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Every diva takes a break from the public eye from time to time, but with Ke$ha, it’s more like when a toddler goes silent in the next room – you just know she’s up to no good. In November, producer Dr. Luke revealed exactly what kind of trouble she was brewing; namely, a “c*** rock” album of ‘70s guitar rock. A May 2012 release is planned, meaning the “Sleazy” singer will finally be ending her ominous silence. "I want to take enough time to make sure it's the reinvention of pop music," Ke$ha told the Calgary Herald. We’d expect nothing less.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jim Dyson, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
Who's the Fierce...In the world of pop music, there can only be one queen. It’s one thing to determine who gets to wear the crown. It’s another issue entirely trying to figure out where everyone else falls. Here at the close of 2011, I decided it was time to take another look at the field. I took the top divas active in music today, sized up their record sales, legacies, current momentum and overall diva-ness and ranked them bottom to top. See who owns the throne in 2011, who's new to the list, who slipped this year, and who needs to go back to the diva drawing board. —Jeff Royer (Photos: Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
39. Jessica Simp...Having all but given up on her music career following a catastrophic attempt as a country artist and a failed holiday album, Simpson is now focusing on fashion and cosmetics, and is preparing for the birth of her first child. For now, we wait somewhat pessimistically for her return to the pop realm.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
38. Lauryn HillSo close. It seemed like we were SO CLOSE to finally getting a follow-up to Hill’s first, best and only album, 1998’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” She was finally emerging from that interminable hiatus with a patch of tour dates and festival appearances, including major gigs at Coachella and the New Orleans JazzFest. And then, with anticipation whipped to a fever pitch … Hill announced earlier this year that she’d be taking more time off for the birth of her sixth child. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Kevin Winter, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
37. Jessie JThe British pop tart is a huge deal overseas. In America, however, she and her handlers are having a hard time making anyone care. Even a radio hit (“Price Tag”), a super-massive publicity push and a high-profile appearance on “SNL” and a gig as “house artist” at the MTV Video Music Awards couldn’t turn Jessie J’s debut album, “Who You Are,” into a commercial success in the U.S. To add injury to insult, she broke her foot this summer after falling from the stage during rehearsals and had to undergo major surgery. Down but not out, Jessie J continued to perform while perched onstage in a red velvet throne. That’s the kind of moxie that has made a star of the 23-year-old songwriter, whose credits include Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.” —Jeff Royer (Photo: Mark Thompson, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
36. Willow SmithThe 10-year-old daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith struck gold with the massive party anthem “Whip My Hair.” But the pint-sized mini-diva’s second single, “21st Century Girl,” fell flat, peaking at No. 99, and her Nicki Minaj-aided follow-up “Fireball” failed to chart at all. However, with mentors like Jay-Z on her side, Smith has all the wisdom (and time) in the world to grow her career. Smith’s dad has announced a remake of the classic film “Little Orphan Annie” starring his daughter. Jay-Z is in talks to provide music. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
35. Hayley Willi... The flame-haired frontwoman of Paramore has already survived the fracturing of her band and a mini-scandal thanks to a leaked photo she took of her own mini-Hayleys. She took a big step into diva-dom with her guest vocals on B.o.B’s No. 2 hit “Airplanes.” Now Williams and her remaining bandmates are setting the table for a major comeback with a series of singles teasing their forthcoming album. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
34. Miley CyrusThe former “Hannah Montana” star is having an awkward transition into adulthood, to say the least. Since 2009’s mega-hit “Party in the U.S.A.,” Cyrus has been making more news for her bad behavior than her music. Lap dances, pole dances, videos of her smoking salvia from a bong … ugh. Most recently, she called herself a stoner on video while grinning over a Bob Marley cake on her 19th birthday. Like your teenage daughters weren’t confused enough already.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
33. Ellie Gouldi...British songbird Ellie Goulding went from relative unknown to globally recognized artist overnight thanks to the support of one rather famous fan – Kate Middleton, who selected her to perform at the reception of her royal wedding to Prince William. The following week she performed as the musical guest on “Saturday Night Live,” capping what must have been one of the most nerve-wracking weeks in singer-songwriter history. She hasn’t made as big of a splash in the U.S. as, say, Adele, but her airy dance music could secure her a place in the pop pantheon.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Kevin Winter, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
32. Jill ScottPhilly soul singer Scott scored the first No. 1 album of her career earlier this year, bumping both Lady Gaga and Adele from the top of the charts with “The Light of the Sun.” The album follows a four-year musical drought for Scott during which she focused on raising her 2-year-old son, fighting a wicked legal battle with her former record label and weathering a divorce. The multi-talented Scott is also a New York Times best-selling poet and acclaimed actress. In 2010 she won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie for her role in the Lifetime movie “Sins of the Mother.” —Jeff Royer (Photo: John W. Ferguson, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
31. Kelly Rowlan...Beyonce’s Destiny’s Child bandmate stepped out in 2011 with her third solo album, “Here I Am.” On the strength of the Lil Wayne-assisted single “Motivation,” the album debuted at No. 3, the highest charting position of her solo career. The album quickly sputtered, however, leaving the likeable Rowland stuck in the all-too-familiar purgatory of her post-Beyonce life.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Dave J Hogan, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
30. Nicole Scher...Say what you will about the artistic merit of this former Pussycat Dolls leader, Sherzinger is a beauty with the will to claw her way to the top. So far, that has meant wading her way through the jungles of reality TV, first as a contestant (and eventual champion) of “Dancing with the Stars,” then as a judge on the a capella show “The Sing-Off,” and now most famously as a judge on “The X Factor.” Meanwhile, she’s stubbornly plugging away at that singing career – she even released a solo album earlier this year called “Killer Love” that, like the rest of America, you probably heard nothing about. You’ve got to admire her tenacity.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
29. Kylie Minogu...Minogue is a diva survivor, and only seems to get stronger as each year passes. In 2010, her album “Aphrodite” hit No. 1 in the UK exactly 22 years after her debut, “Kylie,” hit No. 1 (on the strength of that ubiquitous 1980s hit “The Loco-Motion”). In March of this year, she became the first artist in the history of the Billboard Dance charts to have two songs in the Top 3 simultaneously. The tireless Kylie seems to spend most of her time churning out new dance hits and growing her global brand. Minogue is currently assembling a new compilation album of re-worked versions of her hits to mark the 25th anniversary of “The Loco-Motion.” —Jeff Royer (Photo: Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
28. Avril Lavign...Now divorced from husband and Sum-41 frontman Deryck Whibley, Lavigne returned in 2011 with a new album and a smarter, savvier image more befitting of her 27 years. Her detached pop anthem “What the Hell” made some waves at radio, but her album was a flop for a pop princess of her stature. Undaunted, Lavigne almost immediately announced plans for a fifth album to be released in 2012. Don’t count this sk8er girl out.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
27. Demi LovatoThe Disney starlet proved herself to be a survivor this year, first by admitting she needed help for the issues that sent her to rehab, and secondly by emerging stronger and more confident than before. Her new album, “Unbroken,” which documents her struggles, yielded Lovato’s first Top 10 hit, “Skyscraper.” I get the feeling it won’t be the last we hear of Demi Lovato 2.0.—Jeff Royer (Photo: D Dipasupil, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
26. Kimberly Per...This budding diva had a huge breakout year in 2011 as the guitarist and voice of rising country trio The Band Perry (along with her brothers). She got in the pop culture door with her aching crossover ballad “If I Die Young,” which drove the band’s debut album to platinum status, and stamped her presence with a series of dazzling showings on award-show red carpets. The button-cute blonde took home an armload of trophies this year, and capped her year with a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
25. FergieNow that the Black Eyed Peas are on hiatus, the good-looking 25 percent of the band has some time on her hands to worry about what she wants to do. On one hand, she’s teasing plans for another solo album, which, if it does half as well as 2006’s “The Dutchess,” should send her rocketing back up the diva charts. On the other hand, she’s talking about stepping away from her career entirely to start a family with husband Josh Duhamel, which would mean she’d need to simmer on the diva charts until she’s back in action. For now, she’ll hover here.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
24. Janet Jackso...Earlier this year, Jackson launched one of her largest world tours yet in support of her album “Number Ones,” which, as the title suggests, contains a staggering 33 of her chart-topping hits. When not repackaging her music for mass consumption, she has been busy with projects ranging from producing a Barbie doll modeled after herself to writing a new self-help book (which topped the New York Times Best Seller list) to signing a film production contract with Lionsgate.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Andreas Rentz, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
23. RobynSwedish chanteuse Robyn continues her infiltration of the pop world in 2011. After releasing the acclaimed “Body Talk” trilogy on her own Konichiwa label, the girl Spin calls “the premier purveyor of intelligent, emotional dance-pop” captured thousands of hearts as the opener for Katy Perry this summer. No shocker that she also served as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” when Perry hosted the show in early December. She’s got a pair of hot-from-the-oven Grammy nominations in her pocket, too.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
22. Florence Wel...Best known as the singer of Florence + The Machine, Welch was immediately embraced upon the release of her 2009 breakout album “Lungs” for her unorthodox beauty and ethereal voice. She soon found herself as the odd-diva-out on the Grammy and Oscar stages alongside new contemporaries like Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson. Her second album, “Ceremonials” was released to great fanfare in October.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Ethan Miller, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
21. Jennifer Lop...I say with cautious optimism that things might finally be turning around for Jennifer Lopez. First she found success with her new gig as “American Idol” host, and then, despite some brutal reviews, rediscovered chart success with her Pitbull-aided “On the Floor.” She also survived a painful public divorce from Marc Anthony and seems all the stronger for it. (She’s already parading around with a new young beau.) But there are still signs that perhaps Lopez’s diva ship has sailed. Her album “Love?” sold a dismal 183,000 copies in nine weeks and her most recent movie, “The Back-Up Plan,” received terrible reviews. And something about seeing the 42-year-old mother of two stripped down and grinding on Pitbull’s stuffed crotch at the AMAs just didn’t sit well at all.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
20. Mary J. Blig...You know you’re a diva when VH1 has aired not one, not two, but three “Behind the Music” specials on your life. The third installment of Blige’s storied career premiered in July. Shortly on its heels was the release of her 10th album, “My Life 2: The Journey Continues (Act 1)” and a spin on the American Music Awards stage. When not endorsing products (Blige has cross-promoted with Apple, AT&T, American Express, Reebok, Chevrolet, Pepsi, Coca-Cola and many more), Blige has been testing out her acting abilities. The singer recently signed on for the screen version of the musical “Rock of Ages” alongside Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough and Alec Baldwin. The sequel to “My Life 2” is tentatively slated for May 2012.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
19. MadonnaMadonna has sold 300 million albums worldwide and will forever be synonymous with pop diva-dom. But her place in today’s pantheon of divas is tricky. She inspired virtually everyone on this list (cough, “Born This Way,” cough), but hasn’t done much in the past few years to keep their dirty claws off her crown. Instead, Madge has devoted her time to opening Hard Candy gyms, managing her Material Girl clothing line and trotting her 24-year-old boyfriend in front of the paparazzi. Early screenings of her second film, “W.E.,” yielded miserable reviews. The movie hits theaters in February. Fortunately for fans, Madonna is also planning a return to music in 2012. First, she’ll perform the halftime show at the Super Bowl on February 5. Then she’ll release her 12th studio album sometime in late winter. She may yet reclaim the No. 1 diva spot. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
18. PinkPink remains one of the pop world’s biggest mysteries. She is a devastatingly talented singer who can out-sing most of her peers, a savvy pop songwriter, a fierce and independent woman who embraces her sexuality without cheapening her image … yet for some reason she has been unable to crack the upper echelon of fame where peers like Beyonce and Britney reside. A hiatus from music to tend to her newborn baby bumps her temporarily down the diva charts, but watch for a comeback in 2013, with a few movie roles in the meantime to hold over fans. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
17. Ke$haEvery diva takes a break from the public eye from time to time, but with Ke$ha, it’s more like when a toddler goes silent in the next room – you just know she’s up to no good. In November, producer Dr. Luke revealed exactly what kind of trouble she was brewing; namely, a “c*** rock” album of ‘70s guitar rock. A May 2012 release is planned, meaning the “Sleazy” singer will finally be ending her ominous silence. "I want to take enough time to make sure it's the reinvention of pop music," Ke$ha told the Calgary Herald. We’d expect nothing less.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jim Dyson, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
16. Alicia KeysKeys marked her first decade of diva-dom in 2011 with a 10th anniversary edition of her debut album, “Songs in A Minor.” The woman who Bono recently said possessed “lioness energy” was also immortalized this year with her own statue at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum of New York. When not tending to her son Egypt with producer Swizz Beats, Keys has stayed busy developing live-action and animated projects for Disney and co-producing a Broadway play, “Stick Fly,” which debuted in early December. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
15. Jennifer Hud...Jennifer Hudson is beloved as a fighter and a survivor who overcame personal tragedy to reshape herself (both literally and figuratively) as an empowered diva. She’s buddies with the President and has a resume that includes gigs at the Grammys, the Super Bowl and an endless stream of Weight Watchers commercials. She’s also got an Oscar on her mantel to mark just how far she’s come since her early dismissal from “American Idol.” And yet, for as much as she us universally loved, her music career remains lukewarm. People love her and love to hear her sing, but simply don’t buy her albums or request her songs on the radio. Until she can flex some muscle on the charts, she will remain boxed out of the upper echelon of divahood. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Koki Nagahama, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
14. Kelly Clarks...Clarkson spent the first part of 2011 expanding her fan base with a No. 1 country collaboration with Jason Aldean. That led to plenty of speculation that her forthcoming fifth solo album was going to be her sassy Nashville album – fueled by plenty of teasing comments from the starlet herself. It was not to be. What the world got instead was more of the same, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Preceded by the spunky Top 10 hit “Mr. Know It All,” “Stronger” drew positive reviews, but didn’t exactly set the world on fire.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Mark Nolan, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
13. Miranda Lamb...Lambert dominated the early-2011 awards show circuit, pulling in the Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the Academy of Country Music awards for Top Female Vocalist and Single, Song and Video of the Year and the CMT Music Award for Female Video of the Year, all for “The House that Built Me.” She also became one half of country music’s newest power couple with her marriage to country stud and “The Voice” coach Blake Shelton. Since then, she released her debut album with the girl group Pistol Annies as well as her fourth solo album, “Four the Record.”—Jeff Royer (Photo: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
12. Christina Ag...After a terrible start to 2011 that included the flubbing of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, a tumble on the stage at the Grammys, a plagiarism lawsuit, a silver screen flop with “Burlesque” and a painful public divorce, Christina Aguilera seems to be rising from the ashes like a phoenix with a four-octave range – thanks in large part to her gig as judge and vocal coach on hit show “The Voice” and her cameo on Maroon 5’s No. 1 hit “Moves Like Jagger.” A new album is expected in summer 2012, so look for a major resurgence. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
11. Selena GomezGomez was inescapable in 2011, in large part because she’s dating an inescapable boy: Justin Bieber. She released her third album this year, and notched her first true Top 40 hit in “Who Says,” but has yet to have a true break-out moment to distance herself from her recent Disney past. But she’s only 19, so she’s got time.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
10. Mariah CareyWith the exception of recording a duet for Justin Bieber’s holiday album, Carey has spent the latter half of 2011 tweeting photos of her twin babies and leaking shots of her post-baby body. Husband Nick Cannon revealed earlier this year that Carey was already working on her next album, so look for her to shift her focus back to her career in 2012 and shoot back up the diva charts.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Cindy Ord, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
9. Carrie Underw...In May, Underwood passed Kelly Clarkson as the top earner of all time among “American Idol” alumnae, having sold more than 12 million albums and 18 million digital tracks. While she hasn’t released an album since 2009’s “Play On,” she’s managed to stay on top of the charts. She notched a No. 1 country song with her Brad Paisley duet “Remind Me” and sang with Tony Bennett on his No. 1 album “Duets II.” She also made her debut in the world of sitcoms (on an episode of “How I Met Your Mother”) and movies with the April release of “Soul Surfer.” —Jeff Royer (Photo: Michael Loccisano, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
8. Nicki MinajThe Lady Gaga of hip-hop, Nicki Minaj is a huge talent alternately enhanced and obscured by her own absurd artistic vision. This was a huge breakout year for Minaj, who might be the best thing going in hip-hop. But the emergence of “Super Bass” as a global pop hit increased her stock dramatically in the pop world, catapulting the wigged wonder from Lil Wayne’s weird lil protégé to one of music’s bright spots going into 2012. Minaj’s sophomore album, “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” is due on Valentine’s Day. Keep your eyes peeled for a rumored Super Bowl cameo during Madonna's halftime performance.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Isaac Brekken, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
7. Britney Spear...Brit-Brit turned 30 in December, so the time was ripe for some nostalgic looks back at her career. That’s exactly what she got at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, where she was given a tribute performance and presented with the Video Vanguard Award by Lady Gaga. It was a high point in what’s been a roller-coaster year for Spears, who notched another No. 1 album (“Femme Fatale”) and single (“Hold It Against Me”) while doing nothing to combat public opinion that something disturbing lurks behind that “dead in the eyes” look. Perhaps her newly announced engagement will bring her back to life.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
6. RihannaRihanna continues to claw her way into the record books. The 23-year-old now owns 11 No. singles, making her the youngest artist in Billboard history to hit that mark. Her sixth studio album, “Talk That Talk,” hit No. 3 in November, furthering her worldwide sales bonanza. Rihanna’s dependency on sleazy sexual innuendo is turning into a bit of a crutch, but there is no denying now that this global superstar has staying power. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Ian Gavan, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
5. Katy PerryWhen she wasn’t busy voicing Smurfette in this year’s reboot of “The Smurfs,” Perry spent most of 2011 watching her juggernaut of an album, 2010’s “Teenage Dream,” continue to smash records. It became only the second album in history to yield five No. 1 singles (joining Michael Jackson’s “Bad”) and kept Perry on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for a record-breaking 69 consecutive weeks. Now an established pop powerhouse, the California Gurl extended her reach into general diva-dom with a December hosting gig on “Saturday Night Live.”—Jeff Royer (Photo: Christopher Polk, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
4. AdeleAdele is the uncontested commercial success story of 2011, and now she’s raking in the accolades as well. She is the most-nominated female for the 54th Grammy Awards with six, including nods for Album, Record and Song of the Year. She is currently recovering from surgery for a vocal cord hemorrhage, but is already working on her third full-length album – and she’s still only 23. The only factor keeping Adele from shooting to the top of the diva heap and staying there for decades to come is her stubborn refusal to play “the game.” No crazy wigs, no revealing outfits, no tabloid stories, no scandals, no weepy Barbara Walters interview. All Adele offers of herself is her remarkable voice, which is admirable, but renders her a bit unknowable.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Jason Merritt, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
3. Taylor SwiftShe is Billboard’s 2011 Woman of the Year. She won the American Music Awards’ Artist of the Year. She won the Academy of Country Music Awards’ Entertainer of the Year. She won the American Country Awards Artist of the Year. She won the Country Music Awards’ Entertainer of the Year. She won the CMT Music Awards’ Video of the Year. And now she’s been nominated for Best Country Album, Song and Solo Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards. So, yeah. Taylor Swift had a pretty good 2011.—Jeff Royer (Photo: Rick Diamond, Getty Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
2. Lady GagaGaga spent the latter half of 2011 basically underscoring the fact that she is obscenely, colossally famous, as evidenced by the fact that she was given her own two-hour special on Thanksgiving night. From her drag performance at the MTV Video Music Awards to her jazzy duet with Tony Bennett to her serenade for Bill Clinton at his 65th birthday bash, Mother Monster tossed aside Madonna’s playbook for a few moments to remind fans and critics alike that 1) behind those meat dresses and space eggs was a massively talented singer and songwriter, and 2) she’s going to use that massive talent in whatever way she sees fit. —Jeff Royer (Photo: Mustafa Quraishi, AP Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
1. BeyonceBeyonce had a banner year that included the release of her fourth consecutive No. 1 album and an endless stream of history-making performances (from England’s Glastonbury Festival in front of 170,000 fans to the Billboard Music Awards, where she was given the Billboard Millennium Award). But the moment she sealed her sovereignty was during her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards (pictured), which she capped by cradling her baby bump to confirm to the world she was pregnant. The ensuing mania resulted in a new Twitter record, with a reported 8,868 tweets per second devoted to “Babyonce.”—Jeff Royer (Photo: Charles Sykes, AP Images)
The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Comcast.
