Looking Back at Past Billboard Woman of the Year Honorees: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift & More | Billboard News

Billboard takes a look back at the past Woman of the Year honorees at theBillboard Women in Music event.

Beyoncé
Thank you, Billboard, for this honor. I’m very humbled. Thank you.

Tetris Kelly
Every year, Billboard Women in Music honors some of the best to ever do it and none more important than our Woman of the Year. Today, we’re discussing a few of them — even one who has had this honor multiple times. Let’s hear it for the girls!

Beyoncé
My niche is empowering other women. They look up to you for more than just your music.

Tetris Kelly
The year was 2009. And the Woman of the Year was Beyoncé. The superstar stunned at the Pierre Hotel in New York and, at the time, she couldn’t believe the year she was having and was as humble as ever.

Beyoncé
I can’t believe all of the things I’ve been blessed to do this year. And I know it would not be possible without my family.

Tetris Kelly
Madonna is one of our most legendary honorees. She grabbed the award in 2016 and gave one of the event’s most talked-about speeches.

Madonna
People say that I’m so controversial. But I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around.

Tetris Kelly
Though the world is currently in their Taylor Swift era, we honored her as a Woman of the Year in both 2011 and 2014. But that’s not it. In 2019, she became our Woman of the Decade.

Taylor Swift
What does it mean to be the Woman of this Decade? Somewhere right now, your future Woman of the Year is probably sitting in a piano lesson or in a girls choir. And today, right now, we need to take care of her.

Tetris Kelly
What will happen this year when we honor Karol G? Tune in to Women In Music on March 7th at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. OT on BillboardWomenInMusic.com.