In this year’s roundup of the biggest celebs, we welcome a few new faces, some surprising transformations and a couple of old heartthrobs we won’t ever let go. Read on to see our list of who everyone has been talking about in 2013!
1. Miley Cyrus
From her chopped-off locks to her edgy new sound, it seems as though this singer has shed her former pop-princess image for good. 2013 was the year of Miley as her transformation, titled “Miley: The Movement,” stirred a one-of-a-kind media frenzy. Whether you agree with Miley’s provocative new sound and controversial image or not, her breakup, her album and her performances have been at the forefront of the media… just as she planned it.
2. Jennifer Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence garnered as much attention, if not more, from her candid interviews in the media tour leading up to The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as she did from the actual movie. 2013 was a big year for the charming and absolutely hilarious starlet; she won an Academy Award for her role in Silver Linings Playbook and starred in the second installment of the Hunger Games trilogy. Only she could make falling on national television look so graceful, and we couldn’t love her more for it.
3. Justin Timberlake
Many were skeptical of JT’s return to the music industry after his six-year hiatus, but his release of The 20/20 Experience, which topped the year-end Top Billboard 200 Albums chart, shattered any preconceived biases. Justin’s subsequent tour with Jay-Z showed that he’s back for good, and his appearances on Saturday Night Live were met with high praise as he officially joined the “Five-Timers Club” after his fifth stint as host.
4. Beyoncé Knowles
The release of Queen Bey’s visual album was a welcome surprise and instant success; it sold 991,000 copies in just 10 days. Following her jaw-dropping performance at the Super Bowl in February, Beyoncé announced The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, demonstrating that after almost 20 years in the business, this vocal powerhouse still reigns supreme.
5. Kim Kardashian
While Keeping Up with the Kardashians continues to be one of the most popular reality shows on television, this starlet transcended her family’s fame with her very public relationship with Kanye West and the birth of their daughter, North. With a wedding of royal proportions looming, we can only imagine that Kim will have another big year in the 2014.
6. Kanye West
It comes as no surprise that a man who likens himself to Jesus garnered a lot of attention in 2013. With the release of his sixth album, Yeezus, and his subsequent tour, Kanye’s professional life was as eventful as his personal one. The birth of his daughter, his engagement to reality princess Kim Kardashian and his parody-inspiring music video for “Bound 2” have made West a constant presence in the tabloids this past year.
7. Lorde
This 17-year-old New Zealand singer-songwriter made her official debut in September 2013 with the release of her first full-length album. Since the release of Pure Heroine, Lorde’s unique sound has received high praise, and her single “Royals” spent nine consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard charts. After such a big year for this breakout star, we can’t wait to see what she does in 2014.
8. Katy Perry
In 2013, Katy Perry released her fourth studio album, PRISM. In addition to releasing hugely successful singles like “Roar” and “Unconditionally,” Katy collaborated with boyfriend John Mayer on “Who You Love.” Katy ruled social media this year as the most-followed celebrity on Twitter with more than 48 million fans hanging on to her every word.
9. Kate Middleton
Since her 2011 wedding to Prince William, all eyes have been on the Duchess of Cambridge to watch how she spends her first few years as royalty. With the birth of her son, Prince George of Cambridge, this past summer, Kate has constantly been in the spotlight, and we can’t help but admire how she handles it with such grace.
10. Prince George of Cambridge
In his first year of life, Prince George has done little more than the average baby, yet he seems to have the media wrapped around his tiny royal pinky. The excitement surrounding his birth on July 22, 2013, and the continued worldwide obsession with the newest member of the royal family earn him his own spot on our list.
11. Justin Bieber
While this pop prince lost his place as the most popular Tweeter to Katy Perry this year, that doesn’t indicate any loss of Beliebers. With more than 48 million Twitter followers, Bieber has taken a hold of social media by releasing a new single every Monday in the weeks leading up to the Christmas premiere of his movie Believe. Though the young star recently tweeted that he will be retiring, it’s hard to believe that he would prematurely end his very successful career.
12. One Direction
With their release of both their new album, Midnight Memories, and their movie, One Direction: This Is Us, 1D maintains a strong hold on the hearts of girls (and guys) across the world. We have no doubt that they’ll continue their reign in 2014 as this generation’s biggest boy band.
13. Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio has been stealing hearts since his portrayal of Jack Dawson in 1997’s Titanic, and he reprised his role as a total heartthrob in 2013 as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. While he was certainly not a new face in 2013, Leo’s roles in the highly-anticipated Gatsby and the recent hit The Wolf of Wall Street have earned him a big year at the box office and a place in our rankings.