Beyoncé

One of the most beloved and respected entertainers of all time, Beyonce rose from teen pop star to global icon. She started turning heads in the late 1990s with her female R&B group Destiny's Child, captivating listeners with her resonating voice and powerhouse stage persona. As lead singer for Destiny's Child, Beyonce made the natural transition to solo artist and steadily rose to become the reigning pop songstresses of her generation. Her first solo album, 2003's Dangerously In Love, was an immediate success that proved her talent surpassed the initial confinements of her teen pop group. The record spawned massive radio hits like "Crazy In Love" and went on to earn her five Grammy Awards. With each record, from I am... Sasha Fierce to 4, she built upon her own legend. With the release of her self-titled fifth album in 2013, she became one of the most important pop culture musicians of the 21st century, leaving a permanent mark in history as not only a woman or an African American, but as a true artist in her own right. Beyonce continued to push boundaries of politics, composition and performance with her subsequent sixth LP, Formation, which was released in 2016.