Taylor Swift named the top-selling global artist of 2019

Taylor Swift capped off an exceptional year by being named the top-selling global artist of 2019. 

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) revealed on Monday that Swift, 30, was the world's best-selling recording artist for 2019.

Swift released her new album "Lover" in 2019, winning the IFPI's Global Recording Artist of the Year for the second time, with her first in 2014, the year she released her hit album "1989". 

"Lover" was released in August, selling 867,000 album-equivalent units in the United States and 3 million album-equivalent units globally in the first week.

Watch the music video of "Lover" here 

"Lover" has sold over 5 million albums worldwide, as of January 2020, including three hit singles, "Me!, (featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! at the Disco)", "You Need to Calm Down" and the title track "Lover".

"ME!" also debuted atop the Spotify streaming charts upon its initial release as well, ahead of the Lover album's release.

'Taylor Swift is the epitome of a truly global star,' said Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI in a statement. '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,' Moore concluded.

Ed Sheeran -- who released his album No. 6 Collaborations Project featuring artists from Stormzy to Cardi B and Camila Cabello in July -- takes second place. In third is Post Malone, whose collaborative single with Swae Lee, "Sunflower," continued to be a charts mainstay in 2019, and who released his third studio album, "Hollywood's Bleeding", in September.

The rest of the top 10 includes a range of artists both new and established. Teenaged dark-pop superstar Billie Eilish lands in fourth place, having set multiple new charts records with her 2019 debut album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?"

Meanwhile, two iconic British bands make the cut: "Queen" at number five and "The Beatles" at number 10.

Notably, Drake and Lady Gaga still make the list despite not having released a new album in 2019.

"The 'top ten' 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," Moore added. "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."

Swift also released the Netflix documentary Taylor Swift: Miss Americana at the end of January.