#billboard greatest pop star

[seeminglyranch87]

Taylor & Travis Timeline

December 2023 - part 2

December 10 - Chiefs v Buffalo Bills, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City.

Travis Kelce arriving ahead of game

Taylor flies into Kansas City to attend the Chiefs game with her cousins, Travis' cousins & friends at Arrowhead Stadium

Travis made a brilliant play contributing to a touch down but was denied due to a team mates penalty.

During the game, NFL announcer and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo referred to her as "Travis' wife" while on the air with announcing partner Jim Nantz.

"As you see, Kelce's wife, Taylor Swift, in the audience," Romo pointed out, quickly correcting himself and saying, "I'm sorry -- girlfriend."

"Not yet," Nantz said in response.

Chiefs were defeated 17 - 20.

Taylor and Travis leave the stadium together

Taylor and Travis together with team mates, coaches friends and family gather at Miracle Pop Up Bar

Travis' barber shares a photo of Taylor and Travis (x)

Lots of photos emerge from the party with Taylor and travis taking photos with friends - these have been cropped...

December 11 - Taylor is nominated for a Golden Globe for The Eras tour movie.

USA Today reports that Taylor has donated $1 million to a Tennessee tornado relief Fund (x) after a Tornado ravaged the state on Saturday 9 Dec.

ET article (x)

According to Cheterah Jackson, a Columbus, Ohio-based real estate agent and friend of Travis', the couple rented a luxury bus to transport their group and reserved the Christmas bar in downtown Kansas City for friends and family. 

Jackson tells ET, "My boyfriend Calvin Locke... is Travis' friend and has known him since the 7th grade. We were in the suite at the game, which was filled with family and friends."

"Taylor is an absolute sweetheart. She is very down-to-earth and kind." 

"Taylor and Travis are so in love. It was so cute seeing them together and I can see them getting married"  

December 12 - Taylor returns to NYC. Pictured with Miles & Keleigh Teller

December 13 - New Heights Ep. 68 airs (x 5:05)

Jason and Travis limit talking about Taylor although when the brothers chat about the No.1 & No.2 sales of NFL jerseys in the UK, they give credit to Swifties for helping with the success of topping the sales and Travis gives a "shout out to Kylie and Taylor." Travis suggests that perhaps they could "find our way over there this off season and say hello to everyone in person" and record a live show in the UK. Jason replies "we also got an opportunity to do one in Australia - we could make it a world tour"

Any one know of an international pop star who may be touring in the UK and Australia in 2024 that coincides with the NFL off season? Are the Kelce brothers hinting that Travis and perhaps Jason will join Taylor on tour next year? It should be noted that Patrick Mahomes has also raised the idea of possibly catching the Era's Tour in Europe in the off season too...

The boys answer "No Dumb Questions" from handle "metal-as-hell", a reference to Taylor's TIME article calling Travis "metal as hell" when he publicly declared his interest in dating Taylor.

Taylor Swift's 34th Birthday - Taylor heads to Banzarbar, NYC with friends to celebrate her birthday into the early hours of the morning - Happy Birthday Taylor! The paps even broke out into song to sing Taylor "Happy Birthday". Note Travis remained in KC with commitments to the Chiefs. This was expected.

December 14 - Taylor and friends share photos from the birthday celebration the evening before (x)

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December 15 - Taylor is named Billboard's No.1 Greatest Pop Star (x)

It didn’t seem possible that anyone could have a year this dominant: not this deep into the streaming era, not this long after the oft-proclaimed death of the monoculture, not when the entire industry seems to be in crisis over how to capture and hold onto listener attention. It was a year not to be judged against Swift’s 2023 peers, but against the entirety of modern pop history. 

There is no wasted potential with Taylor Swift, no what ifs – the chance was there for her to have one of the greatest years any pop star has ever had, and you know that she grabbed it. Taylor was here. No one who was around for her 2023 will ever forget it.

With reference to Taylor's relationship with Travis, Billboard's Andrew Unterberger says:

... rumors were beginning to swirl about her and Kelce. The Chiefs star had become increasingly coy in his comments about the pop icon, saying he’d invited her to come see him play a home game (after he’d seen her Eras show in Kansas City that July). She did indeed do just that on the September 24th, with her presence at Arrowhead sending both the worlds of sports and pop culture into a frenzy, and leading to numerous posts and videos of non-football-conversant Swifties sharing the sport’s rules with one another, so they could better understand what was happening in between the shots of their hero in a private box with Kelce’s mom Donna.  From then on, every Sunday (and a couple Mondays and Thursdays) of 2023 was overtaken with Taylor talk: Would she be showing up at the Chiefs’ next game? What other celebrities would she be attending with? What kind of Kelce swag would she be wearing, and what would that mean about their relationship? What do you mean Kansas City is on a bye week?While Swift’s short relationship with Healy was extremely controversial to Swifties and her long relationship with Alwyn was largely uninteresting to everyone else, her love story with Kelce – a well-liked, unproblematic figure, a Super Bowl-winning superstar as an athlete with enough of a Q rating as a celebrity to host SNL – was universally accessible, and found near-100% public approval. You didn’t need deep grounding in Swift Lore to understand the relationship, because it just felt right: the All-American athlete dating the All-American pop star. 

Go to part 1 of December 2023

Go to part 3 of December 2023

Return to the timeline

[sbrown82]

[aricastmblr]

Billboard nombra a BTS la 19ª estrella pop más grande del siglo XXI. En los logros salen los No.1 en Hot100 BB de JIMIN LIKE CRAZY JUNGKOOK SEVEN

billboard instagram sale bts

BTS are No. 19 on Billboard’s list of the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century ⭐️

The seven member pop group took over the world and the @ billboardcharts at the turn of the 2020s.

Read Billboard’s deep dive on how they took K-pop to new global heights — and set the standard for high-level hitmaking and fan devotion over the part decade of pop music — at the link in bio.

BTS son el número 19 en la lista de Billboard de las 25 mejores estrellas del pop del siglo XXI ⭐️

"Ningún grupo de K-pop, ni ningún grupo en general, ha logrado lo que Bangtan ha conseguido en este siglo. Desde crear una comunidad global hasta expandir el K-pop mucho más allá de su propio género y lanzar siete exitosas carreras en solitario de estrellas del pop, BTS realmente abrió el camino."

Jimin made history with the release of his first solo album, FACE, as the single “Like Crazy” became the first song by a Korean solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100. Jung Kook performed at the World Cup and notched his own Hot 100 No. 1, with “Seven” featuring Latto.

[seoul-bros]

Post Date: 10/09/2024

[twopoppies]

I don't particularly care but it is a bit of a curiosity why Billboard didn't include Harry in their greatest popstars of the 21st century list. I feel like they've been up his arse in previous times so I wonder what happened.

That is interesting. Taylor is number two. I'm sure they'll put Beyoncé at number one. One Direction is there at 22. Maybe they felt that was enough? Or that he hadn't been among "the greatest" for long enough as a solo act? Not sure it means anything. But it's worth kepping an eye on.

x

Here's the article on One Direction which is actually really interesting to read and includes some tidbits like:

As the boys spent more time together, their roles became clearer: Liam Payne, with his standout audition, would be the leader; Louis Tomlinson’s charm would make him the lovable prankster; Niall Horan, the humble boy from Ireland, would be the down-to-earth sweetheart; Zayn Malik, reserved with undeniably striking looks, would be the mysterious one; and Harry Styles, with his curly locks, dimples and wide smile, would be the heartthrob. Together, they were 1D, and they would take over the world. [...]

A new online community, “stan Twitter,” rallied around the group, and their superfans, called “Directioners,” helped their idols achieve astronomical mainstream success, changing fan-to-fan communication and fan-to-artist relationships forever.

[...] Watching five young men come together like brothers to live out their dreams was inspiring, and their camaraderie warmed the hearts of millions. The fans treasured the group’s relationships so deeply that they declared allegiance to every possible combination of inter-band dynamics, including “Narry,” “LiLo” and “Ziam.”

LOL! I love that they left out Larry 🙄

[...]

it was Beatlemania for the 2010s, powered by fans who were online 24/7, 365 days a year and watching the quintet’s every move — sometimes going as far as hacking security cameras in elevators and airports just to catch a glimpse of their favorite band. 

[...]

The quintet’s greatest contribution, though, was how it changed the blueprint for pop superstardom. While there is no exact formula for fame and success, the Directioners created and normalized a more intense version of “stan” culture than ever before: one that shows devotion through chronic online activity and community building all day, every day, which has shaped entire industries like K-pop. And even though One Direction only lasted five years as a group, the impact of its discography — ranging from enduring smashes to beloved deep cuts — continues to shape a generation of pop connoisseurs and hold a particularly special place in the hearts of millennials and Gen Z’ers everywhere.

[ladyxgaga]

Billboard names Lady Gaga the 5th Greatest Pop Star of the 21st Century!

 "(...) she has made philanthropy and LGBTQ+ rights a core part of her professional identity; and she is the only person on the planet who has been nominated for a best actress Oscar and headlined a Super Bowl halftime show. She has kept us on our toes for 15 years, reinventing what a modern pop star can achieve, while also delivering banger after banger. "

Read the full article here

[dreamings-free]

4/9/24

read the article here | tumblr post

[shakira-fan-page]

Billboard’s list of the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century 🌟 Shakira's singular artistry and near-peerless career longevity helped break barriers in pop music throughout the past quarter century. Billboard remember the century in Shakira — who transformed Latin pop with her groundbreaking early-’00s crossover, soared to global fame with hits like “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Waka Waka” and influenced a new generation of artists across multiple genres.

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[kirajw]

[euginemicah]

Kendrick Lamar Named Billboard’s Greatest 2024 Pop Star

American rapper Kendrick Lamar, also known by his stage name K.Dot, has wrapped up 2024 in spectacular fashion, securing the top spot on Billboard’s list of the Greatest Pop Stars of the Year. Andrew Unterberger from Billboard praised Lamar’s exceptional achievements, highlighting the success of his hit track Not Like Us alongside other notable releases this year, which demonstrated his enduring…

[thesafewaystobereckless]

Girlies be mad that Billboard placed T-Swift at #2 on their greatest pop stars of the 21st century and

1.) We got 76 more years before this is a list that makes sense

2.) Literally ONLY Usher and Justin Timberlake were the only people whose career's peaked before the 2010s.

It's pretty much a list of cool 2010s pop stars and like 2 people from the 00s. Not saying anyone isn't deserving to be on there, it's just not exactly reflective of the 21st century lol

[seeminglyranch87]

Taylor & Travis Timeline

December 2023 - part 3

December 16 - Travis Kelce arrives ahead of game - Foxborough, MA

December 17 - Chiefs v New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA

Travis passes by a billboard of Taylor at Gillette Stadium (x) during game warm up session

Taylor attends Chiefs v Patriots game with her dad Scott Swift, Brittany Mahomes, Ashleigh Avignone, Melanie Nyema, Alana Haim & others.

Taylor wore a vintage Chiefs sweater and fan made beanie with custom "87"

KC Chiefs defeat Patriots 27 - 17

Chiefs Coach Andy Reid after the game says of Taylor (x 5:40) when asked about her affect on the team:

"I'm a big fan so I'm glad she was here, I hope she enjoyed it, She's got a great guy that she is dating right now, I'm happy for both of them."

Taylor and Travis fly back to Kansas City.

December 18 - The messenger informs us (x) incase you were wondering...

"There are no plans for an engagement anytime soon," the source exclusively told The Messenger amid rumors. "There is no engagement at this time."

December 19 - Page Six publish article - Taylor & Travis to spend Christmas and New Year's Eve together.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce will be spending the holidays together this year, Page Six can exclusively confirm.

A source tells us that the pop superstar, 34, will be with her NFL beau, also 34, in Kansas City, Mo., on both Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve since he is scheduled to work on both days. “She’ll for sure be at the games,” an insider says.

The Hollywood Reporter post a humorous look at "The 2023 Hollywood Yearbook" and crown Taylor and Travis as Prom Queen and King (x)

December 21 - New Heights Ep. 69 airs. Travis and Jason Kelce discuss the Chiefs v Patriots win and Taylor's popularity at the venue and Scott Swift's support for the Chiefs. (x 38.00)

Travis refers to Taylor being shown on the jumbo-tron at Gillette Stadium during the game...

"I'll say this they showed Taylor at the game and I mean you don't you don't see an entire home team fan base go insane for somebody wearing the opposite team's colors. Just shows you how amazing that girl is They went absolutely insane when they showed Taylor on the screen, there might have been a few Brads and Chads that were booing but for the most part everybody was f** screaming their tail off, I was trying to keep it cool I was like don't show don't show your cards don't show your cards it was fun man it was fun. Shout out to the the Patriots New England, Taylor's on board or she's on record saying that that Stadium's one of the funnest that she's played at so for them to show her is uh just kind of I guess showing her some some love so shout out to the Patriots for doing that."

The NFL continue to post about Taylor and Travis...

December 21 - Taylor at Electric Lady Studios, NYC

December 22 - Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Quarterback praises Taylor in interview with CBS Mornings (x)

Patrick sharing his thoughts on Taylor...

"She's just part of Chiefs kingdom now, she's part of the team"

"She's top tier at her profession"

"I'm glad that she is the person that she is and that is why I think her and Travis match so well."

December 25 - Christmas Day

Chiefs v Las Vegas Raiders, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City.

Travis arrives at Arrowhead Stadium ahead of game (x)

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Taylor arrives at Arrowhead Stadium with Santa - Austin Swift

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A post shared by SportsCenter (@sportscenter)

Taylor watches game with her parents Scott and Andrea, brother Austin, his girlfriend Sydney, Ed Kelce, Brittany Mahomes Lindsay Bell and others.

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A post shared by ESPN (@espn)

Taylor seen wearing a Santa hat with "87" on it in support of Travis. Commentators accidentally call Taylor Travis' "wife" (x)

Raiders defeat Chiefs 20 - 14

Taylor leaves Arrowhead Stadium with Travis (x) to celebrate Christmas together.

December 29 - New Heights Ep 71 airs (x) - Travis and Jason talk about their Christmas celebration with parents Donna and Ed and are also joined by Kylie Kelce.

Travis asked Kylie who grew up in Philadelphia "did you guys go out to Reading or Lancaster?" to buy a Christmas tree when she was a child? With a knowing grin, Kylie admits to never visiting Reading but "I heard there was a tree farm out there" (1:24)

We all know in whose heart there is a "Christmas Tree Farm" ;-)

“I feel like you might like cats now,” Kylie teased her brother in law. Which leads us to ask how is Travis getting along with Meredith, Olivia and Benjamin? (1:27)

When talking about his Christmas Day and referencing the Chiefs loss Travis said “I’ve had better. … But it ended well, it ended well with good Christmas cheer and good people. That’s always gonna save Christmas no matter if you lose to the Raiders or not.”

Travis went on to praise Taylor’s brother, Austin Swift, who attended the game dressed in a Santa costume. “It was a full commit. He killed it,” Travis said, revealing that Austin gave him “a VHS of my favorite football movie of all time... the Little Giants” “He actually made me feel like a child because his gift to me was straight out of the bag.” “Santa kills it,” Travis said of the gift. (1:30)

December 31 - Chiefs v Bengals, Arrowhead Stadium. Travis arrives ahead of game (x)

Taylor watches the game at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City wearing a Chiefs varsity jacket customised with "Tay Tay". Travis wore a matching jacket heading into the game last week. Perhaps this jacket is a gift from Travis?? Taylor looks like she had a fabulous time cheering on Travis and the Chiefs.

Chiefs defeat Bengals 25 - 17 and are now AFC West Champions and qualified for playoffs! (x)

Travis & Taylor leave Arrowhead together

Travis and Taylor celebrate New Year's Eve together (x x x)

Go to part 1 of December 2023

Go to part 2 of December 2023

Go to next update -> January 2024, part 1

Return to the timeline

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Madonna - Like a Prayer 1989

"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer Madonna and was released as the lead single from her 1989 fourth studio album of the same name. Written and produced by both Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience. Along with the parent album, "Like a Prayer" was a turning point in Madonna's career, with critics starting to acknowledge her as an artist rather than a mere pop star.

"Like a Prayer" is a pop rock and gospel song that also incorporates elements of funk. The lyrics contain liturgical words, but they have been interpreted by some people to have dual meanings of sexual innuendo and religion. "Like a Prayer" was acclaimed by music critics upon release and was a global commercial success, becoming Madonna's seventh number 1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, topping the Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks and also topping the charts in many other countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and the UK. It was Madonna's fifth number 1 hit on the Eurochart Hot 100, and stayed at number one for 12 weeks.

The accompanying music video for "Like a Prayer", directed by Mary Lambert, shows a white woman being sexually assaulted and subsequently killed by a group of white men, but a black man is arrested for the crime. The video depicts a church and Catholic symbols such as stigmata. It also features the Ku Klux Klan's burning crosses and a dream sequence about kissing a black saint. Leon Robinson was hired to play the role of a saint; the part was inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people and all those seeking interracial harmony. The Vatican condemned the video, while family and religious groups protested against its broadcast. They boycotted products by soft drink manufacturer Pepsi, who had used the song in their commercial. Pepsi canceled their sponsorship contract with Madonna, but allowed her to retain the $5 million fee.

While most TV stations banned the music video, MTV notably continued to air the video on heavy rotation. The controversies leading to her "Like a Prayer" video introduced the concept of free publicity and became a turning point where Madonna was viewed as a shrewd businesswoman who knows how to sell a concept. At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, the video for "Like a Prayer" was nominated in the Viewer's Choice and Video of the Year categories, winning the former. It was number one on MTV's countdown of "100 Videos That Broke the Rules" in 2005, and for the channel's 25th anniversary, viewers voted it as the "Most Groundbreaking Music Video of All Time". In addition, the video was ranked at number 20 on Rolling Stone's "The 100 Top Music Videos", and at number two on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos. In a 2011 poll by Billboard, the video for "Like a Prayer" was voted the second-best music video of the 1980s, behind only Michael Jackson's "Thriller". According to Screen Rant, "Like a Prayer" is one of the most used Madonna's songs in movies and television, most recently notably featured in the 2024 film Deadpool & Wolverine.

"Like a Prayer" received a total of 87,9% yes votes! Previous Madonna polls: #18 "Who's That Girl", #184 "Live to Tell".

[aricastmblr]

LAS MAYORES ESTRELLAS POP DEL SIGLO XXI SEGÚN BILLBOARD: N.º 19: BTS

BTS ha sido nombrado la 19ª "mayor estrella pop" del siglo XXI por Billboard

"Ningún grupo de K-pop, ni ningún grupo en general, ha sido capaz de lograr lo que Bangtan ha logrado en este siglo. Desde crear una comunidad global hasta expandir el K-pop más allá de su género y ofrecer siete exitosos actos en solitario con estrellas del pop, BTS realmente allanó el camino".

Jimin hizo historia con el lanzamiento de su primer álbum en solitario, FACE , ya que el sencillo "Like Crazy" se convirtió en la primera canción de un artista solista coreano en encabezar el Billboard Hot 100. Jung Kook actuó en la Copa del Mundo y logró su propio número 1 en el Hot 100, con "Seven" con Latto.

billboard X 31dic2024

Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century: No. 19 — BTS

[tswiftupdatess]

Billboard publicly apologizes to Taylor Swift after receiving backlash for posting sexually violating content including a clip of Taylor’s naked wax figure on their Greatest Pop Stars Of The Century:

''We are deeply sorry to Taylor Swift and all of our readers and viewers that in a video celebrating Swift’s achievements, we included a clip that falsely depicted her. We have removed the clip from our video and sincerely regret the harm we caused with this error.''

Billboard has also made controversial remarks to other female popstars such as Rihanna, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande, recalling their scandals and past traumas in their “Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century” articles. Billboard did not make an error as the video had to be approved by multiple staff before posting. Everything was intentionally chosen.

[louisupdates]

With the first quarter of the 21st century coming to an end, Billboard has been looking back on the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the Past 25 Years. Below, we take a deeper look into the solo career of Louis Tomlinson — one of the members of our No. 22 pop stars, One Direction — and how his songwriting, originally honed in 1D, has helped him develop into one of the group’s strongest breakout artists.

When One Direction officially went on hiatus in 2015, Zayn Malik dropped Mind of Mine in 2016, Harry Styles’ eponymous LP dropped in 2017, Niall Horan followed with Flicker later that year and Liam Payne’s First Time EP arrived in 2018. Louis Tomlinson, however, took his time with releasing a full project – and entered an era of healing and self-discovery that saw him realizing his potential as one of 1D’s most self-actualized artists, even if not necessarily the starriest.

Even before going solo, Tomlinson showed he was meant for breakthrough success while in One Direction. Longtime Directioners know that Tomlinson wrote more songs in One Direction than any other member, penning long standing hits including “Perfect,” “History” and “Fool’s Gold” and proving his fortitude as a songwriter who understands lyrical cleverness and crafting the indescribably catchy refrains necessary to produce arena-ready hits. Beyond his musical abilities, Tomlinson’s sense of humor and friendship with fellow 1D members also ensured fans had a soft spot for him.

However, when he did go solo, the road was slippery at first. He teamed up with Steve Aoki for his first solo release “Just Hold On” in December 2016, and just three days before its release, Tomlinson’s mother died of leukemia. He still took the stage to perform the song on The X Factor, the first public testament to the star’s strength and dedication to his musical craft.

Tomlinson’s resilience amid adversity continued as he navigated the music industry. The star signed with Epic Records in 2017 and released a few singles – including “Miss You” and the Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals-assisted “Back to You.” While the infectious hooks to both tracks could have easily solidified Tomlinson as a pop mainstay, the two singles didn’t perform as well as expected on the charts: “Just Hold On” peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Back to You” hit No. 40, while “Miss You” missed the chart altogether. Ultimately, a full-length album never materialized with Epic Records.

Tomlinson shortly got back on his feet, as he always does, and signed with Arista Records in 2019 – where he honed his talent as a songwriter, this time feeling comfortable enough to tackle more vulnerable topics in his music. His first release under the label was “Two of Us,” a heart-wrenching tribute to his late mother. “I know you’ll be looking down/ Swear I’m gonna make you proud/ I’ll be living one life for the two of us,” he sings in the chorus, giving a glimpse into what would soon become a musical career full of honesty and vulnerability.

Unfortunately, shortly after its release, another hardship struck Tomlinson’s life when his 18-year-old sister Fizzy died of an accidental overdose. Both the release of “Two of Us” and the tragedy that followed showed just how close Tomlinson’s community of fans is, as they showered him with online love and support in the months that followed.

After taking some much-deserved time to heal, he announced in August of that year that his debut solo album was on its way – and shortly after, he released a follow-up single, the rock-leaning, drumline-driven “Kill My Mind.” Tomlinson admitted that he finally found his stride. “I’m actually really proud and relieved to finally find my place, find my lane musically,” he told Hits Radio Breakfast at the time, indicating a moment of relief amid his turbulent few years.

Tomlinson’s debut solo album, Walls, arrived in January 2020 and while it hit the Billboard 200‘s top 10, it was met with mixed reviews from critics, who suggested that the heart he wanted to portray wasn’t quite there. His growth outside of commercial success proved otherwise, as he had been spending the past few years building a solid identity not only as an artist, but also as a person. While some of the other One Direction alums are still finding their footing with their solo sounds to this day, Tomlinson grew strongly into an instrumentation-focused pop-rock artist whose lyrics go beyond the cookie cutter sentiments you might expect from a former boy band member.

And soon, all the hard work – both personally and musically – finally paid off. Faith in the Future, his 2022 sophomore solo album, debuted at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. In the United States, Faith In The Future debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, and at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200, his highest-charting set yet on both tallies. The album’s success, as well his sold-out live shows on its accompanying tour, not only showed the still-standing Directioner devotion to Tomlinson, but also made it clear that he picked up a slew of new fans along the way.

Tomlinson’s self-awareness was evident on the album’s lead single, “Bigger Than Me.” “When somebody told me I would change/ I was afraid, I don’t know why/ ‘Cause so does the world outside, I’ve realized/ It’s bigger than me,” he sings – indicating that the key for solo success all along was being himself, and letting go of the pressure that fame brings.

While Tomlinson has still yet to score the major chart hits stateside that his 1D bandmates essentially achieved right away – and has been more focused on his 28 clothing line the past couple years – he’s proven that he doesn’t need traditional pop crossover success to have a bright future ahead of him. With another couple albums and tours that continue to establish his identity and expand his artistry, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him making the jump to arenas in the not-distant future. Louis’ solo career may not have gotten off to the perfect start, but it just might end up being perfect for him in the long-term anyway.