Greatest Pop Stars

Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 6 artist, KPop Demon Hunters Cast. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard branded producer and social manager Meghan Mahar to talk about the year of the KPop Demon Hunters takeover — with the animated musical not only becoming the most-watched film in Netflix history, but with seven songs from its fictional K-pop groups HUNTR/X and Saja Boys becoming IRL smashes, as the movie, its hits and the real-life artists behind them all became global pop culture fixtures of 2025.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Watch Meghan's HUNTR/X Takes Us Out Video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1uIi7zPwD0&list=PLwFs58D1XAMbH88Bz85QKc--sl_F9Dvvx&index=7&pp=gAQBiAQB8AUB2AYnsAgC

Check out a YouTube playlist of all the best KPop Demon Hunters Cast 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbH88Bz85QKc--sl_F9Dvvx&si=t8GyPgkWY9S66wlH

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 7 artist, Tate McRae. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Kristen Wisneski and Michael Saponara to talk about McRae's ascendant 2025 — where she scored her first No. 1s on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard 200 albums chart, went on a best-selling arena tour, lit up the MTV Video Music Awards, and cemented herself beyond any doubts as one of the still-rising A-list pop stars of her generation.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Tate McRae's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMZN95xBXSmJ50BHBR-T3tf_&si=MhReauWUl1OZAMKN

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 8 artist, Morgan Wallen. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's executive editor, West Coast and Nashville Melinda Newman to look at the country's superstar momentum-maintaining 2025 — where he once again set records on the weekly and year-end Billboard Hot 100 with his 37-track 'I'm the Problem' blockbuster, while forging into newfound pop territory with his chart-topping Tate McRae duet and creating one of the year's best accidental memes with "Get me to God's country."

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Morgan Wallen's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbPHSaywPiV9m-qFeFdBJ0R&si=DBsBI7KyOALYovaZ

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues its top 10 with a look at our No. 9 artist, Doechii. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by AJ Marks of r/Popheads and the excellent Main Pod Girl podcast to look at the ascendant rapper's breakout 2025 — where she made good on all the most optimistic prognostications about her in late 2024 with multiple breakout hits from her 'Alligator Bites Never Heal' mixtape, a star-making Grammys night in February, and an out-of-nowhere smash that both capped her first half of the year and ended up confusing things a little for her second half.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Listen to Main Pod Girl here:

https://mainpodgirl.libsyn.com/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Doechii's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbbd9I4MoYpztelJG1YH5oC&si=yHvMYQOMqWETWiw4

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series kicks off its top 10 with a look at our No. 10 artist, Tyler, The Creator. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard's Kyle Denis to look at the veteran rapper's first year making our top 10 — where he pushed forward from an already-huge 2024 with the stunning Chromakopia World Tour, the dancefloor-insistent semi-surprise album 'Don't Tap the Glass,' a full-circle moment alongside the Clipse in that duo's comeback season, and even a long-awaited film debut in the highly acclaimed 'Marty Supreme.'

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Tyler's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbTmgpnlXHcwIwr8hnPiVRf&si=zTdOwvJ_5GM3q4N1

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues on with a look at our Comeback of the Year artist, the Clipse. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard Hip-Hop's Michael Saponara to dive deep into the Virginia brother duo's insanely triumphant 2025 campaign, where Pusha T and Malice not only recaptured past glories but forged new ones with their rapturously received 'Let God Sort Em Out' album, team-ups with Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, The Creator and one of the best album rollouts of the decade.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Clipse's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbVgIUpd7My0A6SUKmBURnf&si=Dz5rl22_oUbNdFQK

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series continues on with a look at our Rookie of the Year artist, Olivia Dean. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard U.K.'s Sophie Williams to dive deep into the British singer-songwriter's impossibly quick-rising 2025 campaign, where she won over hearts on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond with her breakthrough album 'The Art of Loving,' hit songs like "Man I Need" and "So Easy (To Fall in Love)," and near incalculable amounts of charm.

Find all our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 essays and podcasts here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/greatest-pop-stars-of-2025/

Check out a YouTube playlist of Olivia's best 2025 moments here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMbTmgpnlXHcwIwr8hnPiVRf&si=zTdOwvJ_5GM3q4N1

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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Our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 series gets underway with a look at our 10 Honorable Mention artists -- the stars who were great enough this year to get into the discussion but not quite onto our top 10. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by YouTuber Todd and the Shadows as we go over their cases -- and whether we disagree with any of them not making the proper list -- then give shouts to some pop stars who couldn't quite make the cut this year but still deserve mention, as well as some who aren't quite in the discussion yet but could get there by 2026.

Check out the Song vs. Song podcast here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZPOSfyq3NwIsGGTPY1I10?si=755431d8ec6a461d&nd=1&dlsi=fee39ca02a584ea0

Watch Todd in the Shadows' videos here:

https://www.youtube.com/c/ToddintheShadows

Find our YouTube playlist for our 2025 Honorable Mentions pop stars here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMan0wM5Vi7OC-3YogD8YMdU&si=4jLn4fNhWBd5xtuT

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

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On this Who Won the Month episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard staffers Jason Lipshutz and Danielle Pascual to discuss the big pop stars, rising prospects and veteran greats who were heard from loudest in December 2025 — which, was largely defined by Mariah Carey making chart history and Taylor Swift marking the 'End of an Era.' We each choose our top fives for the month that was, then we talk some disappointing recent performances, and look ahead to who we're most anticipating hearing more from in the first months of 2026.

If you enjoy the pod, check out out the rest of our 2025 Who Won the Month recaps here:

https://www.billboard.com/t/who-won-the-month/

Vote in our Greatest Pop Stars of 2025 Poll here:

https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/greatest-pop-stars-2025-vote-reader-favorites-1236149728

Find our YouTube playlist for our December 2025 pop stars here:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFs58D1XAMYtzOLeIhxlNO6BE5OW28c3&si=YNaQ2Jc6vLxXgiDW

And please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

https://5calls.org/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've finally turned the calendar to 2026, and while we're not done looking back at 2025 yet by any means, we're taking a New Year's Day pause to look forward a little. For this first Greatest Pop Stars episode of the year, host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Billboard charts senior analyst/writer Eric Frankenberg to offer some New Year's resolutions for pop stars like Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii that we'd like to see them commit to in 2026. Then, we also offer some resolution ideas for pop stardom collectively, and also a couple for us ourselves as pop fans.

And if you enjoy the pod, please consider donating to the following causes:

Transgender Law Center

https://transgenderlawcenter.org/

Destination Tomorrow

https://secure.givelively.org/donate/destination-tomorrow-inc

Trans Lifeline

https://translifeline.org/

Gender-Affirming Care Fundraising on GoFundMe

https://www.gofundme.com/c/gender-confirmation-surgery-fundraising

Also, please consider giving your local congresspeople a call in support of trans rights, with contact information you can find on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5Calls.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices