18-year-old Chris Brown has had one phenomenal year in the music industry, outselling most of his R&B counterparts while consistently holding the top spot on the Billboard charts, and as 2008 winds to a close Brown is getting exactly what he deserves for such a stellar year: recognition as the top artist of the year. Billboard recently named Brown the artist of the year for 2008, marking the second time he has taken home the award (after doing so in 2006, as well). Brown's smash singles “With You” and “Forever” have seen much time at the top of the charts this year, and his collaboration “No Air” with Jordin Sparks has also topped the R&B charts for weeks, as well.



Rankings for Billboard's top artist of the year honor are determined by a combination of album sales, digital downloads, radio airplay and Internet play, and Chris Brown beat out several other top artists for the award this year. Coming in behind Brown as the number two artist of the year for 2008 is Lil Wayne, whose hits “A Milli” and “Lollipop” have propelled him to the top of the charts this year. Rihanna, whose hit singles “Take a Bow” and “Disturbia” have also been hot commodities on the charts in '08, slid into third place for Billboard's artist of the year recognition, and Alicia Keys and Taylor Swift rounded out the top five.

Brown's artist of the year award from Billboard comes just weeks after the phenomenal artist won three awards at the American Music Awards, including the prestigious artist of the year award, and this teenage sensation has come a long way from his childhood in Tappahannock, Virginia, where he was born and raised. Before Brown was hip-hopping up the Billboard charts he was testing his vocals out on his own, and by the time he hit puberty Brown was already being scouted out, ultimately inking a deal with Jive while teaming up with songwriting and producing superstars like Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox. Brown's debut self-titled album was released in 2005, immediately heating up the charts as a number one-selling album while singles “Run It!,” “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” and “Gimme That” helped build his case as an up-and-coming superstar.

Brown continued pumping out hits following the breakout success of 2005's Chris Brown, and in 2007 the talented R&B crooner came out with the album Exclusive, a release chalk full of carefree tunes and catchy numbers like “Kiss Kiss,” a number one charting single that propelled Exclusive and the name Chris Brown back up to the top of the Billboard charts. Since 2007, Brown has continued wowing fans with his hit music, and although he hasn't put out a new album since Exclusive, the standout vocalist has placated fans by performing live for thousands of people holding Chris Brown tickets. If you haven't seen this class act work his magic live, get concert tickets from http://www.stubhub.com/chris-brown-tickets and partake in a lively show by the 2008 artist of the year.