MOST POPULAR ARTIST IN 2008 - 09

Most Popular Artists

1. 

   1. Lil Wayne The charismatic Southern rapper Lil Wayne began his industry ascendance as one of the Hot Boys, a short-lived all-star group on Cash Money…

2. 

   2. Rihanna Rihanna established her dance-pop credentials in summer 2005 with her debut smash hit, “Pon de Replay,” and continued to demonstrate such hit…

3. 

   3. Britney Spears More than any other single artist, Britney Spears was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late ’90s. The blockbuster success of…

4. 

   4. T.I. Once dubbed “the Jay-Z of the South” by Pharrell Williams, T.I. gradually came into his own and established himself as one of rap’s greatest and…

5. 

   5. Beyoncé One of the most recognizable characters in modern-day R&B, Beyoncé first rose to fame as the siren-voiced centerpiece of Destiny’s Child before…

6. 

   6. Pussycat Dolls Founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995, the Pussycat Dolls began as a burlesque dance revue based in Los Angeles, spawned a second revue in…

7. 

   7. Chris Brown Although he started out as an aspiring rapper, Chris Brown’s early discovery of his singing talent inspired him to follow in the footsteps of…

8. 

   8. Akon Although he was born in St. Louis, Aliaune Thiam — aka Akon — grew up in Senegal before he and his family (including his father, jazz…

9. 

   9. Kanye West In the span of a few years, from 2001 to 2004, Kanye West went from hip-hop beatmaker to worldwide hitmaker, as his stellar production work for…

10. 

    10. blink-182 The new-school punk trio blink-182 was formed in the suburbs of San Diego, California around guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, bassist/vocalist Mark…

11. 

    11. Lady Gaga Lady GaGa is a theatrical dance-pop singer/songwriter/pianist who created a buzz for herself in the New York underground before making her…

12. 

    12. Eminem A protégé of Dr. Dre, rapper Eminem emerged in 1999 as one of the most controversial rappers to ever grace the genre. Using his biting wit and…

13. 

    13. Kelly Clarkson The winner of Fox TV’s first American Idol competition during the summer of 2002, Kelly Clarkson went from an anonymous talent to a nationally…

14. 

    14. Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the ’80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his…

15. 

    15. 50 Cent Though he would later struggle with the nature of his fame as well as market expectations, 50 Cent endured substantial obstacles throughout his…

16. 

    16. Ryan Adams Mixing the heartfelt angst of a singer/songwriter with the cocky brashness of a garage rocker, Ryan Adams is at once one of the few artists to…

17. 

    17. Jonas Brothers One of the most popular teen-affiliated groups of the 2000s, the Jonas Brothers’ craft hook-filled power pop anthems in the vein of McFly, Hanson,…

18. 

    18. Soulja Boy Tell’em Before he reached the age of 18, Soulja Boy Tell Em (born DeAndre Way; originally Soulja Boy until copyright issues interfered) was already an…

19. 

    19. Porno for Pyros Perry Farrell’s post-Jane’s Addiction band, Porno for Pyros, followed the same path as his previous band, combining art rock, punk, heavy metal,…

20. 

    20. Katy Perry A former Christian artist who ditched the sacred sounds of CCM for a secular mix of sass and spunk, Katy Perry combines the cheeky, club-ready pop…