Taylor Swift is named global recording artist of the year for the second time – beating close friend Ed Sheeran who is declared runner up
- Taylor Swift last won the global accolade after releasing album 1989 in 2014
- Friend Ed Sheeran who previously collaborated with her scooped second place
- Swift’s win comes weeks after her documentary Miss American was released
Pop sensation Taylor Swift has been named global recording artist of the year for a second time.
The 30-year-old Pennsylvania-native, who has recently had success with her seventh studio album Lover, had previously taken home the title in 2014 after the release of her Grammy-award winning album 1989.
Her friend Ed Sheeran, who sang on tracks on her 2017 Reputation album and her 2012 album Red, scooped second place.
Swift is the second artist to earn the accolade on two occasions. Her album Lover, which was released in August last year debuted at number one in more than 10 countries.
Pop sensation Taylor Swift has been named global recording artist of the year for a second time, she is pictured above performing in New York in December 2019
Ed Sheeran (pictured above) came second place. He has previously recorded songs with Swift for her albums Red and Reputation
The album itself features a range of songs penned by Swift. She is often praised for her strong song writing skills and tracks include odes to her boyfriend London-based Joe Alwyn, with the song ‘London Boy’.
The 16-track record also features songs about her mother Andrea, who has faced a battle with cancer, the song ‘Soon You’ll Get Better’ featuring the Dixie Chicks is about Swift’s relationship with her mother and her health issues.
Rapper Drake had previously been the best-selling recording artist in both 2016 and 2018.
The accolade is awarded by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).
Post Malone (left) scooped third place on the list while Queen (Freddie Mercury pictured right) came fifth
Billie Eilish (pictured above at the Brit Awards in London last month) managed to win fourth place
The award reflects an artist’s success across the globe on both physical and digital platforms.
It comes just weeks after Swift released her Netflix documentary Miss Americana which charts the singers career highs and lows.
Swift was praised for the film at the Sundance Film Festival and has also received glowing reviews for her newest music video for the song ‘The Man’, which Swift herself directed and starred in.
Sheeran took second place for his No.6 Collaborations Project while Post Malone earned third place after releasing his third album Hollywood’s Bleeding.
Billie Eilish, Queen, Ariana Grande and BTS also featured in the top 10.
IFPI chief executive Frances Moore said: ‘Taylor Swift is the epitome of a truly global star. She continues to grow as an artist and maintains an incredibly strong connection with her fanbase, whilst continuing to evolve her sound with each album.
‘It is a pleasure to be able to present her with the Global Recording Artist of the Year award for the second time.
‘The top 10 showcases some of the brightest and most talented artists from around the world, from newer stars, such as Billie Eilish and BTS, to legacy acts like The Beatles and Queen.
‘This range demonstrates how people’s love of music can be continually ignited by new and diverse artists and yet endures across decades. I congratulate all the artists in the chart.’
Previous winners also include Sheeran in 2017, Adele in 2015 and One Direction in 2013, which was the title’s inaugural year.