The recently passed year of 2015 was certainly eventful in the music industry. As we start a new chapter in the book of time (this one with 366 pages!), we are sure to welcome new trends, artists, and memorable music moments. It is time to reminisce and take a look back at the most successful, prolific, and ubiquitous artists of 2015.

This top five list is taken from the Billboard Year End 2015 Review. The artists’ ranks are based off of a score comprised of their total radio airplay, sales data, streaming data, social 50 activity, and box score over the year. In general, if you could not go a day without hearing some news about the artist, then he/she was ranked highly on the list. 

5) One Direction

This iconic boy band saw the most eventful year of their existence since their creation in 2010. Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and, ex-member, Zayn Malik comprised the highest grossing concert tour band in 2014. Up until 2015, the band had not seen any major roadblocks, and was still riding the immense wave of success. On March 25, 2015, the band released an official statement announcing Malik’s departure from 1D, sending waves of shock and sadness through the world. However, in May, the remaining members assured the world that they would continue working without a new fifth member.

On July 31, “Drag Me Down” was released, which rests at 65 on the yearly US Billboard Hot 100. It was the first single from their fifth studio album, Made in the A.M., as well as the first material released without Malik. The full album was released on November 13. At the 2015 American Music Awards on November 22, 1D won “Artist of the Year” for the second year in the row. Later, Tomlinson confirmed that the group would be taking an 18-month hiatus after five years of non-stop activity. Their last televised group performance before the hiatus was at ABC’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve on December 31, 2015.

4) Drake

Aubrey Drake Graham was all over the music scene in 2015. On February 12, Drake released If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late on iTunes, with no promotion or announcement. He quite literally just dropped it, and social media users went ballistic. In just a few months, it had sold over a million copies, making Drake the first platinum artist of 2015. This album is his fourth to go platinum. On the yearly US Billboard 200, it peaked at #2.

On September 20, 2015, Drake collaborated with Future to release the mixtape, “What a Time to be Alive”. It peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200, Billboard R&B, and Billboard Hot Rap Charts.

3) The Weeknd 

2015 was an immensely successful year for Abel Tesfaye, whose stage name is “The Weeknd”.  His single, “The Hills”, rose through all of the charts after its release on May 27, and still resides at the #1 spot. On June 8, “Can’t Feel My Face” was officially released as the second single from his second studio album, at the time, dubbed Chapter III. “Can’t Feel My Face” became his third top ten hit and his first #1 song is the U.S. The week of July 25, 2015, The Weeknd held the top 3 spots on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs chart, with “Can’t Feel My Face” at #1, “The Hills” at #2, and “Earned It” at #3. He was the first person in the history of the chart to accomplish this ranking.

On August 28, 2015, Beauty Behind the Madness was released, becoming his first #1 album in the U.S and the second most successful launch of 2015. In August, The Weeknd announced a promotional tour for his new album. In December, Beauty Behind the Madness became the most streamed album of 2015. It also landed as #5 on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Albums of 2015.

This year has certainly been kind to the The Weeknd, who saw unbelievable amounts of success and growth as a new artist.

2) Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran saw an incredibly successful year in 2015 after an even more incredible 2014, with one of his hit singles, “Thinking Out Loud” becoming the anthem wedding song of this generation. To begin, following the immensely successful release of his second studio album, x, in late 2014, Sheeran won British Male Solo Artist and British Album of the Year at the 2015 Brit Awards on February 25.  He also won Best International Artist and Most Buzzworthy International Artist or Group at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards.

In July, Sheeran performed sold-out shows at the Wembley Stadium as a part of his highly successful world tour. In August, the special Ed Sheeran- Live at Wembley Stadium premiered on NBC.

Released on May 11, Sheeran’s fifth single, “Photograph”, off of x, was another heartwarming ballad, which peaked #1 on the U.S. Adult Top 40.

1. Taylor Swift 

2015 was undoubtedly the year of Taylor, as she dominated the music scene and charts for nearly every week of the year. The singles released off of 1989, her most successful album to date, include “Blank Space”, “Bad Blood” (ft. Kendrick Lamar), both of which reached #1 in the U.S. Also, “Style” and “Wildest Dreams” both reached the Top 10. 1989 sold over one million copies in the first week, making Swift the first and only artist to have three albums sell more than a million copies in its release week.

From May to December of 2015, Swift performed for the sold out 1989 World Tour, in which she played venues in Japan, the U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Australia.

At the 2015 Brit Awards, Swift won International Female Solo Artist. Also notably, Swift was named as one of the 2015 Time 100. 2015 will always be remembered as Taylor’s unstoppable year.

Looking back at 2015, the music charts were scattered with our favorite boy bands, rap stars, pop divas, and unstoppable artists. There were too many jaw-dropping music moments, and we cannot wait to see what 2016 has in store for us.