For the first time in 35 years, the Billboard Hot 100’s Top 40 chart features zero rap songs. In their place, there is a wave of pop tracks from artists such as Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and most prominently, Taylor Swift. The genre that once dominated the charts has now fallen in rank, signifying a significant shift in what listeners are playing and singing along to. 

2025 has been a big year for music releases, especially within the pop genre. So many artists have released their work this year, including Sabrina Carpenter with ‘Man’s Best Friend’, Taylor Swift with ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’, Tate McRae’s ‘So Close To What’, and Alex Warren’s ‘You’ll Be Alright, Kid’, to name a few. With all the major releases that have come and with the many more to come, it is no surprise that there has been an influx of pop rising to the top of the charts. 

One artist, however, has been dominating the spots in the Top 40 following her recent release of what has been considered her most controversial album. Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ has been dominating the charts, with both fans and haters all clicking to listen and judge for themselves. After the whirlwind romance with football star Travis Kelce, the star was in the spotlight for her album release, and now it is doing numbers on the charts. 

Swift’s success is not the only reason for pop to be on top of the charts. All of the new releases are redefining what pop sounds like, making music more personal and unafraid of risks. Their success reflects the listener’s desire for different types of music changing as time passes. 

Rap may not be what is on the trending charts, but it does not mean that it has gone away for good. The public’s needs have just changed as time has passed and have shifted to a more popular approach. Rap continues to evolve in the background, with artists experimenting with different styles and sounds. All it takes is a major release for it to come right back.