As we continue to unpack year-end YouTube data around Warner Music Group artists (who UPROXX exclusively represent in deals for channel sponsorships), we wanted to take a look at the top-performing artists and explore the narratives that help explain their dominance.
In 2025, the artists who established themselves as top performers on the year-end charts didn’t rely on releases alone; they built experiential ecosystems around their projects.
For Benson Boone and NBA YoungBoy, viral festival performances and large-scale tours transformed successful projects into immersive universes that lived beyond release day and the typical half-life for buzz. Who can forget Boone’s instantly iconic back flips at Gov Ball or his cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with the band’s legendary guitar player, Brian May, at Coachella? How about the passionate response from fans to NBA YoungBoy’s blockbuster tour?
For Teddy Swims and Ed Sheeran, keeping the party going meant fresh releases and smart ways of refreshing celebrated hits, such as Sheeran’s Netflix One Shot walking concert special through New York City after the release of Play. Swims’ I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete Edition) followed the January release of I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), giving fans the gift of his constant presence on the charts and playlists.
Speaking of a constant presence, let’s give flowers to Cardi B, an artist who stayed hyper relevant for 7 years between album releases. Cardi eventized her sophomore effort, Am I The Drama?, with viral moments on social, buzzy music video drops, seamless brand deals, and smart collabs on that spectacular album. We can’t wait to see how she keeps momentum alive in 2026 as she goes out on tour.
Take a look at the chart to see what other artists kept hold of their spot on the charts.
