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

2010: Rihanna

Hailing from Barbados, Rihanna has become a household name worldwide, thanks to her amazing voice and even better fashion sense. Starting her career with albums like A Girl Like Me and Music of the Sun, Rihanna gained success that was beyond anyone could have imagined. Her album Good Girl Gone Bad was another iconic album that established her as one of the most popular singers in the world.

Songs like Love The Way You Lie, Diamonds and We Found Love are some of the evergreen songs that will continue to entertain people around the world. Her record albums have sold well over two hundred and fifty million copies worldwide and has earned some of the world’s leading awards. She has won Grammys 9 times, American Music Awards 13 times, Billboard Music Awards, and also made it to the Guinness World Records six times!

2011: Beyonce

Beyonce probably needs no introduction. One of the most popular singers in the world, Beyonce started her career as a lead singer with one of the best-selling singing groups ever, Destiny’s Child. Beyonce’s debut album, Dangerously in Love, went on to have all five songs topping the charts on Billboard Hot 100. Some of other most popular work includes Irreplaceable, Beautiful Liar, and Crazy in Love.

Beyonce also starred in several popular movies such as Austin Powers, Obsessed, and The Pink Panther. Beyonce has won every major music award, and she continues to deliver popular albums that entertain millions of her fans all across the world. Forbes ranked her as the ‘Most Powerful Female’ in their magazine, and we honestly couldn’t agree more.

2012: Jennifer Lawrence

One of the most talented actresses of the current generation, Jennifer Lawrence has a Midas touch for sure as every major movie she has acted in has been a huge success. However, she didn’t directly in the movie industry. Lawrence was offered a role in the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show, which earned her critical appraise. However, her real breakthrough moment came when she was appreciated in the movie Winter’s Bone.

Jennifer Lawrence also worked in the popular Marvel character Mystique in the X-Men movie franchise. Hunger Games series also helped her become a household name worldwide. Lawrence is also one of the youngest actresses to have won the Academy Award for Best Award, which she earned after her stellar performance in Silver Linings Playbook.

2013: Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus is one of the very few singers who has truly mastered pop, county, and hip-hop with ease. Her breakthrough moment was when she was hired to play the lead role in the teen TV series, Hannah Montana. Her songs such as He Could Be The One became a great hit and she never looked back since then. She slowly transitioned over the hip hop and rock, when she released Younger Now, Can’t Be Tamed, and She is Coming.

Miley Cyrus also reprised her role in the movie Hannah Montana: The Movie, apart from acting in other movies like The Last Song. She runs an NGO called The Happy Hippie Foundation.

2014: Emma Watson

Known for portraying Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, Emma Watson is one of the most popular actresses in the entertainment industry. Apart from starring the Harry Potter movies, Watson also worked in some of the most popular movies in recent times, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Bling Ring, The Beauty and the Beast, and Little Women (which went on to win the Academy Award). She won the British Artist of the Year Award from the British Academy of Film and Television and was also nominated as the UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.

2015: Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Ruth Bader is an Associate Judge at the United States Supreme Court, where she nominated by President Bill Clinton way back in 1993. She is only the second judge to have served in the United States Supreme Court. Bader belongs to the liberal wing of the Court and is widely known for her strong personality

She has delivered noteworthy judgments in important legal cases such as United States v. Virginia, Olmstead v. L.C, Friends of the Earth, and Laidlaw Environmental Services, Inc. She is a firm believer of equality for women and has used her position to promote it. She also worked as a volunteer lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union earlier and was also one of its board of directors.

2016: Ellen DeGeneres

Popular talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres is one of the world’s renowned female icons around right now. She is also a versatile actress, writer, and comedian. Starting her comedy career as a stand-up comic with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, DeGeneres made a name for herself and hasn’t looked back since then.

Apart from hosting her own popular talk show Ellen DeGeneres Show, she has also worked in a number of popular movies such as Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Mr. Wrong, and The Love Letter. DeGeneres has also been a judge for the singing reality tv show The American Idol. Throughout her career, she has also hosted a number of events, such as the Primetime Emmys, Grammy Awards, and the Academy Awards.

2017: Serena Williams

Serena Williams needs no introduction. One of the living legends of the sport, Serena has won the Grand Slam titles for a record twenty-three times – way beyond any other player has won in the Open Era. She was ranked the number one tennis player on multiple occasions throughout her career. In fact, she has retained the number one title for over 319 weeks, which includes a consecutive 189-week streak as well. Forbes has ranked Serena as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world, and she absolutely deserves it without a shadow of a doubt.

2018: Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle is a popular actress who is known for her role in the popular TV show Suits. Starting her career with a wide array of small roles in television series and movies, Markle role’s was appreciated in the series General Hospital. Meghan Markle also starred in popular guest actresses on shows like The War At Home, CSI: NY, and Century City.

Markle has been vocal for gender equality. She married Prince Harry in 2017 and became a part of the British Royal Family, where she was conferred the title of Duchess of Sussex later.

2019: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is one of the most popular singers right now who made her way to the top after signing a deal with the Interscope Records, and later Con Live Distribution, which helped her in releasing her first album The Fame. Her later releases such as Born This Way, Just Dance, and Poker Face went on to establish her as one of the leading singers of the time. She introduced the world to a new era of Electronic Dance Music and techno-pop. Her country-pop with soft rock album Joanne was loved by her fans all across the world.

Lady Gaga also runs a foundation named Born This Way, which promotes the importance of mental health amongst young people.

2020: Issa Rae

Leading actress, producer, and writer, Issa Rae is a popular face in the entertainment industry right now. Starting her career with popular YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, Rae made a name for herself with her versatile performance. She was also associated with the popular HBO show Insecure as a writer. In just a short career so far, Issa Rae has won multiple awards, including Golden Globe Awards and Primetime Emmy Award. Rae has also featured in popular flicks such as Little, The Photograph, and The Lovebirds.