Best 2000s pop stars
The 2000s gave us an unforgettable wave of pop icons who dominated the charts, defined MTV culture, and soundtracked a generation's biggest moments. From dazzling live performances to chart-topping hits that still fill dance floors today, these stars set the standard for what pop stardom could be. Now it's your turn to settle the debate — cast your vote for the best 2000s pop star and see who truly reigns supreme.
What counts: Seeded with approximate figures where shown — the crowd's votes decide the order.
Beyoncé▲ Rising
From Destiny's Child frontwoman to solo juggernaut, she dropped 'Crazy in Love' in 2003 and instantly redefined what a pop diva could sound like—horns blaring, confidence unshakeable. By decade's end she'd delivered 'Single Ladies,' a song and dance so iconic it became cultural shorthand for empowerment anthems, cementing her as the standard every other pop star was measured against.
Solo Debut Year: 2003Grammy Awards Won: 32Albums Sold (millions): 200 MBillboard Hot 100 #1 Hits: 4Signature Song: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Still Active in Music: ✓Cultural Impact: 10/10
added by IJRin 8 rankingsBeyoncé
53
Avril Lavigne▲ Rising
'Complicated' hit in 2002 like a skateboard through a boy band convention, tie and tank top announcing that pop-punk teen angst had commercial muscle. She gave a generation of suburban misfits a soundtrack with 'Sk8er Boi' and 'Girlfriend,' proving punk attitude could sell platinum without sanding down the edges.
Solo Debut Year: 2002Grammy Awards Won: 0Albums Sold (millions): 40 MBillboard Hot 100 #1 Hits: 0Signature Song: ComplicatedStill Active in Music: ✓Cultural Impact: 7/10
added by IJRin 4 rankingsAvril Lavigne
24
Rihanna▼ Falling
She arrived with island-pop confection 'Pon de Replay' in 2005, but it was the icy, industrial snap of 'Umbrella' in 2007 that turned her into a genre-shifting force nobody saw coming. By decade's end she'd become pop's most fearless chameleon, hopping from dancehall to synth-pop to dark R&B and dragging the entire charts along with her.
Solo Debut Year: 2005Grammy Awards Won: 9Albums Sold (millions): 250 MBillboard Hot 100 #1 Hits: 14Signature Song: UmbrellaStill Active in Music: ✓Cultural Impact: 9/10
added by IJRin 2 rankingsRihanna
-16
Justin Timberlake▼ Falling
He shed the boy-band skin of NSYNC and emerged solo with 'Cry Me a River' in 2002, a falsetto-drenched kiss-off that made grown men take pop seriously again. Then came 'SexyBack' in 2006, a Timbaland-produced strut that literally claimed to bring sexy back—and mostly did—proving he could bend the entire decade's sound around his own swagger.
Solo Debut Year: 2002Grammy Awards Won: 10Albums Sold (millions): 32 MBillboard Hot 100 #1 Hits: 5Signature Song: SexyBackStill Active in Music: ✓Cultural Impact: 8/10
added by IJRJustin Timberlake
-45
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Comments (7)
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- QQuinn TanakaJul 28, 2026
Exactly the kind of argument the internet was built for.
- YYuki LindqvistJul 27, 2026
This order is closer to right than any editor would've gotten.
- OOwen ChenJul 27, 2026
Voted — and the gap between #1 and #2 should be bigger.