1940 to 2020 – Check Out Which Female Icons Ruled The World (7 of 8)

2000: Lucy Liu

A Taiwanese-American actress, Lucy Liu is regarded as one of the finest actresses working in the industry right now. Her appearance in movies and television shows both has cemented her place as a household name across America. She started her career with a small role in the series Ally McBeal, which turned her into an overnight success.

She went on to work in several popular flicks like Charlie’s Angels, Payback, Mulan II, and Shanghai Noon. ABC comedy-drama Cashmere Mafia made her even more popular, winning her numerous acting awards worldwide.

2001: Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook, popularly known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is a famous songwriter, singer, and pianist. She started quite young in her career when she signed a contract with Columbia Records when she was a teenager. Her debut album Songs in a Minor was immensely popular and hit the top spot on Billboard Hot 100 as well. Her other popular works include The Diary of Alicia Keys, You Don’t Know My Name, Diary, and If I Ain’t Got You. Keys has won 15 Grammys, seventeen NAACP Image Awards, and one from Songwriters Hall of Fame and National Music Public Association.

2002: Halle Berry

Halle Berry is an African-American actress who became an overnight success with Monster Ball, which also earned her an Academy Award for the Best Actress. Berry initially worked as a model and won several beauty pageants, including the Miss USA pageant. She earned her first big break when was cast alongside Eddy Murphy in the rom-com Boomerang.

She worked in numerous other popular flicks like Bulworth, The Flintstones, and X-Men franchise. She played the role of Storm in X-Men, and also starred in a Bond movie, Die Another Day. Her latest flick, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum was also a huge hit worldwide.

2003: Britney Spears

Regarded as the ‘Pop Princess’, Britney Spears is an American songwriter, singer, and actress. Starting her career early, Spears signed a contract with Jive Records when she was fifteen years old. Her debut album Baby One More Time was a huge success, which was followed by Oops! I Did It Again. In fact, she was the first-ever fifteen-year-old to have sold over one and a half million copies worldwide with her debut album!

She made her acting debut with Crossroads. Spears produced her own album known as Blackout, which was an instant hit. She continues to be one of the most popular pop singers in the world.

2004: Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is one of the finest actresses in Hollywood right now, who can pull off almost any character with ease. She made her debut back in 2002 with the flick The Hot Chick. Later, she played the iconic Regina George in the teen comedy Mean Girls. She is also known for her work in The Notebook, as well as films like Red Eye, Wedding Crashers, and The Family Stone. She also worked in the Marvel movie Doctor Strange.

2005: Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood is one of the most popular singers around, who became famous after the fourth season of American Idol. Her debut single Inside Your Heaven, which was released next year, went on to become insanely popular worldwide and made her a star overnight. She is one of the very few country artists who have made it to the list of Billboard Hot 100 when she released her first album, Some Hearts. Carnival Ride was another one of her popular creations that went on to sell millions of copies worldwide. She has sold over seventy million records worldwide and has won the Grammys 7 times, apart from willing the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, and a Guinness World Record.

2006: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie, the popular actress, producer, and writer from Hollywood certainly needs no introduction. One of the highest-paid actresses of all time, Jolie made her debut as a child artist in her father’s flick Lookin’ to Get Out. When she grew up, she starred in other popular movies such as Girl, George Wallace, and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Her action flicks like Wanted, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and SALT went on to become huge blockbusters, earning her a lot of critical appreciation.

2007: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse is a singer and songwriter who is known for her unique contralto voice. Winehouse was a regular member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra as a kid and went on land a contract with Simon Fuller’s 19 Management, which opened the gates of success for her.

Her debut album Frank is regarded as one of the finest ever. Later, her Back-to-Back album went on to become an international hit and earned her the British Solo Female Artist for the same. She won a total of 5 Grammys in the same year, making her the first artist to have won so many Grammys in one year.

2008: Tina Fey

Tina Fey is a popular comedian and actress, known for NBC’s popular comedy series Saturday Night Live. She is even credited for the immense success of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock. Tina Fey has also starred in popular movies like Sisters, Mean Girl, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, and Muppets Most Wanted. She even wrote a memoir titled Bossypants, which went on to become a New York Times Bestseller. Fey has earned a wide array of awards, including the Primetime Emmy Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Writers Guild of America Awards, to name a few.

2009: Adele

Adele is a popular singer who has went on to break multiple records with her albums. Starting her career with XL Recordings, she released her debut album 19 when she was quite young. The album went on to break all records and was classified platinum. Apart from winning numerous other awards for her debut album, she also won the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at Grammys that year. Her second album, 21 was also an instant hit and went on to surpass the records of her debut album. She received six Grammys, apart from other major awards that year. She continues to entertain her fans around the world with her mesmerizing voice.