MTV Top 20 Most Popular Artists

Most Popular Artists

1.
Lady Gaga

1. Lady Gaga Lady GaGa is a theatrical dance-pop singer/songwriter whose commercial debut single, the international chart-topping smash hit "Just Dance,"...
2.
Lil Wayne

2. Lil Wayne A game-changing artist and an impervious celebrity, Lil Wayne began as his career as a near-novelty -- a pre-teen delivering hardcore hip-hop --...
3.
Michael Jackson

3. 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...
4.
Justin Bieber

4. Justin Bieber A super precocious, multi-talented and self-taught musician (drums, guitar, piano and trumpet) 15-year-old Justin Bieber was already a...
5.
Beyoncé

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.
Rihanna

6. Rihanna Rihanna established her dance-pop credentials in summer 2005 with her debut smash hit, "Pon de Replay," and continued to demonstrate such hit...
7.
Britney Spears

7. 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...
8.
Eminem

8. 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...
9.
50 Cent

9. 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...
10.
Chris Brown

10. Chris Brown Pop-oriented R&B vocalist Chris Brown debuted with the Scott Storch-produced "Run It!" and became the first male solo artist to release a single...
11.
Taylor Swift

11. Taylor Swift Taylor Swift became one of country-pop's brightest (and youngest) faces in 2006, when the 16-year-old vocalist released her first album. Although...
12.
Miley Cyrus

12. Miley Cyrus Young Miley Cyrus became an overnight sensation in 2006 as the star of Hannah Montana, a popular Disney Channel television series whose success...
13.
Jay-Z

13. Jay-Z Embodying the rags-to-riches rap dream, Jay-Z pulled himself up by his bootstraps as a youth to eventually become the reigning rapper of New York...
14.
Black Eyed Peas

14. Black Eyed Peas Positive messages and breakdancing are integral parts of hip-hop culture, but by 1990 those elements had been temporarily eclipsed by the tough...
15.
Paramore

15. Paramore The power-pop-punk fivesome known as Paramore dates back to the band's high school years in suburban Franklin, Tennessee. Lead singer Hayley Williams...
16.
Akon

16. Akon Although he was born in St. Louis, MO, Aliaune Thiam -- aka Akon -- grew up in Senegal before he and his family (including his father, jazz...
17.
Shakira

17. Shakira After achieving superstardom throughout Latin America, Colombian-born Shakira became Latin pop's biggest female crossover artist since Jennifer...
18.
Mariah Carey

18. Mariah Carey The best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Mariah Carey rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice. An elastic...
19.
Led Zeppelin

19. Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin was the definitive heavy metal band. It wasn't just their crushingly loud interpretation of the blues -- it was how they incorporated...
20.
Tokio Hotel

20. Tokio Hotel Emo quartet Tokio Hotel emerged as one of the most successful new German acts of their generation, scoring three number one singles via 2005's...