“His stats speak for themselves” - Fans react to Billboard naming Drake 4th Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century

Billboard magazine has released a new list detailing the "Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century," revealing hip-hop all-star Drake as their No. 4 pick.

The publication seemingly intends to recap the greatest hit makers of this generation, citing that in a couple of months, "the first quarter of the 21st century" will come to a close.

Drizzy's ranking on Billboard's new staff picks has placed the rapper above Young Money label-mates Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, who placed at No. 21 and No. 13, respectively.

Several media outlets, like Chart Data, have reposted Billboard's ranking on social media platforms fueling discussions among fans and critics, with individuals debating Drizzy's placement over other artists.

One individual commented against the hate the OVO CEO was receiving, citing how it didn't matter whether people "like him or not" since his 13 Billboard Hot 100 hits and chart-topping albums are reason enough to validate his ranking on the publication's list.

Several fans were found celebrating Drizzy's career achievements, with many citing his ranking on Billboard's Greatest Pop Star list as "well deserved".

"Drake's dominance in the 21st century pop landscape is undeniable his influence is unmatched" - A fan cited.

"His stats speak for itself, the GOAT fr" - Another added.

"Secures the 4th spot as the 'Greatest Pop Star' of the 21st Century by Billboard—another major accolade!" - A fan praised.

"6 God reigns supreme, well-deserved recognition" - Said another.

While fans did praise Drizzy's placement, users were found critiquing Billboard's staff picks.

A few seemed to suggest the rapper should've been placed over artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna, who are yet to be ranked but many suggest will occupy one of the top three positions.

"Oh the top 3 is gonna be a warzone" - A user stated.

"Having Beyonce and Rihanna ahead of Drake is a crime. He’s greater then them in nearly every metric. Trash list" - A fan claimed.

"The bias is Insane smh. Drake deserves to be top 2 The hate against him is unreal, after everything he has achieved on Billboard, plus his longevity smh" - Another added.

"Taylor and Drake are the only biggest artist out there!! Giving number 4 to Drake is diabolical" - A user suggested.

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Recapping Drake's Billboard hits after rapper places at No. 4 on "Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century" list

Billboard's exclusive "deep-dive" into Drake's career history finds the publication revisiting the rapper's chart-topping discography, "a peerless run of feature appearances" in the 2010s, and his commanding use of social media platforms as factors that contributed to his massive cultural impact.

Drizzy's first commercially successful release came with his debut studio album, Thank Me Later, which was released in 2010 and rose to the top of Billboard's album charts after selling 447,000 copies in its first week.

The official cover art for Drake's debut studio album 'Thank Me Later' (Image via Spotify)

Since then the OVO CEO has delivered 13 No. 1 LPs in the past 14 years, two of which include his collaborative projects with Future, titled What A Time To Be Alive, and 21 Savage, Her Loss. The complete list of chart-topping albums has been provided below:

1. Thank Me Later - 2010
2. Take Care - 2011
3. Nothing Was The Same - 2013
4. If You're Reading This It's Too Late - 2015
5. What A Time To Be Alive (with Future) - 2015
6. Views - 2016
7. More Life - 2017
8. Scorpion - 2018
9. Care Package - 2019
10. Certified Lover Boy - 2021
11. Honestly, Nevermind - 2022
12. Her Loss (with 21 Savage) - 2022
13. For All The Dogs - 2023

"No other artist of the period can match his combination of 13 Hot 100 No. 1 singles and 13 Billboard 200 No. 1 albums — only The Beatles, who Drake got tattooed on his left forearm in 2019 after passing one of their Billboard benchmarks, can claim the same historically" - Billboard stated.

While almost all of Drizzy's LPs managed to top Billboard's album charts, except for his 2009 mixtape So Far Gone and 2020's Dark Lane Demo Tapes, the rapper has sustained a historical presence on the music magazine's Hot 100 chart with massive singles like God's Plan, One Dance, and Passionfruit.

Billboard reported that in 2020 Drake became the only artist in music history to achieve over 338 Hot 100 entries in his career, surpassing 21st Century icons like Taylor Swift, Future, and more.

Throughout his career, Drake has achieved 13 No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, between 2010 and 2023. The complete list of chart-topping records the OVO CEO has released are listed below:

1. What's My Name (with. Rihanna) - 2010
2. Work (with. Rihanna) - 2016
3. One Dance (feat. Wizkid and Kyla) - 2016
4. God's Plan - 2018
5. Nice For What - 2018
6. In My Feelings - 2018
7. Toosie Slide - 2020
8. What's Next - 2020
9. Way 2 Sexy (feat. Young Thug and Future) - 2021
10. Jimmy Cooks (feat. 21 Savage) - 2022
11. Wait 4 U (with. Future and Tems) - 2022
12. Slime You Out (feat. SZA) - 2023
13. First Person Shooter (feat. J. Cole) - 2023

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A few months have passed since Drake announced that he would be releasing a new collaborative album with OVO signee PARTYNEXTDOOR, who dropped his fourth studio album, PartyNextDoor 4, on April 24, 2024.

The LP's title, tracklist, and potential guest list are still being kept under wraps, but several media outlets have suggested the project will be delivered before the year ends.