“Beyonce higher than Taylor doesn’t sit right”: Netizens react to Billboard’s ranking of the top music producers of the 21st century on the Hot 100

Billboard revealed its list of the best music producers of the 21st century on the Hot 100. They focused on creators who scored the most No. 1 hits in the past 25 years. The list, which is based on chart performance and includes tiebreakers such as total top 10s and overall Hot 100 entries, covers a wide range of producers from different eras and genres — from early-2000s R&B mainstays to current pop hitmakers.

Billboard ranks the biggest producers of the 21st century on the Hot 100:

1. Max Martin
2. Dr Luke
3. Cirkut
4. Shellback
5. Stargate
6. Beyoncé
7. Jack Antonoff
8. Benny Blanco
9. Jermaine Dupri
10. Timbaland
12. Danja
13. Taylor Swift
14. Kanye West
15. Mariah Carey
19. The… pic.twitter.com/3C3AzttW0u

— Pop Tingz (@ThePopTingz) August 15, 2025

The rankings sparked heavy discussion across social media, particularly as fans compared the positions of artists who also produce their music. One of the main things people focused on was Beyoncé being ranked sixth just ahead of Taylor Swift, who came in at 13th. Many users questioned how the list was ordered and talked about the criteria that shaped the final results.

Social media reactions to Beyoncé’s placement on Billboard’s producer list

Several social media users voiced frustration over Beyoncé’s placement ahead of Taylor Swift and other prominent names on the list, arguing that the ranking does not accurately reflect the level of hands-on involvement in music production.

"Beyonce higher than Taylor doesn’t sit right with me," an X user commented.

"Beyoncé above Jack Antonoff AND Benny Blanco!!! Tell me you know NOTHING about music production without telling me," another commented.

"Beyonce never produced a song just receives a producing credit so she receives higher royalties," one wrote.

Some argued that Beyoncé is often credited as a producer for royalty purposes rather than for substantial production work, with one comment stating, “Yall know Beyoncé just changing one note in a song and claims a producer credit.”

"Beyoncé over Jack Antonoff alone is reason to discredit this list," another reacted.

"Of course everyone's complaining about Bey again," one mentioned.

"Yall know Beyoncé just changing one note in a song a claims a Producer credit," another reacted.

Billboard ranking criteria and industry response

Billboard’s list focuses exclusively on production credits and chart data, outlining how many songs each producer has led to the top of the Hot 100 in the 2000–2024 tracking period. At number 25 is Bryan-Michael Cox, whose collaborations with Usher and Mariah Carey in the early 2000s shaped modern R&B. The top five includes Stargate, Shellback, Cirkut, and Dr. Luke, with Max Martin holding the number one spot. Martin has 25 Hot 100 chart-toppers, the highest count ever for a producer on this chart.

When the list appeared online, fans shared charts and created comparisons to show how different artists stacked up against other producers. Some noticed that Swift had co-produced many of her No. 1 hits with Jack Antonoff, who holds the No. 7 spot. They suggested that co-producing might influence an artist's position on the rankings. Meanwhile, others pointed out Beyoncé’s role as both a performer and producer on several of her hit singles, saying this added to her total score.

Beyond the Swift versus Beyoncé debate, the list sparked bigger talks about what producers bring to today’s music and how people often overlook their work compared to the artists they collaborate with. Some fans felt grateful that lesser-known names like Boi-1da and Greg Kurstin got a spotlight, while others were caught off guard by pop icons such as The Weeknd and Mariah Carey making the list because of their production contributions.

Billboard has not indicated whether additional producer rankings for other formats or genres will follow, but the current Hot 100 list has already generated significant debate, with many fans continuing to dissect and analyze the rankings as more stats and comparisons circulate online.