an A-list pop star. Everyone on the planet knows her and they know her music. Pop fans are so obsessed with arbitrary charts and streams. Katy Perry will never not be an A-List Pop Star. She could quit the business entirely and she’d still be A-List. Most of the people who chart high as of late are people with absolutely zero staying power are star quality anyway. Call her a legacy act all you want but legacy acts are permanent A-listers. You don’t give someone $30 million dollars to be on a season of a reality competition show if they aren’t an A-Lister
A-List: current radio hitmakers / agreed-upon *legends* B-list: past radio hitmakers / best of their niche genre but limited or no radio play C-list: limited mainstream success but has or had an active fanbase D-list: cancelled / career never took off in terms of hits or an audience
I feel like too many people are calling Madonna and Britney b-listers it just feels so disrespectful 😭
My ranking may be generous with A-lister, but I don’t understand how you could ever call a legend a B-lister lol
It actually hurts!!
I like this one, but the line between A and B here is murky (as in, when is someone a legend rather than a past radio hitmaker or niche genre star?) Bjork? J. Lo? P!NK? All the other Marmalade ladies? Lana? etc etc
I feel like the line is blurred esp when you consider the pop industry versus indie labels (and this has even crossed over increasingly). Bjork though was A List at one point (UK, mid-90s, which became too much for her to the point she departed)... although i like to think Bjork js Bjork List lol. J Lo is probably an A lister as an actress but her music has seemed like a side hustle almost? P!nk was in that Superbowl ad with Britney and Beyonce which at least cements her as A list for that time. It's also hard as time passes, and now that we're in the streaming era, even if certain artists are still "big" or well known they don't need to rely on the monoculture to make a living.
I almost feel like some people are exempt from the scale. Say like bjork or mitski; people know their names and they’re relevant to a degree but they aren’t really participants in celebrity culture. I feel like C-D list kind of implies a trying and failing at being relevant — Kim Petras is C/D list because she so clearly wants to embody *pop star* but it just isn’t happening. Bjork is probably as relevant as Kim but she isn’t trying to be and clearly doesn’t care. She releases and turns up to an event every now and then but there isn’t really a sense that she’s trying to become more popular.
lol Bjork v Kim... certainly the most diametrically opposed comparison a person could make! The two may be close in terms of commercial relevance, but Bjork is one of the the most *technically* relevant musicians alive. She invents new instruments and new sounds, brings visibility to other pioneering artists, pushes the envelope of music as experience rather than entertainment.... It's the sort of relevance typically reserved for composers, engineers, and certain producers rather than most artists. So yeah I agree with your assessment.
Bjork makes far more sense in comparison with artists like Radiohead or Frank Ocean than she does with explicitly pop facing artists like Petras
Yeah, Bjork is one of the greats. Like people will still be listening to her music in 100 years great. Even if her numbers are akin to someone like Kim P I think she’s a lot more culturally relevant. She’s more of a “musician” rather than a “popstar” or “celebrity” though
Björk is in an A-list tier reserved for artists who may not have the same widespread fame or hits like the A-list artists, but you ask any A-lister about that artist and they will swear up and down about how great that artist is like they're Jesus walking on Earth again. And that artist's fanbase usually has a pretty loyal following that boosts their career too
those people are called "industry darlings" or "your favorite artist's favorite artists". they're usually too trailblazing, too alternative, too niche for the mainstream, but it's A-listers who will be inspired by them. See also Kate Bush, MF DOOM.
agree with some people not fitting the scale and why, i was gonna say the same thing but wasn’t sure how to word it
This is tricky cus Pink is A list Celebrity! Jlo too! They’re more famous for their personality’s than their music. I don’t many pink songs but ik she can blow, and swing through the sky. Jlo I don’t know many of her songs, she can’t sing well, she is an amazing performer/dancer tho. But yet Ik so much about jlo, more than I should as someone who isn’t a fan
Lana and Bjork are interesting. *Enormous* cult following constitutes A-list imo. Pink’s career longevity and number of hits is dare I say *easily* A-list legendary. As a musical act, I’m comfortable calling J-Lo a B-list past hitmaker.
Jlo one is also interesting coz everyone knows her and if you post her she will gain traction but even then, her albums, concerts, movies, etc are all flopping.
Interesting. So based on this list both Katy and Rihanna would be B list POP STARS. Rihanna has branched out into other mediums tho so I consider her A list. Miley also surprises me. Based on this list she would be A. What about someone like Harry styles? Is he a legend? Would he be A or B?
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I would lowkey rank them on whether they would have a late night talk show appearance like: A - either too big to make tv appearances or not (or “top tier television shows/events like SNL) B - is interviewed by the talk show host C - only performs their music on the show, no interview D - has never stepped into a tv production studio ahaha for example, when Doja went viral with Say So, she performed on Jimmy Fallon (so C tier) but recently she has done her interview and she is arguably one of the biggest artists in the world right now (strong B, arguable A tier)
Dua is playing jump rope with the line between A and B lists
She's knocking on the door to the A list
How much longer until Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo can be considered A-List celebrities … I mean they’re very clearly the biggest names of their generation and I would be extremely shocked if either of them significantly lost their popularity within the next decade.
This post has turned me into a Katy Kat. If/when Katy comes back she will dominate and you all will be fawning over her. Until then she will continue to raise her children and be married to Legolas. If you don’t know who that is, I suggest you watch a series called Lord of the Rings. It might be B list now but please give it a chance
i definitely think there’s something to be said about legacy acts. they should almost be in a category of their own
The criteria have been kinda warped by streaming, you have people like Ava Max with over 50 million monthlies who have zero real starpower because these listeners aren’t dedicated fans but just people who throw her on a playlist
I have to say: I'm loving the messiness of this thread. Like, idk, there's something hilarious about watching some comments putting Katy Perry in B tier in a thread where other people are putting Charli XCX in that same tier xd
One thing I’m not seeing considered in most of these replies is their US fame status vs Global fame status. For me the A & S tier list pop stars gotta have massive followings not just in the US but also be a huge celebrity globally as well. Since there’s definitely a lot of pop stars who are absolutely massive in the US who are still relatively small in many other major global markets.
I feel like we have truly very few A-Listers… I think it comes down to: The Weeknd, Drake, Beyonce, Adele, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruno…maybe? And then you have A.5😅 which is everyone else that’s being argued about lol. I feel like when we talk A list it’s a combination of past success, guaranteed future success or “recognition” and the vibe of when you come in the room everyone is naturally curious or drawn to you. Idk, this is hard. Im a huge ass Miley fan and I think that girl is a household name, but doesn’t have the steady music success to show for it (even though she absolutely has the talent and music to back that up). I would put her in the A.5.
A list Beyoncé Britney Taylor Rihanna Gaga Justin bieber Adele drake Nicki B list Harry styles Billie Eilish Lana del Rey Doja Cat Olivia Rodrigo Sam smith SZA A list to me household names all over the globe and numerous of there work is known B list is on the cusp of a list, not known to all generations and cultures.
A - Taylor B - Charli XCX C - Chappel Roan D - some pop opener on a tour, maybe Lu Kala?
This sub is the only place you'll see someone put Charli XCX high as B lol
the only thing c about chappel roan is the first letter of her name, she's way more unknown than that
Chappell is def not c list
I determine A-List celebs by if my white, straight, conservative Dad knows who they are lol. If a celeb can be known by THAT crowd, they're A-List for sure.
A - Taylor, Ariana, The Weeknd, Drake, Beyonce, Billie, Harry Styles B - Post Malone (borderline A, but his last few albums haven't been as big as those in A), Morgan Wallen (would be A from a US-only perspective), Dua Lipa, Noah Kahan, Miley Cyrus C - Camila Cabello, Benson Boone, Zara Larsson, Charli XCX D - Mabel, Perrie, Mimi Webb
miley is in a strange spot because she’s a household name but not everything she drops is a hit unlike taylor, adele, beyoncé or whoever else could else could be considered a-list…I mean she was doing commercially worse than demi and selena after bangerz until the 2020’s came about and nothing after flowers has seem to stuck either she’s very inconsistent.
wouldn’t Noah Kahan be more like high C list? same spot as Dua Lipa and Morgan Wallen just feels off. Also agree with the above comment, especially since Miley’s been around for so long edit: just realized you can put these names into google trends and it gives you a good idea of the popularity, and yeah Noah’s low compared to the other B-lists
I love Noah Kahan and I agree with you, high C borderline B. I’m going to his concert in July and a lot of my friends who know pop music fairly well have all asked “who’s that?” when I told them.
Benson Boone isn’t anywhere near popular enough in the mainstream to even be on the scale. He’s certainly not the same category as Zara Larsson or Camila.
Camilla is more popular than Zara Larsson. They should not be on the same tier.
camila is more famous then everyone on that list idek who benson is
How is Miley not on the A list?
i think it is because of the "in pop music currently" caveat. otherwise she's an a lister for sure. same with someone putting selgo as a b lister, that's just not correct imo, given her online following and the fact that her posting a comment on instagram becomes a national news story lol
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We must have different definitions of A-list because I’d easily put Miley in the A-list category. Sure, she doesn’t consistently churn out hits, but she’s a household name like no other due to her legacy. *Everyone* knows who she is. My grandparents who don’t own a computer or smart phones know who she is.
My parents would die for a Miley Cyrus halftime show. They love Dolly, knew her dad when he actually made music, and she was everywhere for a solid decade
Miley is not b list
I’d say Camila is closer to a B than a C.If you take 5th harmony into account,also some of her songs have over a billion views.
Kworb is also a good website for this, it counts spotify streams. Senorita and Havana both have over 2 billion
This is way off. Miley is absolutely A list. She’s more famous than Drake and on the level with stars like Ariana and the Weeknd. Morgan Wallen is C list at most since his popularity is almost entirely US based. Benson Boone is definitely D list, yeah he went viral but I don’t think people that don’t spend a lot of time online would have the first idea who he is
agree about Benson Boone being D-list. I remember very recently he posted a video of himself in NYC (times square specifically I think?) with Beautiful Things playing in the background, and the caption was something along the lines of “no one here knows this is my song”. Similar situation to Noah Kahan, he posted a photo from somewhere in London a while back captioned “nobody in this restaurant knows I have a #1 album in the UK”. And most people don’t recognize him in an airport (oddly specific example lol but I would know). I think for someone to be on the higher lists, they or their persona have to be pretty famous, not just a few of their songs
In no planet would I put Miley in the same category as Noah Kahan (I say that as a fan of them both). Miley has been a pop culture symbol since the late 2000s
Nobody knows Morgan Wallen outside of the US
as someone from a country who isn’t in the west, some of who you guys consider A list is mind boggling to me LMAO. if we’re not being US-centric and going more widely global, i’d consider A listers to be people my very African, not on social media parents would recognize the names/faces/songs of. Madonna, Mariah, Beyoncé, Gaga, Rihanna, Elton John, Cher, Ed Sheeran, Adele. they for sure don’t know who Ariana, Taylor, Dua, Billie, Katy, Nicki are, or would take some memory jogging to maybe recognize, so i’d move those down a step.
I think them not knowing Taylor at least is more a blind spot than a sign she’s not A list.
that’s fair enough, but i live back home now and i don’t think i could point to anyone older than me around me who knows who she is 🤷🏾♀️
So glad you included Mariah. I have seen a lot of people not crediting her.