There seems to be no doubt that Michael Jackson is the King of Pop. This indisputable fact has seeped into popular consciousness to the point where there can be no serious pretenders to the throne. But there are a number of super-talented superstars who've laid claim to the Queen of Pop title. To some, Madonna may seem like the obvious choice, but what about current Queen Beyonce? And let's not forget the unrivaled sales records of divas like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. From iconic images of Britney Spears dancing in a high school hallway to Lady Gaga's way-out styles, each generation has their own favorite pop duchess. But there has never been a definitive crowning of a Queen— until now. Welcome to VH1's Pop Queen Faceoff, a multi-week voting bracket that aims to settle the debate once and for all. Read on to meet our competitors!

[caption id="attachment_303444" align="alignnone" width="615"] [Photos: Madelyn Somers][/caption]To start, we had to establish the qualities that make up a true Pop Queen. After a great deal of deliberation, we've broken it down to the following characteristics:

1. Stages elaborate arena-packing shows, backed by an army of absurdly fit back-up dancers.

2. Dons outrageous costume attire both on and off the stage.

3. Consistently graces the covers of fashion, glamour and beauty magazines.

4. Has racked up numerous entries on the record charts, and has one hell of a trophy shelf at home.

5. Appears in film roles (not necessarily good ones...).

6. Produces music that we danced to at a middle school dance (or totally would have if we'd had the chance).

7. We still sing their songs at the top of our lungs whenever we're alone in the car, in the shower, drunk at karaoke, etc.

If you meet five or more of this criteria, congrats— you're a Pop Queen! Chances are high that you do not, but we narrowed the playing field some more. By studying a combination of Billboard chart statistics, RIAA sales figures, awards, records and contributions to popular culture, we've determined which women completely dominated each calendar year for the last three decades.

Read on to see our picks, and then cast your vote for the ultimate Pop Queen in our poll below! The 8 winners will move forward to our VH1 Pop Queen Faceoff bracket for the chance to battle it out for the crown. Talk about a royal rumble! Voting ends Friday, October 24th at noon, so alert the Bey-Hive, Little Monsters, Rihanna Navy, Katy Cats, and all of the other fan groups. Step right up and rep your fave! And don't forget to check back on Friday at noon to see the results. Let the games begin!

Which Queen owned each year? Let's take a look, starting with today...

2014

Beyonce

Top 10 Singles: "Drunk In Love" ft. Jay Z (8 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 8

Number 1 Albums: Beyonce (2 weeks)

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Drunk In Love" ft. Jay Z (platinum), Beyonce (2x platinum)

Records: Forbes named Beyonce the most powerful celebrity of the year, and Billboard declared her the highest paid African American artist of all time. Forbes predicts that Beyonce's On The Run Tour with Jay Z may wrap up to be the second most successful tour of all time.

Awards: MTV Video Music Award for Best Collaboration ("Drunk In Love"), Best Video With A Social Message ("Pretty Hurts"), Best Cinematography ("Pretty Hurts"), Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, 

Major Pop Culture Moments: Still riding high on the charts with her "surprise album" from the previous December, Beyonce and husband Jay Z opened the Grammys with a sultry performance of "Drunk In Love." Despite rumors of marital difficulties and family problems with sister Solange, Bey and Jay ruled the summer with the smash On The Run Tour, which was also made into a highly rated HBO concert special. Her epic 16-minute medley at the MTV VMAs in August, as well as a surprise appearance at NYC's Global Citizen's Concert in September, reminded us that she's the current queen.

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Who was SO last year? Find out...

2013

Miley Cyrus

Number 1 Singles: "Wrecking Ball" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Number 1 Albums: Bangerz (1 week) 

Top 10 Singles: "We Can't Stop" (11 weeks) "Wrecking Ball" (16 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 27

RIAA Disc Certifications: Bangerz (platinum), "Adore You" (platinum), "We Can't Stop" (3× platinum), "Wrecking Ball" (4x platinum) 

Records: The music video for "Wrecking Ball" holds the record for the fastest video to reach 100 million views on YouTube, taking 6 days to reach the figure.

Awards: Billboard Music Award for Top Streaming Song (Video) ("Wrecking Ball"), 2014 VMA for Video of the Year ("Wrecking Ball")

Film Appearances: Miley: The Movement (TV Documentary)

Major Pop Culture Moments: Named Number 1 on Maxim's annual Hot 100 list, made twerking go global in her video for "We Can't Stop," performed at the VMAs with Robin Thicke and a foam finger (and generated 306,100 tweets per minute by doing so), appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone for a totally bonkers interview, got even more provocative for photographer Terry Richardson, hosted SNL, lit a joint onstage at the EMAs, and twerked on a bunch more stuff. 

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What was a pre-twerk pop scene like? Hard to imagine, but it existed!

2012

Taylor Swift

Number 1 Singles: "We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Number 1 Albums: Red (5 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "We Are Never Ever Ever Getting Back Together" (13 weeks), "Begin Again" (1 week), "Red" (1 week), "I Knew You Were Trouble" (10 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 25

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Begin Again" (platinum), Red (4× platinum), "We Are Never Getting Back Together" (5× platinum), , "I Knew You Were Trouble" (5× platinum)

Records: Red became the second-highest debut for a female artist (behind Britney Spears' Oops I Did It Again), and set a worldwide iTunes record for highest ever first week album sales. With Red, Swift became the first artist since The Beatles in 1969 to earn six or more weeks at No. 1 with three consecutive studio albums, and also the first female to have 2 million-selling album debuts. 

Awards: Billboard Music Award for Top Country Song for ("We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"), Top Country Artist, Artist of the Year, Top Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Artist, CMA for Pinnacle Award, International Artist Achievement Award, VMA for Best Female Video ("I Knew You Were Trouble"), Grammy for Best New Song Written For Visual Media ("Safe And Sound") , Grammy for Best Country Song/Best Country Solo Performance ("Mean")

Film Appearances: The Lorax

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, covered Rolling Stone, performed at the MTV VMAs, the 40th American Music Awards, and iHeartRadio Music Festival, and got people talking by dating both Connor Kennedy and One Direction singer Harry Styles. 

[mtvn_player vid="826859"]

Think T-Swift owned 2011, too? You'd be wrong.

2011

Rihanna

Number 1 Singles: "S&M" (1 weeks), "We Found Love" (8 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 9

Top 10 Singles: "Only Girl (In The World)" (4 weeks), "What's My Name" featuring Drake (8 weeks)

"S&M" (13 weeks), "Cheers (Drink To That)" (3 weeks),"We Found Love" (23 weeks), "Take Care" (4 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 65

RIAA Disc Certifications: "You Da One" (platinum), Talk That Talk (platinum), "We Found Love" (7x platinum)

Records: "We Found Love" was the longest running Number 1 single of 2011, and the 24th biggest hit of all time on the Billboard Hot 100.

Awards: Grammy for Best Dance Recording ("Only Girl (In The World)"), Best Rap Collaboration with Kanye West ("All Of The Lights"), VMA for Video of the Year ("We Found Love"), People's Choice Award for Favorite Pop Artist

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the 53rd Grammy Awards and the Billboard Awards (with Britney Spears!), covered Rolling Stone, Vogue, and British GQ, named Sexiest Woman Alive by Esquire, launched her debut fragrance Reb'lFleur, stripped down for Armani ads, embarked on her 98-date Loud World Tour, and did lots of other things without feeling the need to wear pants. 

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Did Riri find love in 2010, too?

2010

Katy Perry

Number 1 Singles: "California Gurls" (6 weeks), "Teenage Dream" (2 weeks),"Firework" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 10

Number 1 Albums: Teenage Dream (1 week) (2× platinum)

Top 10 Singles: "California Gurls" (17 weeks),"Teenage Dream" (14 weeks),"Firework" (7 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 38

RIAA Disc Certifications: Teenage Dream (2× platinum), "California Girls" (7x platinum),"Teenage Dream" (6x platinum), “Firework" (9× platinum)

Records:  "California Gurls" began Katy's record-breaking streak of 69 consecutive weeks in the Top Ten, a feat unequaled in chart history. Teenage Dream is the second album in history to have 5 number ones from one album and Katy Perry is the first female to do so. She has tied Janet Jackson and George Michael for logging 6 Top 10 hits from one album. 

Awards: VMA for Video of the Year ("Firework")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Hosted 2010 Teen Choice Awards, performed at the 2010 MTV Movie Awards and the American Music Awards, released her first perfume Purr, appeared on The Simpsons, made waves by wearing a "scandalous" outfit in an unaired skit from Sesame Street, dated and eventually married comedian Russell Brand in October. 

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Guess who dominated '09? You can't ready our poker face...

2009

Lady Gaga

Number 1 Singles: "Just Dance" ft. Colby O'Donis (3 weeks), "Poker Face" (1 week)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 4

Top 10 Singles: "Just Dance" ft. Colby O'Donis (15 weeks),"Poker Face" (18 weeks),"LoveGame" (10 weeks),"Paparazzi" (10 weeks),"Bad Romance" (7 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 60

RIAA Disc Certifications: The Fame Monster EP (platinum), "LoveGame" (2× platinum), "The Fame" (3× platinum), "Poker Face" (5× platinum), "Just Dance" (6× platinum)

Records:  Gaga is the first artist in digital history to have three singles ("Poker Face", "Just Dance" and "Bad Romance") pass the four million mark in digital sales. She also has Guinness World records for the track with the most weeks on the US Hot Digital Songs Chart ("Poker Face"), and most downloaded female artist in a year. 

Awards: 2009 VMA for Best New Artist, Best Special Effects and Best Art Direction ("Paparazzi"), 2010 VMA for Video of the Year ("Bad Romance"), Best Pop Video, Best Female Video, Best Dance Video, Best Choreography, Best Direction, Best Editing ("Bad Romance"), Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording ("Poker Face"), Best Electronic/Dance Album (The Fame) and Best Pop Vocal Album (The Fame Monster), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Bad Romance") and Best Short Form Music Video ("Bad Romance"), Billboard magazine's Rising Star award.

Film Appearances: The Gospel of Mark for Little Children

Major Pop Culture Moments: The infamously bloody VMA performance, the world-wide Monster Ball Tour, her apperance on Barbara Walter's annual 10 Most Fascinating People list, and pretty much every outfit she wore that year.

[mtvn_player content_uri="mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:394804"]

Before Gaga changed the game, we were ruled by a good girl gone bad.

2008

Rihanna

Number 1 Singles: "Take A Bow" (1 week),"Disturbia" (2 weeks), "Live Your Life" T.I. ft Rihanna (6 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 9

Top 10 Singles: "Don't Stop The Music" (10 weeks),"Take A Bow" (16 weeks),"Disturbia" (14 weeks),"Live Your Life" T.I. ft Rihanna (19 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 59

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Hate That I Love You" (platinum), "Hate That I Love You So" (platinum), "Shut Up And Drive" (platinum), "Don't Stop The Music" (3× platinum), "Disturbia" (4× platinum),"Take A Bow" (4× platinum)

Records: With "Disturbia" becoming her fourth Number 1, Rihanna tied Beyoncé and Mariah Carey at the time for the most number-one hits in the decade of 2000–2010.

Awards: 2008 Grammy for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Umbrella")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, 2008 American Music Awards, 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, revealed her relationship with Chris Brown, named "Diva Of The Year" by Entertainment Weekly, released Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded as a reissue of the album from the year before featuring several new singles. 

[mtvn_player vid="179697"]

Next up, we go from Pop Queen to a Pop Dutchess.

2007

Fergie

Number 1 Singles: "Glamourous" (2 weeks), "Girls Don't Cry" (1 week)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Top 10 Singles: "Fergalicious" (7 weeks),"Glamorous" ft. Ludacris (13 weeks),"Big Girls Don't Cry" (21 weeks),"Clumsy" (5 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 46

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Clumsy" (platinum), "Fergalicious" (3× platinum),"Glamourous" (3× platinum), "Big Girls Don't Cry" (3× platinum), The Dutchess (3× platinum)

Awards: Billboard Music Awards for Female Artist of the Year, AMA for "Favorite Female Artist", VMA for Female Artist of the Year, Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("My Humps")

Film Appearances: Grindhouse

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at Live Earth London and the 2007 American Music Awards, became engaged to actor Josh Duhamel.

[mtvn_player vid="116152"]

Which irreplaceable diva is next?

2006

Beyonce

Number 1 Singles: "Check Up On It" ft. Slim Thug (5 weeks),"Irreplaceable" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 8

Number 1 Albums: B'Day (1 week)

Top 10 Singles: "Check Up On It" ft. Slim Thug (13 weeks),"Deja Vu" ft. Jay-Z (4 weeks),"Irreplaceable" (6 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 23

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Deja Vu" (gold), "Ring the Alarm" (gold),"Irreplaceable" (3× platinum), "Beautiful Liar" (platinum), B'Day (3x platinum)

Awards: VMA for Best R&B Video ("Check On It"), AMA for Best International Artist, 2006 Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("So Amazing" with Stevie Wonder), 2007 Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album (B'Day)

Film Appearances: Dream Girls, The Pink Panther

Major Pop Culture Moments: Beyonce was honored along with her Destiny's Child bandmates with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their achievements in music. The year also featured performances at the MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards, and World Music Awards, an appearance on the hit Dream Girls soundtrack. But let's not forget, it was also the year that  "Bootylicious" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. 

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2005

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "We Belong Together" (14 weeks),"Don't Forget About Us" (1 week)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 15

Number 1 Albums: The Emancipation Of Mimi (2 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "We Belong Together" (23 weeks),"Shake It Off" (13 weeks),"Don't Forget About Us" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 39

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Shake It Off" (gold), "Don't Forget About Us" (gold), "It's Like That" (gold),"We Belong Together" (platinum), The Emancipation Of Mimi (6x platinum)

Records: The Emancipation of Mimi was the first album by a solo female artist to become the year's best-selling album since Alanis Morissette's 1996 album Jagged Little Pill.  At 14 weeks, "We Belong Together" is the second longest-running Number 1 of all time, behind her own collaboration with Boyz II Men, "On Sweet Day" (16 weeks). Billboard went on to list the single as the song of the decade. In September of that year, Carey became the first female to occupy the top two spots on the Hot 100, with"We Belong Together" at Number 1, and "Shake It Off" at Number 2.

Awards: 2006 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("We Belong Together”), Best Contemporary R&B Album for The Emancipation of Mimi

Film Appearances: State Property 2

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at American Music Awards, World Music Awards, and the MTV Movie Awards.

[mtvn_player vid="108836"]

2004

Alicia Keys

Number 1 Singles: "My Boo" with Usher (6 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 6

Number 1 Albums: The Diary Of Alicia Keys (1 week)

Top 10 Singles: "You Don't Know My Name" (9 weeks), "If I Ain't Got You" (20 weeks), "My Boo" (19 weeks), "Diary' (4 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 52

RIAA Disc Certifications: "If I Ain't Got You" (gold), "Karma" (gold), "My Boo" (platinum), The Diary Of Alicia Keys (4x platinum)

Awards: AMA for Favorite Female Soul/R&B Artist, Billboard Award for Female Artist of the Year, Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year, and R&B/Hip-Hop Single of the Year ("If I Ain't Got You"), Grammy for Best R&B Album (The Diary Of Alicia Keys), Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("If I Ain't Got You"), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("My Boo" with Usher), and Best R&B Song ("You Don't Know My Name"), VMA for Best R&B Video ("If I Ain't Got You")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed "Higher Ground" at the MTV VMAs with Stevie Wonder and Lenny Kravitz, performed at the Grammy awards, released a book of poems and essays entitled Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems and Lyrics, toured with Beyonce and Missy Elliott on the 30-date Verizon Ladies First Tour.

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Who was our boo in '03? It's about to get naughty.

2003

Beyonce

Number 1 Singles: "Crazy In Love" ft. Jay Z (8 weeks),"Baby Boy" ft. Sean Paul (9 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 17

Number 1 Albums: Dangerously In Love (1 week) 

Top 10 Singles: "03 Bonnie And Clyde" Jay Z ft. Beyonce (8 weeks),"Crazy In Love" ft. Jay Z (16 weeks), "Baby Boy" ft. Sean Paul (15 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 39

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Crazy in Love" (gold),"Me, Myself, and I" (gold), "Naughty Girl” (gold), "Baby Boy" (gold), Dangerously In Love (4x platinum)

Records: Dangerously In Love netted a record-tying five awards at the Grammys. "Crazy In Love" was voted the Best Song Of The 2000s by VH1. Not to be out done, NME has named the song the Best Pop Song Of The Century.

Awards: Billboard Music Award for New Female Artist, 2004 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song  (“Crazy In Love"), Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (“Crazy In Love"), Best R&B album (Dangerously In Love), Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals ("The Closer I Get to You" (with Luther Vandross)"), Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("Dangerously In Love 2"), VMA for Best Female Video ("Crazy In Love"), Best Choreography in a Video ("Crazy In Love"), Best R&B Video ("Crazy In Love")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the Billboard Music Awards, Z100’s Jingle Ball, MTV Europe Music Awards, Give One Minute Of Your Life To AIDS Concert, and kicked off her Dangerously In Love Tour. 

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2002

Christina Aguilera

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Fighter" (gold), "Beautiful" (platinum), Stripped (4x platinum)

Awards: 2002 Grammy Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals ("Lady Marmalade”), 2004 Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Beautiful”)

Major Pop Culture Moments: With her provocative video for "Dirrty" and nude cover for Rolling Stone, Aguilera made headlines for her newly amped up sexual image —far from the clean teenbop era of just a few years prior. But album cuts (and future singes) like "Beautiful," "Fighter" and "Can't Hold Us Down" proved that the newly-dubbed Xtina wasn't just hype. "Beautiful" went on to become an empowering anthem for the LGBT community, as well as anyone else who felt disenfranchised.

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The winner in '01 is definitely beautiful.

2001

Jennifer Lopez

Number 1 Singles: "I'm Real" ft. Ja Rule (5 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 5

Number 1 Albums: J.Lo (1 week) (4x platinum)

Top 10 Singles: "Love Don't Cost A Thing" (10 weeks),"I'm Real" (19 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 29

RIAA Disc Certifications: J.Lo (4x platinum)

Records: With the release of J. Lo and her movie The Wedding Planner, Lopez became the first artist to score a Number 1 film and album simultaneously. J. Lo went on to become the 6th highest selling disc of the year. 

Awards: 2002 VMA for Best Hip Hop video ("I'm Real")

Film Appearances: Angel Eyes, The Wedding Planner

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the MTV Video Music Awards, launched the J.Lo clothing line, married former back-up dancer Cris Judd in September.

[mtvn_player vid="817399"]

Was J. Lo Number 1 at the turn of the millenium?

2000

Britney Spears

Number 1 Albums: Oops I Did It Again (1 week) 

Top 10 Singles: "Oops I Did It Again" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 3

RIAA Disc Certifications:  Oops I Did It Again (diamond)

Records: Oops I Did It Again broke the previous SoundScan record for the highest debut-week album sales by a solo artist. It was the highest-selling album of the year.

Awards: Billboard Album Artist of the Year award

Major Pop Culture Moments: Let's be real- Britney was still coasting on the overwhelming wave of success from the year before. But let's not forget her steamy VMAs performance, which reminded us all that she's not that innocent. In June she kicked off her Oops I Did It Again Tour, playing 85 dates around the world and grossing over $40.5 million. She also had a network TV special called Britney Spears in Hawaii, and filmed a multi-million dollar McDonald's commercial with the boys from *NSYNC. A short while later, it was reported that Britney was dating NSYNC-er Justin Timberlake.

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Read on to see if Brit did it again.

1999

Britney Spears

Number 1 Singles: "Baby One More Time" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 2

Number 1 Albums: …Baby One More Time (6 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "Baby One More Time" (14 weeks),"(You Drive Me) Crazy" (5 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 19

RIAA Disc Certifications: "...Baby One More Time" (platinum), "From the Bottom of My Broken Heart" (platinum), …Baby One More Time (14x platinum)

Records: In addition to being the first new female artist to have a Number 1 single and album simultaneously, and she's still the youngest to achieve the feat. Spears is the first new artist (male or female) to have a single go to the Number 1 spot the same week that the album debuted at Number 1. She's the youngest artist to have received a diamond record (10 million sold), and the best selling female artist of 1999.

Awards: Billboard Music Awards for Female Album Artist of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Best New Artist of the Year

Major Pop Culture Moments: The controversial bra and Tinky Winky-filled Rolling Stone cover, her first headlining ..Baby One More Time Tour, a VMAs performance with NSYNC, a guest spot on Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, MTV's Total Request Live, and a Disney concert special Britney Spears & Joey McIntyre In Concert.

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You'll never guess who we have at '98, so just click already.

1998

Brandy

Number 1 Singles: "The Boy Is Mine" ft. Monica (13 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 13

Top 10 Singles: "The Boy Is Mine" ft. Monica (18 weeks), "Have You Ever" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 21

RIAA Disc Certifications: U.S. "The Boy Is Mine" (2× platinum), Never Say Never (5x platinum)

Records: "The Boy Is Mine" is most successful song by a female duo in music history

Awards: Billboard Music Awards for R&B Sales Single of the Year, 1999 Grammy for Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals ("The Boy Is Mine")

Film Appearances: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at the 1998 VMAs, represented Candies apparel, and starred in the sitcom Moeshea.

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Will this triple threat make for double year run?

1997

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "Honey" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Number 1 Albums: Butterfly (1 week)

Top 10 Singles: "Every Time I Close My Eyes" Babyface ft.Mariah Carey (9 weeks), "Honey"(8 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 17

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Honey" (platinum), "My All" (platinum), Butterfly (5x platinum)

Records: "Honey" became Carey's third single to debut at Number 1, the only time this feat has ever been reached.

Awards: VH1 Viewers Poll Award for Artist of the Year, AMA for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, honorary Billboard Award for The Most Number 1 Singles Ever by a Female Solo Artist in History

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed on Saturday Night Live, divorced husband Tommy Mottola, interviewed on The Oprah Winfrey Show. 

1996 is a record breaking year. See what all the fuss was about!

1996

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "One Sweet Day" Boyz II Men (11 weeks in 1996), "Always Be My Baby" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 13

Number 1 Albums: Daydream (2 weeks) 

Top 10 Singles: “Fantasy” (4 weeks), “One Sweet Day” (15 weeks),“Always Be My Baby”(15 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 34

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Fantasy" (2× platinum),"One Sweet Day" (2× platinum), "Always Be My Baby" (2× platinum), Daydream (diamond) 

Records: Released in 1995, "One Sweet Day" topped the charts for 16 consecutive weeks, the longest Number One single of all time. Rolling Stone has ranked the song the greatest collaboration of all time. 150,000 tickets for her three Tokyo Dome performances in March sold out in in less than 3 hours, making it the fast selling show in the venue's history. 

Awards: Billboard Music Award for Top 100 Airplay Track ("Always Be My Baby"), American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite R&B/Soul Female Artist

Major Pop Culture Moments: Embarked on her Daydream World Tour, performed "One Sweet Day" alongside Boyz II Men at the Grammys

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You oughta know this next pop queen.

1995

Alanis Morissette

Number 1 Albums: Jagged Little Pill (2 weeks in 1995, 10 weeks in 1996)

RIAA Disc Certifications: Jagged Little Pill (14x platinum)

Records: Despite a slow burn, Jagged Little Pill went on to sell over 33 million copies, becoming the second best selling album by a female artist ever. Billboard has also named the disc the best selling pop album of the 1990s. At the time she became the youngest person to win a Grammy for Album of the Year (21 years old).

Awards: 1996 Grammy for Album of the Year and Best Rock Album, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance ("You Oughta Know"), and Best Rock Song ("You Oughta Know"), 1996 VMA for Best Female Video ("Ironic"). Her 18-month concert tour in support of the album went on to win a Grammy for Best Long For Music Video.

Major Pop Culture Moments: Although they didn't chart until 1996, the album spawned  5 US singles: "You Oughta Know," "Hand In My Pocket," "Ironic," "You Learn" and "Head Over Feet." Plus there was the widespread rumor that the explicit "You Oughta Know" is about her relationship with Full House comedian Dave Coulier.

*2 points for anyone who doesn't believe Alanis is a pop artist: 

1. Jagged Little Pill was produced by pop guru Glen Ballard, who also worked with Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Wilson Phillips and Sheena Easton.

2. This classic video and album sleeve from 1991.

[mtvn_player vid="102331"]

Get into the holiday spirit in '94!

1994

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "Hero" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Number 1 Albums: Music Box (7 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "Hero" (10 weeks), "Without You/Never Forget You" (13 weeks),"Endless Love" with Luther Vandross (9 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 32

RIAA Disc Certifications: “Hero” (platinum), "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (2× platinum), Merry Christmas (5x platinum), Music Box (diamond)

Records: Released at the end of the year, holiday favorite "All I Want For Christmas Is You" went on to become the 10th best selling single of all time, with over 14 million copies sold around the globe. The corresponding album, Merry Christmas, has become the best selling Christmas album of all time.

Awards: Billboard Music Award for Top Singles Female Artist, Top Billboard 200 Album Female Artist, Top Pop Female Artist, Top Hot Adult Contemporary Artist

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1993 is quite possibly the biggest year in the history of Pop Queens. Read on and you'll see what we mean.

1993

Whitney Houston

Number 1 Singles: "I Will Always Love You" (9 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 9

Number 1 Albums: The Bodyguard Soundtrack (17 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "I Will Always Love You" (16 weeks), "I'm Every Woman" (8 weeks),"I Have Nothing" (11 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 35

RIAA Disc Certifications: "I'm Every Woman" (gold), "I Have Nothing" (gold), "I Will Always Love You" (2× platinum), The Bodyguard Soundtrack (17x platinum)

Records: At over 45 million copies sold world wide, The Bodyguard Soundtrack is the 7th best selling album of all time, and the single highest selling soundtrack ever.  It became first album to sell over 1 million copies in one week since SoundScan tracking began. With 20 weeks at Number 1, it was the longest chart-topper until Adele's 21 in 2011 (24 weeks). With this album, Houston became the the only artist with three albums to remain on top of the charts for more than ten weeks (her debut Whitney Houston stayed 14 weeks, Whitney at 11 weeks). With singles "I Will Always Love You," "I'm Every Woman" and "I Have Nothing," Houston became the first female to have three songs in the Top 20 at the same time. "I Will Always Love You" stayed at Number 1 for a then-record-breaking 11 weeks, and is the seventh best selling single of all time (over 20 million world wide). 

Awards: 14 Billboard Music Awards, 1994 Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("I Will Always Love You”), Album of the Year for The Bodyguard Soundtrack

Major Pop Culture Moments: Starred in The Bodyguard (1992), which became among the top 100 grossing films at the time. 

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It's anybody's game in '92.

1992

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "I'll Be There" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 2

Top 10 Singles: "Can't Let Go" (7 weeks), "Make It Happen" (7 weeks), "I'll Be There" (8 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 22

RIAA Disc Certifications: "I'll Be There" (gold), MTV Unplugged EP (3x platinum)

Major Pop Culture Moments: Appeared on MTV's Unplugged.

[mtvn_player vid="157537"]

Can Mimi keep the streak alive?

1991

Mariah Carey

Number 1 Singles: "Someday" (3 weeks), "I Don't Wanna Cry" (2 weeks), "Emotions" (3 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 8

Number 1 Albums: Mariah Carey (11 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "Someday" (7 weeks), "I Don't Wanna Cry" (8 weeks), "Emotions" (7 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 22

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Someday" (gold), "Emotions" (gold), Emotions (4x platinum), Mariah Carey (9x platinum)

Records: Her debut, 1990's Mariah Carey, became the highest selling album of 1991 with over 15 million copies sold world wide. "Emotions" gave Carey her fifth Number 1, making her the first (and only) artist who have her first five songs reach the top of the charts.

Awards: Grammy for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Vision Of Love") Billboard Award for Top Female Album Artist (Emotions) and Top Female Single Artist ("Emotions")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed "Vision Of Love" at the Grammys, and performed "Emotions" live for the first time at the MTV Video Music Awards later that year.

[mtvn_player vid="158088"]

OK seriously, is she done now?

1990

Janet Jackson

Number 1 Singles: "Escapade" (3 weeks), "Black Cat" (1 week)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 4

Top 10 Singles: "Rhythm Nation" (4 weeks), "Escapade" (8 weeks), "Alright" (7 weeks), "Come Back To Me" (5 weeks), "Black Cat" (5 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 29

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Rhythm Nation" (gold), "Escapade" (gold) "Alright" (gold), "Black Cat" (gold), Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (6x platinum) 

Records: Released in Setepmber 1989, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 became the highest-selling album of 1990, and the only album in history to spawn three Number 1s in three different calendar years. It is also the only album from a female to score 7 Top 5 singles on the Billboard charts. For the album, Jackson became the first female nominated for a Producer of the Year Grammy. Her Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour remains the most successful debut tour by any recording artist, grossing $28 million. She earned 15 Billboard Music Awards in 1990, currently a record.

Awards: 15 Billboard Music Awards, including Top Selling Album of the Year for Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video ("Miss You Much"), Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs, VMA for Best Video ("Love Will Never Do (Without You)"), AMA for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist

Major Pop Culture Moments: Following up on the success of her album, Jackson embarked on her 9-month Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour, and her militaristic attire became an icon of the time. The single edit for "Alright" featuring Heavy D saw Jackson become the first mainstream pop artist to collaborate with a rapper. 

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Are the Jackson siblings still the King and Queen of Pop? Wait, that's weird...

1989

Paula Abdul

Number 1 Singles: "Straight Up" (3 weeks), "Forever Your Girl" (2 weeks), "Cold Hearted" (1 week)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 6

Number 1 Albums: Forever Your Girl (1 week)

Top 10 Singles: "Straight Up" (7 weeks), "Forever Your Girl (6 weeks), "Cold Heart" (8 weeks), "It's Just The Way That You Love Me" (6 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 27

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Forever Your Girl" (gold), "Cold Hearted (gold), "Straight Up" (platinum)

Awards: AMA for Favorite Pop Artist, Grammy for Best Short Form Music Video ("Opposites Attract") VMAs for Best Female Video, Best Dance Video, Best Choreography in a Video and Best Editing In A Video ("Straight Up"). She also won an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography (The Tracey Ullman Show)

Major Pop Culture Moments: Her groundbreaking music video for "Opposites Attract" that blended animation with live action. The single charted the following year, becoming one of the first major songs of the '90s. She also choreographed The Karate Kid, Part III. 

[mtvn_player vid="300768"]

Straight up now, we'll tell you who's the Pop Queen of 1988.

1988

Whitney Houston

Number 1 Singles: "So Emotional" (1 week), "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3

Top 10 Singles: "So Emotional" (4 weeks), "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (6 weeks), "Love Will Save The Day" (1 week), "One Moment In Time" (4 week)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 15

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (gold), "One Moment In Time" (gold)

Awards: Billboard Awards For Female Top Pop Singles Artist, AMAs for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, People's Choice Award for Favorite Female Musical Performer

Records: Earned seven consecutive Number 1 hits, breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and the Bee Gees. Houston was also the first woman to score four Number 1 singles from one album (1987's Whitney).

Major Pop Culture Moments: Performed at Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday in London's Wembley Stadium, recorded a song for NBC's Summer Olympic coverage in Seoul.

[mtvn_player vid="55192"]

Get ready to dance.

1987

Whitney Houston

Number 1 Singles: "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (2 weeks), "Didn't We Almost Have It All (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 4 weeks

Number 1 Albums: Whitney (11 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (9 weeks), "Didn't We Almost Have It All" (7 weeks), "So Emotional" (4 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 20

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Didn't We Almost Have It All" (gold), "So Emotional" (gold), "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (2x platinum),  Whitney (9x platinum)

Records: First female artist to debut at Number 1 on the album charts

Awards: Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody"), Billboard Music Awards for Top Female Pop Album Artists, AMAs for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist and Favorite Pop/Rock Single ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody")

Major Pop Culture Moments: Opened the Grammys, co-hosted the 1987 American Music Awards, embarked on The Moment of Truth Tour -among the highest grossing of the year. 

[mtvn_player vid="59559"]

Get ready from a visit from a pop legend. Bow down, y'all.

1986

Madonna

Number 1 Singles: "Live To Tell" (1 weeks), "Papa Don't Preach" (2 weeks)

Total Weeks At Number 1: 3 weeks

Number 1 Albums:  True Blue (5 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "Live To Tell (6 weeks), "Papa Don't Preach" (7 weeks), "True Blue" (5 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 18

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Papa Don't Preach" (gold), "True Blue" (gold)

Awards: Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs

Film Appearances: Shanghai Surprise

[mtvn_player vid="14685"]

We can't be done with Madge, right?

1985

Madonna

Number 1 Singles*: "Like A Virgin" (4 weeks), "Crazy For You" (1 week)

*"Into The Groove" spent 3 weeks at Number 1 on the Billboard Dance charts but was ineligible for Hot 100

Total Weeks At Number 1: 5

Number 1 Albums: Like A Virgin (3 weeks)

Top 10 Singles: "Like A Virgin" (7 weeks), "Material Girl" (6 weeks), "Crazy For You" (9 weeks), "Angel" (4 weeks), "Dress You Up" (4 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 30

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Like A Virgin" (gold), "Crazy For You" (gold), "Angel" (gold), "Into The Groove" (gold), Like A Virgin (diamond)

Awards: 7 Billboard Music Awards, including Top Pop Artist

Film Appearances: Vision Quest, Desperately Seeking Susan

Major Pop Culture Moments: Nude photos appear in Penthouse and Playboy, embarked on first US concert tour (The Virgin Tour), married actor Sean Penn, performed at Live Aid international concert fundraiser.

[mtvn_player vid="61089"]

Who's the ultimate throw-back Pop Queen?

1984

Cyndi Lauper

Number 1 Singles: "Time After Time" 

Total Weeks At Number 1: 2

Top 10 Singles: "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (8 weeks), "Time After Time" (9 weeks), "She Bop" (8 weeks), "All Through The Night" (5 weeks)

Total Weeks In The Top 10: 30

RIAA Disc Certifications: "Time After Time" (gold), "She Bop" (gold), She's So Unusual (double platinum)

Records: The first female to have four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 Top 5 hits from one album (1983's She's So Unusual)

Awards: Grammy Award for Best New Artist, VMA for Best Female Video ("Girls Just Want To Fun"), Billboard Music Awards for Best New Artist, Billboard Music Award for Best Female Performance ("Time After Time")

Film Appearances: Prime Cuts

Major Pop Culture Moments: May cover of Rolling Stone, appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

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