Top 20 Most Played Female Artists of The 21st Century

Sally Polly October 12, 2021 | 21:36

Music company PPL has revealed their list of top 20 most played female artists of 21st century. Keep reading to know who they are.

Top 20 most played female artists of 21st century

Pink has been named as the most played artist of the 21st century in the UK, in celebration of this year's National Album Day.

The American pop star has had three number one albums in the UK and a slew of accolades including three Grammys, seven MTV Video Music Awards and an Emmy.

She came to international prominence with her debut album Can't Take Me Home, which was released in 2000.

More than a third of the Top 20 is made up of British female artists; with Adele and Little Mix taking the two highest positions in the Top 20.

The fourth edition of National Album Day is taking place Saturday October 16, and honours the art of the album. This year, it will spotlight women artists and their huge contribution to music and culture through the format.

The chart was compiled by music company PPL from music usage and airplay data from UK radio stations and television channels.

The List of top 20 most played female artists of the 21st century

20. Ariana Grande

19. Rita Ora

18. Jess Glynne

17. Diana Ross

16. Christina Aguilera

15. Ellie Goulding

14. Dua Lipa

13. Kelly Clarkson

12. Sugababes

11. Taylor Swift

10. Whitney Houston

9. Little Mix

8. Kylie Minogue

7. Beyoncé

6. Adele

5. Lady Gaga

4. Rihanna

3. Katy Perry

2. Madonna

1. P!nk

***

Who are the most played female artists of the 21st century?

20. Ariana Grande

Photo: Variety

Ariana Grande is an American singer and actress who has been making waves world over for her singing prowess. Since a very young age she participated in plays and sang at public events, and gradually decided that she wants to do this all her life. Her first tryst with the world of entertainment was through the ‘Broadway’ musicals ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘The Wizard of Oz’. She was also a part of the ensemble of various television shows, but later Ariana Grande decided to devote her attention mostly towards music. Her debut album ‘Yours Truly’ shattered several records and ruled the ‘Billboard Top 100’ chart for several weeks. Several hundred thousand copies of this album were sold and eventually Ariana Grande went on to become a huge star. She released a few more albums later and all of them managed to garner both commercial and critical acclaim.

Arianna Grande’s hit single ‘Dangerous Woman’ has earned her a nomination for the ‘2017 Grammy Awards’. She has been nominated for the prestigious award four times so far.

In 2014 alone, she had won the ‘Young Influencer Award’ at the ‘IHeart Radio Music Awards’ ceremony. The same year she was felicitated with a ‘Bambi Award’ for ‘Best Newcomer’.

The ‘Time’ magazine had included her in their list of ‘100 Most Influential People In The World’.

19. Rita Ora

Photo: Sky news

Rita Ora is a British singer and actress who gained recognition after featuring as the main vocalist of DJ Fresh's single 'Hot Right Now.' She caught the attention of Jay-Z, whose record label released her debut album 'Ora.' She took the music industry by storm after her singles topped the charts in the UK. Since then, she has appeared as a judge in a number of talent shows in the UK and the US, such as 'The X Factor' and 'America's Next Top Model.' She is also an actor who is part of the 'Fifty Shades' movie franchise. After entering the UK as a refugee, she rose to prominence with hard work and perseverance. Ora, whose family faced oppression when she was young, is a philanthropist and advocate of women's rights. She has participated in many fundraisers and charity concerts for various causes. She has endorsed top brands like ‘Calvin Klein,’ ‘Coca-Cola,’ and ‘Samsung.’ She has also been the face of Madonna's clothing line 'Material Girl.'

Rita Ora's debut album 'Ora' peaked at number one on the ‘UK Albums Chart.’ It became the 35th bestselling album of the year and received platinum certification from the ‘British Phonographic Industry’ for selling 300,000 copies.

Rita Ora was named an honorary ambassador for the Republic of Kosovo at the Embassy of Kosovo in London. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie Blair were present when she received the honor.

Her song 'Grateful,' from the soundtrack of the film 'Beyond the Lights,' was nominated for an ‘Academy Award.’ She performed the song at the 87th ‘Academy Awards’ in February 2015.

18. Jess Glynne

Photo: The Verge

Jessica Hannah Glynne (born 20 October 1989) is an English singer and songwriter. After signing with Atlantic Records, she rose to prominence in 2014 as a featured artist on the singles "Rather Be" by Clean Bandit and "My Love" by Route 94, both of which reached number one in the UK. She has been considered one of the "Most Influential People Under 30" by Forbes magazine in 2019.

Her debut studio album, I Cry When I Laugh (2015), debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and saw the international success of the singles "Hold My Hand" and "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself". Glynne's second studio album, Always in Between (2018), also debuted at number one in the UK and saw continued success with the singles "I'll Be There", "These Days", "All I Am", "Thursday" and "One Touch"; the first of these made Glynne the first British female solo artist to have seven number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, beating Cheryl with five. Glynne has achieved multiple accolades throughout her career, including a Grammy Award and nine Brit Award nominations.

Glynne's musical influences include Frank Ocean and Amy Winehouse. She cites Adele, Sam Cooke, Destiny's Child, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and Etta James as inspirations for her vocal style and rappers such as Eminem, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar for her songwriting. She has also listed India Arie, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Girls Aloud, Mariah Carey and Mavis Staples as musical inspirations. Glynne said that Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was the album that motivated her to start writing songs.

17. Diana Ross

Photo: CNN

Diana Ross, original name Diane Earle, (born March 26, 1944, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.), American pop singer and actress who achieved international stardom, first as leader of the vocal group the Supremes and later as a solo artist.

Ross’s professional career began in 1959, when she joined several neighbourhood friends to form the pop-soul vocal group the Primettes. The group was renamed the Supremes after signing a recording contract with Motown late the following year. Consisting of Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard (replaced in 1967 by Cindy Birdsong), the Supremes achieved 12 number one hits on the pop charts, including “Baby Love” (1964), “Stop! In the Name of Love” (1965), and “Someday We’ll Be Together” (1969). In 1967 the group was renamed Diana Ross and the Supremes, foreshadowing Ross’s solo career, which she launched in 1970.

Beginning with “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” from her debut album Diana Ross (1970), Ross enjoyed more than a decade of chart-topping success in multiple categories. “Love Hangover” (1976) and “Upside Down” (1980) were among her pop hits, while her duet with the Commodores’ Lionel Richie, “Endless Love” (1981), topped Billboard magazine’s pop, rhythm and blues (R&B), and adult contemporary charts. Ross also developed a film-acting career in the 1970s, beginning with a starring role as blues singer Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues (1972) and continuing with Mahogany (1975), for which she also recorded the hit theme song “Do You Know Where You’re Going To,” and The Wiz (1978).

Much of her work showed a stylistic shift from pop and R&B toward disco, and the bulk of her albums were either rereleases or rerecordings of earlier material. In 2006, however, she issued I Love You, a compilation of her own interpretations of love songs by various artists, and she embarked on a vigorous concert tour the following year to promote the album. Despite her virtual absence from the charts, Ross remained a popular concert draw into the early 21st century, propelled by her enduring status as one of the preeminent musical performers of her time. With the Supremes, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Ross received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2012 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

16. Christina Aguilera

Photo: Hello Magazine

Christina Maria Aguilera is a well known American singer, songwriter, producer and a movie actress. She was born in New York to an army man and an instrumentalist. She had a golden voice since she was a young girl and was locally known as the girl with a ‘big voice’. She entered the ‘Star Search’ competition and did ‘The Mickey Mouse Club’ when she was young. Her first smashing studio album ‘Christina Aguilera’ came out in 1999 and gave the world the single hit called ‘Genie in a Bottle’. Since then she has released seven studio albums and delivered hits like: ‘Dirrty’, ‘Ain’t No Man’, ‘Beautiful’, etc. She was also a part of the ‘Lady Marmalade’ single made for the movie ‘Moulin Rouge!’ along with Lil’Kim, Pink, etc. She had received two Grammys in her musical career and more than 6 MTV VMAs’ nominations. She has featured in a musical called ‘Burlesque’, for which she co-wrote and sang all the tracks. She has also appeared in one of the documentaries called ‘Shine a Light’ by Martin Scorsese. She was married for five years to Jordan Bratman, her record producer, with whom she has a child. They are separated now.

15. Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer who conquered the UK music scene at the age of 23. At the age of eight, Ellie told her mother that she would become famous one day. She learned to play musical instruments and began writing songs when she was still a teenager. She won a singing competition while in college, and went on to win the 'Brit Award' following the release of her debut EP 'An Introduction to Ellie Goulding.' It did not take her long to make an impact with her unique soprano voice. Her studio albums, such as 'Lights,' 'Halcyon,' and 'Delirium' have received generally positive reviews from critics. As a music and fashion icon, she has been featured on magazines, such as 'Elle' and 'Glamour' among others. As a fitness enthusiast, she has appeared on the covers of magazines like 'Shape' and 'Women's Health.' A social activist and philanthropist, Ellie has participated in many charity events, especially to support underprivileged children and homeless people.

Ellie Goulding's third album, 'Delirium', debuted at number three on both the 'UK Albums Chart' and the 'US Billboard 200', and became her most successful album so far based on first-week sales. The album has already been certified Platinum in Britain.

Ellie Goulding has won four 'BMI London Awards' and two 'Brit Awards' among other accolades. She has been honored with several awards and nominations, including a nomination at the 58th 'Grammy Awards.'

14. Dua Lipa

Photo: Billboard

Dua Lipa is an English singer, songwriter, and former model who has established herself as one of the leading artists of current time with the release of her eponymous debut album. The album, which contains eight singles so far, includes the UK number-one single 'New Rules', as well as two more UK top-10 singles, 'Be the One' and 'IDGAF'. Her best-selling single 'New Rules' has been a hit worldwide, charting on No.2 in Australia, No.6 in the US, and No.7 in Canada. Lipa, who identifies her music as dark pop, began posting cover versions of songs by her favorite artists – such as P!nk and Nelly Furtado – on YouTube when she was 14. She eventually signed a deal with Warner Music Group for her debut album. She has won two 'Brit Awards' for 'British Female Solo Artist' and 'British Breakthrough Act' in the latest edition of the event. She is one of the frontrunners to record the theme song of an upcoming James Bond movie.

Dua Lipa's sole eponymous album has charted on the top 10 in several countries, and has earned gold certification in Britain and Sweden. 'New Rules' is her most successful single so far, receiving double platinum certification in many countries including Britain, Australia, the US, Belgium, Italy and Sweden.

13. Kelly Clarkson

Photo: Outsider

Kelly Clarkson, in full Kelly Brianne Clarkson, (born April 24, 1982, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.), American singer and songwriter who emerged as a pop-rock star after winning the popular television talent contest American Idol in 2002.

Clarkson grew up in Burleson, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, where her vocal prowess was first recognized by her school’s choir teacher when she was a seventh grader. Upon finishing high school, Clarkson moved to Los Angeles, where she unsuccessfully tried to break into show business. In 2002, after returning to Texas, she became a contestant on the first season of the Fox Broadcasting Company’s American Idol, a singing competition that allowed viewers to vote for their favourite performer. Viewers were smitten with Clarkson’s arresting voice, charisma, and humour. Her prize for winning the contest was $1 million and a recording contract with RCA.

Just two weeks after her American Idol win, Clarkson released her first single, “A Moment like This,” which quickly became a hit. Thankful, her debut album of pop songs, followed in 2003. Her second full-length album, Breakaway (2004), which moved beyond Clarkson’s initial pop sound into a rock vein, sold more than 11 million copies worldwide and featured the hit singles “Because of You,” “Behind These Hazel Eyes,” and “Since U Been Gone.” Breakaway won a Grammy Award for best pop vocal album, and “Since U Been Gone” was honoured with the award for best female pop vocal performance. Clarkson’s third album, My December (2007), marked a new era in her career; even more rock-oriented than her previous releases, it was also more confessional, with each track cowritten by its performer.

12. Sugababes

Photo: RTE

Sugababes are a British girl group composed of Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed several times before turning to the original lineup in 2019.

Formed in 1998 by All Saints manager Ron Tom, Sugababes released their debut album One Touch through London Records in November 2000, which achieved moderate success and produced the top-ten single "Overload". In 2001, Donaghy departed the group and was replaced by Heidi Range. With Range's introduction, released three multi-platinum albums: Angels with Dirty Faces (2002), Three (2003) and Taller in More Ways (2005). In December 2005, Buena left the group and was replaced by Amelle Berrabah. Following the release of their first greatest hits album, the new line-up released two further studio albums: Change (2007) and Catfights and Spotlights (2008).

In September 2009, after 11 years in Sugababes, Buchanan, the final original member, was replaced by Jade Ewen. Range, Berrabah and Ewen released the group's seventh studio album, Sweet 7 (2010), after which they signed to RCA Records, before taking an indefinite hiatus in 2011. That year, the original lineup reformed as Mutya Keisha Siobhan and released the single "Flatline". The trio regained the name Sugababes in 2019, and recorded a rendition of the song "Flowers" with DJ Spoony. In 2021, for the 20th anniversary of One Touch, Sugababes released a reworking of their 2001 single featuring MNEK, with plans for new music.

11. Taylor Swift

Photo: Getty Images

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Taylor Swift made a splash in the country music world in 2006 and has gone on to become one of the top acts in popular music.

Musician Taylor Swift was earning renown as a country music singer by the age of 16. Early hits like "Love Story" and "You Belong With Me" appealed to country and pop fans alike and helped fuel the multi-platinum success of her albums, including the Grammy-winning Fearless (2008). Swift continued to top the charts with her 2014 studio effort 1989, which featured the No. 1 singles "Shake it Off" and "Blank Space" and won Grammys for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. Her follow-up albums reputation (2018) and Lover (2019) also achieved immense commercial success.

In 2008, Swift was nominated for a Grammy in the Best New Artist category and won other accolades, including the ACM's Female Vocalist of the Year Award. Around this same time, Swift released her next album, Fearless, which hit the top of both the country and pop charts and stayed there for 11 weeks. By the end of the year, Swift had become the highest-selling country artist of 2008.

In February 2016, Swift opened up the 58th Annual Grammy Awards with another track from 1989, "Out of the Woods." Having received pre-telecast awards for Best Music Video and Best Pop Vocal Album, later in the evening, Swift won another Grammy for Album of the Year, making music history as the first woman to win the award twice.

In what was seen as a sharp rebuke to a new West song in which he took credit for her fame, Swift used her acceptance speech to issue an empowerment statement. "I wanna say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame," she said. "But if you just focus on the work, and you don't let those people sidetrack you, someday when you get where you're going, you’ll look around and you will know that it was you and the people who loved you who put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world."

10. Whitney Houston

Photo: Getty Images

The American singer, actress, model, and producer, Whitney Houston is one of the world’s most successful female entertainers of all time. Having been exposed to a family with a musical background, the naturally talented beauty became inspired to sing and play the piano at an early age. She entered the entertainment industry by touring nightclubs with her mother, while singing and modeling, until eventually signing her own recording contract and coming out with her debut album. This musical introduction would not only become her best-selling studio album to-date, but would earn her a Grammy, thrusting her into super-pop-stardom, followed by a string of Hollywood film features and production efforts. Throughout her career, she released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, winning her various awards. Her powerful voice, spirit, and beauty redefined the image of a soul artist. As much as the renowned singer was an international icon and inspiration to females, emerging recording artists, and the community, she also faced some personal challenges that would impair her influential status. From drug addictions to a troubled relationship with husband Bobby Brown, Houston’s reputation was painted with a series of eventful ups and downs before she ultimately succumbed to her tragic death.

9. Little Mix

Photo: Billboard

Little Mix are a British girl group consisting of group members Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock; former member Jesy Nelson departed the group in 2020. The group rose to prominence by becoming the first group to win the British version of The X Factor in 2011. Their music style is mainly of pop, R&B, and dance-pop, with influences from other genres such as tropical house, Latin pop and electronic, with lyrics that have often touched on the themes of female empowerment, body positivity, and LGBT rights.

Little Mix debut album, DNA is the highest charting debut album by a British girl group on the Billboard 200. It also marked the first time for a girl group to chart inside the top five there with their debut album since Danity Kane in 2006. They have had five UK number-one singles with: "Cannonball", their X Factor winner's single in 2011, "Wings" in 2012, "Black Magic" in 2015, "Shout Out to My Ex" in 2016, and "Sweet Melody" in 2021. The group have released six studio albums DNA (2012), Salute (2013), Get Weird (2015), Glory Days (2016), LM5 (2018) and Confetti (2020), which have all peaked inside the top five of the UK Albums Chart, becoming the first girl group to score five top-five studio albums there. Get Weird and Glory Days are two of the longest charting girl group albums on the UK Albums Chart.

8. Kylie Minogue

Photo: ABC News

Kylie Minogue is a renowned Australian singer-songwriter and actress. She started her career at a very young age by appearing in Australian television series, such as ‘Skyways,’ ‘The Sullivans,’ ‘The Henderson Kids,’ and ‘Neighbours.’ It was ‘Neighbours’ that helped her gain recognition in the UK. Subsequently, an English record company decided to give her a break. Over the years, Kylie has given many hit albums, such as ‘Kylie,’ ‘Kylie Minogue,’ ‘Fever,’ ‘Rhythm of Love,’ ‘Body Language,’ etc. She has worked in many movies as well. Her concerts are considered to be iconic and she is a style icon all over the world. Her energy and public persona have led people and media to constantly compare her with Madonna. While Madonna is known as the ‘Queen of Pop,’ Kylie is called the ‘Princess of Pop.’ As far as her personal life is concerned, she suffered from breast cancer, but fought it bravely and survived. After her recovery, she made it a point to talk about her fight with cancer in order to encourage and inspire people struggling from cancer.

Released in 2001, ‘Fever’ (with the biggest hit single of Kylie’s career ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’) got her two ‘ARIA Awards,’ including the ‘Most Outstanding Achievement’ award. It also earned her two ‘Brit Awards’ under the ‘Best International Female Solo Artist’ and ‘Best International Album’ categories.

Kylie was made Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her excellence in music and entertainment industry. She told the media that she felt very touched and honored to receive an accolade like this.

In 2007, the fourth waxwork of Kylie was unveiled at ‘Madame Tussauds’ in London; only Queen Elizabeth II has more models. A bronze cast of Kylie’s hands was added to Wembley Arena’s ‘Square of Fame’ in London the same year.

7. Beyoncé

Photo: Motley Fool

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (born September 4, 1981) is an American singer and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Beyoncé performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny's Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of her first solo album, Dangerously in Love (2003), which featured the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy".

Following the 2006 disbanding of Destiny's Child, she released her second solo album, B'Day, which contained hit singles "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Beyoncé also starred in multiple films such as The Pink Panther (2006), Dreamgirls (2006), Obsessed (2009), and The Lion King (2019). Her marriage to Jay-Z and her portrayal of Etta James in Cadillac Records (2008) influenced her third album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), which earned a record-setting six Grammy Awards in 2010. It spawned the successful singles "If I Were a Boy", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", and "Halo".

Beyoncé is one of the world's best-selling recording artists, having sold 118 million records worldwide. She is the first artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with their first six solo studio albums. Her success during the 2000s was recognized with the RIAA's Top Certified Artist of the Decade as well as Billboard's Top Female Artist of the Decade. Beyoncé's accolades include 28 Grammy Awards, 26 MTV Video Music Awards (including the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award in 2014), 24 NAACP Image Awards, 31 BET Awards, and 17 Soul Train Music Awards; all of which are more than any other singer. In 2014, Billboard named her the highest-earning black musician of all time, while in 2020, she was included on Time's list of 100 women who defined the last century.

6. Adele

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Adele is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame owing to her distinctive voice and has become one of the best-selling artists of our time. Born in England, she was raised by a young single mother in various working-class neighborhoods of London. She enjoyed singing contemporary pop music from an early age and later became interested in the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. In her early teens, she considered a career in music while studying at the ‘BRIT School.’ Her flair for music eventually caught the attention of record labels, and after graduating, she signed a deal with ‘XL Recordings.’ After building anticipation in Britain with some well-received live performances, Adele released her first album ‘19’ in 2008 which debuted at No. 1 on the British album chart.Subsequently, she received much praise for her unique and soulful voice. Later, her second album ‘21’ was released which comprised of several hit singles,including ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and ‘Someone Like You.’ Both the songs topped the charts in multiple markets and broke many sale records. She also received an ‘Academy Award’ for her song ‘Skyfall,’ which she wrote and composed for a James Bond film of the same name. With an incredible voice and an outspoken personality, she has become one of the most popular performers of the present generation.

5. Lady Gaga

Photo: Reuters

Lady Gaga, byname of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, (born March 28, 1986, New York City, New York, U.S.), American singer-songwriter and performance artist, known for her flamboyant costumes, provocative lyrics, and strong vocal talents, who achieved enormous popular success with songs such as “Just Dance,” “Bad Romance,” and “Born This Way.”

Germanotta was born into an Italian American family in New York City. She learned music at an early age and was performing onstage in New York City clubs by the time she was a teenager. She attended an all-girls school, Convent of the Sacred Heart, in Manhattan before going on to study music at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She studied at Tisch for two years before dropping out to manage her own career.

After dropping out, she began transforming herself from Germanotta into Lady Gaga, whose style combined glam rock and over-the-top fashion design. In 2007 she and performance artist Lady Starlight formed a revue called the Ultimate Pop Burlesque Rockshow. That same year Lady Gaga, who also wrote songs for other pop artists such as Fergie, the Pussycat Dolls, and Britney Spears, was signed by the singer Akon and Interscope Records and began preparing her debut album, The Fame, which was released in 2008.

Although she modeled herself on such theatrical performers as David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust period, the New York Dolls, Grace Slick, and Freddie Mercury—her adopted stage name was derived from Queen’s song “Radio Ga Ga”—she created a character that came to occupy a unique space in the music world. Her fashion combined with her up-tempo, synthetic dance music and her edgy, theatrical performance to create stunning sounds and visuals. Indeed, while producing music, Lady Gaga also created her own sexually charged fashions—replete with dazzling wigs and space-age bodysuits—through her creative team Haus of Gaga.

4. Rihanna

Rihanna, byname of Robyn Rihanna Fenty, (born February 20, 1988, St. Michael parish, Barbados), Barbadian pop and rhythm-and-blues (R&B) singer who became a worldwide star in the early 21st century, known for her distinctive and versatile voice and for her fashionable appearance. She was also known for her beauty and fashion lines.

Fenty grew up in Barbados with a Barbadian father and a Guyanese mother. As a child, she listened to Caribbean music, such as reggae, as well as American hip-hop and R&B. She especially enjoyed singing and won a high-school talent show with a rendition of a Mariah Carey song. About the same time, she started a girl group with two friends, and in 2004 she attracted the attention of Evan Rogers, an American record producer. He helped Fenty record a demo that led to an audition with the rapper Jay-Z, who at the time headed the Def Jam record label, and he soon signed the budding vocalist. For her professional career, she adopted her middle name, Rihanna.

With the effervescent dancehall-inflected single “Pon de Replay” (2005), Rihanna immediately captured an international audience. The song’s success buoyed sales for her debut full-length recording, Music of the Sun (2005), on which conventional R&B ballads shared space with Caribbean-flavoured dance-pop that showcased her melodious Barbadian lilt. Rihanna soon followed with the album A Girl like Me (2006), featuring the up-tempo club-oriented “S.O.S.” The song, which was built around a sample of Soft Cell’s 1981 new-wave hit “Tainted Love,” became Rihanna’s first to top the Billboard singles chart.

After collaborating on several cosmetics collections in the early 2010s, Rihanna launched her own line, Fenty Beauty, in 2017. The brand was enthusiastically embraced by fans and was praised for its inclusivity in offering 40 different shades of foundation. In 2019 it was announced that Rihanna was partnering with LVMH Moët Hennessy—Louis Vuitton to create the fashion line Fenty. She thereby became the first woman of colour to head a fashion house at LVMH, which was the largest luxury-products company in the world. Fenty’s first collection was released later that year.

3. Katy Perry

Photo: Getty Images

Katy Perry is an American singer-songwriter who was born in a conservative family and grew up under many restrictions. After singing in church during her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music during her teenage years. Even though it was not allowed by her parents, Perry heard all kinds of music, which was provided to her by her friends, as she had an affinity for music right from the beginning. As an outspoken person, she stood by her desire to become a music artist and chased her dreams. She did not achieve success at the beginning and had to face a lot of obstacles before receiving her first major break. Many of her songs got shelved before she was signed by the ‘Capitol Records.’ Her second studio album ‘One of the Boys’ turned out to be a huge hit, marking a turning point in her musical career. Thus, she was launched as a singer and never had to look back ever since. Her next album ‘Teenage Dreams’ won the hearts of many music lovers and became one of the bestselling albums of all time. It created many records and cemented Katy Perry’s place as a prominent artist. Apart from writing and recording songs, Perry is also known for her philanthropic works. She is also an activist who promotes gay rights advocacy.

2. Madonna

Madonna is a pop music singer and actress who went solo in 1981 and became a sensation in the then male-dominated 1980s music scene. By 1991, she had achieved 21 Top 10 hits in the United States and sold more than 70 million albums internationally. In January 2008, she was named the world's wealthiest female musician by Forbes magazine.

Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958, to parents Silvio "Tony" Ciccone and Madonna Fortin. Tony, the son of Italian immigrants, was the first of his family to go to college, where he earned a degree in engineering. Madonna's mother, an x-ray technician and former dancer, was of French Canadian descent. After their marriage in 1955, the couple moved to Pontiac, Michigan, to be close to Tony's job as a defense engineer. Madonna was born three years later, during a visit with family in Bay City. The third of six children, Madonna learned early on how to handle her role as the middle child, admitting that she was "the sissy of the family" who often used her feminine wiles to get her way.

Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She followed it with a series of successful albums, including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986) and The Immaculate Collection (1990) as well as Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Madonna has amassed many number-one singles throughout her career, including "Like a Virgin", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".

Madonna's popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996). While Evita won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, many of her other films received poor reviews. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992; it included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, children's books, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006.

With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is noted as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and holds the record for the most number-one singles by a female artist in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. With a revenue of U.S. $1.5 billion from her concert tickets, she remains the highest-grossing solo touring artist of all time. Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, her first year of eligibility. She was ranked as the greatest woman in music by VH1, and as the greatest music video artist of all time by MTV and Billboard. Rolling Stone also listed Madonna among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

1. P!nk

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Alecia Beth Moore (born September 8, 1979), known professionally as Pink (stylized as P!nk), is an American singer and songwriter. She was originally a member of the girl group Choice. In 1995, LaFace Records saw potential in Pink and offered her a solo recording contract. Her R&B-influenced debut studio album Can't Take Me Home (2000) was certified double-platinum in the United States and spawned two Billboard Hot 100 top-ten songs: "There You Go" and "Most Girls". She gained further recognition with the collaborative single "Lady Marmalade" from the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack, which topped many charts worldwide. Refocusing her sound to pop rock with her second studio album Missundaztood (2001), the album sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and yielded the international number-one songs "Get the Party Started", "Don't Let Me Get Me", and "Just Like a Pill".

While Pink's third studio album, Try This (2003), sold significantly less than her previous work, it earned her the Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. She returned to the top of record charts with her fourth and fifth studio albums, I'm Not Dead (2006) and Funhouse (2008), which spawned the top-ten entries "Who Knew" and "U + Ur Hand", as well as the number-one single "So What". Pink's sixth studio album, The Truth About Love (2012), was her first Billboard 200 number-one album and spawned her fourth US number-one single, "Just Give Me a Reason". In 2014, Pink recorded a collaborative album, Rose Ave., with Canadian musician Dallas Green under a folk music duo named You+Me. Her next studio albums, Beautiful Trauma (2017) and Hurts 2B Human (2019), both debuted at atop the Billboard 200 chart, with the former becoming the world's third best-selling album of the year.

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