01 of 25

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber. Photo by Jason Merritt / Getty Images

At age 21, after a long string of negative tabloid publicity, former teen pop star Justin Bieber has emerged more successful than ever. His single “What Do You Mean?” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He followed it with a #2 opening for “Sorry.” Ultimately “Sorry” went to #1 after being blocked from the top by Adele. His album Purpose debuted at #1 outselling One Direction and with the additional hit single “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber had three of the top 5 pop hit singles for five consecutive weeks.

Review of “What Do You Mean?” Top 10 Justin Bieber Songs

02 of 25

Adele

Adele - 25. Courtesy Columbia

It has been four years since Adele dominated the pop music world with her worldwide #1 hit album 21. Now she is back and she broke a number of records once again. Her single “Hello” is the first to sell more than one million digital copies in the US in a single week. It went on to spend 10 consecutive weeks at #1. The album 25 sold a phenomenal three million albums in its first week demolishing all past records. 

10 Reasons To Love “Hello” Top 10 Adele Songs

03 of 25

Drake

Drake. Photo by Scott Dudelson / Getty Images

Rapper Drake’s success far exceeds the boundaries of hip hop.  His surprise release album If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late sold nearly 500,000 copies in just three days of release. That comes close to matching Beyonce’s success with a surprise album released during the Christmas rush. All four of his albums have topped the albums chart and the first three are all certified platinum for sales. In addition he has reached the top 10 on the pop singles chart as lead artist with eight songs, the most recent the #2 smash hit “Hotline Bling.”

Review of “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

04 of 25

The Weeknd

The Weeknd. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd earned his first major pop chart success in the US as lead artist with his top 5 hit “Earned It” from the soundtrack to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey early in the year. He stormed to even greater success beginning this past summer with consecutive #1 pop hit singles “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” His album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the album chart and has been certified gold for sales. The most recent single “In the Night” has reached #12 on the pop chart, and The Weeknd earned seven Grammy Award nominations this year including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

05 of 25

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift. Photo by Hugo Hu / Getty Images

At age 25 it looks like the sky really is the limit for Taylor Swift’s career as a pop star. She first hit the country charts in 2006 as a teenager and has been moving toward mainstream pop ever since. Her current album 1989 is her first completely pop project, and it has become the biggest success of her career so far. 1989 had the biggest opening sales week of any album since 2002, and it has spent 11 weeks at #1 selling more than five million copies. The first two singles spent a combined 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Wildest Dreams” recently became the fifth single from the album to reach the pop top 10. “Out of the Woods” is the sixth single and it has broken into the top 20.

Review of 1989 Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs 

06 of 25

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots. Photo by John Shearer / Getty Images

Alternative pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are one of the big pop music stories of early 2016. Last year Blurryface became their first #1 charting album. Now, the single “Stressed Out” has become their first top 5 charting pop single after going all the way to #1 on the alternative radio chart. 

Review of “Stressed Out”

07 of 25

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez. Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo / FilmMagic

23-year-old Selena Gomez recently left her Disney past behind when she left Disney imprint Hollywood and signed a new recording contract with Interscope. The result has been a second consecutive #1 solo hit album Revival and the top 5 smash hit single “Good For You” followed by the #6 peak of “Same Old Love.” Her latest hit is “Hands To Myself” already in the top 30 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” Top 10 Selena Gomez Songs

08 of 25

One Direction

One Direction. Photo by Scott Legato / Getty Images

After suffering the departure of Zayn Malik this year paring the boy band down to a quartet, One Direction have begun a group hiatus. They went out on a strong note. The group’s fifth album in five years Made In the A.M. launched with first week sales of 402,000. It includes two top 10 pop hit singles “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

Review of “Drag Me Down” Top 10 One Direction Songs

09 of 25

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes. Photo by Tim Boyles / Getty Images

Following in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps, 17-year-old Shawn Mendes was one of the breakout pop stars of 2015. However, he reached his pop chart success in reverse fashion of many artists. With the wind of massive social media success at his back, he hit #1 with his first full-length album Handwritten last spring. However, he did not have a pop radio hit until recently when “Stitches” went all the way to #1. He has followed that success by dueting on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony. The song has reached the top 15 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of Handwritten

10 of 25

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor. Photo by Michael Tran / FilmMagic

2014 saw the rise of one of the most promising young female pop songwriters in recent history. 21-year-old Meghan Trainor roared to the top of the pop charts with her debut single “All About That Bass” and went on to earn Grammy Award nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Proving she is no one hit wonder, the follow up single “Lips Are Movin” turned into a top 5 pop smash. Her debut album Title received strong positive critical reviews while opening at #1 on the album chart. Ten months after the album’s release, Meghan Trainor returned to the pop top 10 with the ballad “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and John Legend at her side.

11 of 25

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

In 2010 British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding earned accolades as one of the world’s most promising young pop artists. In 2011 she climbed to #2 on the US pop singles chart with her single “Lights.” It has taken some time to follow that success, but with the help of inclusion in the soundtrack for the highly anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, her song “Love Me Like You Do” landed inside the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 early this year. Her third studio album Delirium has continued Ellie Goulding’s success launching the single “On My Mind” into the pop top 20.

Review of “Love Me Like You Do” Top 10 Ellie Goulding Songs

12 of 25

Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten. Photo by John Lamparski / WireImage

With her single “1,000 Ships” climbing into the top 25 at adult pop radio back in 2011, it looked like Rachel Platten was on the verge of major success. However, it took awhile for the promised to be realized. Last year her single “Fight Song” caught on and became an inspirational smash hit peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult pop radio chart. On New Year’s Day she released her album Wildfire and it opened at #5 on the album chart. It includes her latest single “Stand By You” which is already an adult pop top 10 hit

13 of 25

Fetty Wap

Fetty Wap. Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

24-year-old Willie Maxwell, aka Fetty Wap, was one of the hottest breakout hip hop artists of 2015. He started off working as a rapper, but now sings as well. His debut single “Trap Queen” climbed all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has reached platinum certification for sales. Fetty Wap followed it with two more top 10 pop hits “My Way” and “679.” His fourth single “Again” is a top 40 hit.

14 of 25

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy. Photo by Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Fall Out Boy are back arguably stronger than ever following a nearly four year hiatus. They returned in 2013 with the #1 hit album Save Rock and Roll. They have followed that with “Centuries,” the group’s first top 10 pop hit since 2007 and another #1 album American Beauty / American Psycho. The single “Uma Thurman” also reached the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new single “Irresistible” recently entered the top 25 at mainstream and adult pop radio.

Top 10 Fall Out Boy Songs

15 of 25

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth. Photo by Mike Windle / Getty Images

24-year-old Charlie Puth was listed as the top new artist of 2015 on this site. He co-wrote, co-produced and sang on Wiz Khalifa’s #1 smash hit “See You Again.” He followed that with a re-release of his single “Marvin Gaye” with Meghan Trainor and took it to #12 on the adult pop radio chart. His next single “One Call Away” is already a top 40 pop hit. Charlie Puth’s debut full-length album Nine Track Mind hits stores January 29th.

16 of 25

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato. Photo by Gary Gershoff / WireImage

With the success of her single “Cool For the Summer” a few months back, Demi Lovato proved she is a pop star that plans to stick around. She followed the hit with her fifth consecutive top 15 charting album Confident. It includes the title song which has rolled into the top 10 on the mainstream pop radio chart.

Top 10 Demi Lovato Songs

17 of 25

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande. Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Ariana Grande is not your ordinary Nickelodeon network star. She used her hit role in the series Sam & Cat to launch a pop music career that has far exceeded any of the TV success. Her sophomore album My Everything became her second consecutive #1 album. The album included four top 10 pop hit singles. She has recently returned with a new top 10 pop hit “Focus” which is the first release from an upcoming third studio album titled Moonlight. Ariana Grande is also featured vocalist on a new release of the song “Over and Over Again” by Nathan Sykes.

18 of 25

Panic! At the Disco

Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco. Photo by Roy Rochlin / FilmMagic

Last April with the announcement of Spencer Smith’s departure from Panic! At the Disco, the band officially became a one man effort by lead vocalist Brendon Urie. That has not stopped him from creating new music. The new album Death of a Bachelor was released January 15th. It includes Panic! At the Disco’s second top 40 pop hit “Hallelujah.”

19 of 25

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran. Photo by C. Brandon / Redferns

When Ed Sheeran first appeared in the pop mainstream with his single “The A Team,” he was a breath of fresh air. In classic singer-songwriter mode, he brought attention back to the words of the pop song with the sad story told in the lyrics of his first hit. His debut album + peaked at #5 on the charts and was ultimately certified platinum. However, it’s his current sophomore collection X (pronounced “multiply”) that has fulfilled his promise as a rising pop star. The recent single “Photograph” became the third top 10 pop hit from X. Ed Sheeran also co-wrote Justin Bieber’s recent top 3 pop hit single “Lose Yourself.”

Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

20 of 25

Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara. Photo by Larry Marano / Getty Images

19-year-old Alessia Cara joins fellow Canadians Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd as breakout pop stars for 2015 who hail from north of the border. Her debut hit single “Here” has been certified gold for sales on its way to top 10 mainstream pop radio success. Her debut album Know-It-All also hit the top 10.

21 of 25

Elle King

Elle King. Photo by Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Elle King is one of the most unlikely breakthrough pop stars of 2015. She is the daughter of successful comedian Rob Schneider. Despite the celebrity background, she paid her dues busking on the streets of New York City. Her catchy bluesy single “Ex’s & Oh’s” was first released more than a year ago. Its pathway to success has included topping both the alternative and rock radio charts. Now the song is a top 10 pop smash. 

22 of 25

Sam Smith

Sam Smith. Photo by Erika Goldring / FilmMagic

British singer Sam Smith emerged triumphant at 2015’s Grammy Awards taking home four honors. It followed an impressive breakthrough year in which his debut album In the Lonely Hour became the third biggest selling album of the year behind only Taylor Swift and the Frozen juggernaut. The two singles “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One” landed in the top 10 following the top 10 success of his featured vocals on Disclosure’s “Latch.” The album has been a steady seller since release and recently received a boost with the release of the expanded “Drowning Shadows” edition. Sam Smith topped the UK pop singles chart with “Writing’s On the Wall,” his theme song for the James Bond Film Spectre, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

23 of 25

Coldplay

Coldplay. Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Coldplay are one of the most successful rock bands of the past 15 years. Four consecutive studio albums have topped the US album chart. Their most recent was released just 18 months back and included the top 10 hit single “A Sky Full Of Stars.” Their recently released single “Adventure of a Lifetime” reached the top 10 at alternative, rock, and adult pop radio. The album A Head Full of Dreams debuted at #2 on the album chart.

Top 10 Coldplay Songs

24 of 25

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards. Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Even though he seems to sometimes fly under the radar, Jason Derulo has been one of the most consistent pop hitmakers of the past seven years. Last year “Want To Want Me” became his sixth top 10 pop hit. His most recent release is the single “Get Ugly.” It is included on the top 5 charting album Everything Is 4.

25 of 25

Maroon 5

Maroon 5. Photo by Andrew Toth / Getty Images

Maroon 5 recently broke a string of eight consecutive top 10 pop hit singles. However, that has not slowed the group down. The single “Feelings” has roared into the top 40 on the mainstream pop radio chart and top 20 adult pop becoming the fifth hit single from the platinum certified #1 hit album V.

01 of 25

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber. Photo by Jason Merritt / Getty Images

At age 21, after a long string of negative tabloid publicity, former teen pop star Justin Bieber has emerged more successful than ever. His single “What Do You Mean?” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He followed it with a #2 opening for “Sorry.” Ultimately “Sorry” went to #1 after being blocked from the top by Adele. His album Purpose debuted at #1 outselling One Direction and with the additional hit single “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber had three of the top 5 pop hit singles for five consecutive weeks.

Review of “What Do You Mean?” Top 10 Justin Bieber Songs

02 of 25

Adele

Adele - 25. Courtesy Columbia

It has been four years since Adele dominated the pop music world with her worldwide #1 hit album 21. Now she is back and she broke a number of records once again. Her single “Hello” is the first to sell more than one million digital copies in the US in a single week. It went on to spend 10 consecutive weeks at #1. The album 25 sold a phenomenal three million albums in its first week demolishing all past records. 

10 Reasons To Love “Hello” Top 10 Adele Songs

03 of 25

Drake

Drake. Photo by Scott Dudelson / Getty Images

Rapper Drake’s success far exceeds the boundaries of hip hop.  His surprise release album If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late sold nearly 500,000 copies in just three days of release. That comes close to matching Beyonce’s success with a surprise album released during the Christmas rush. All four of his albums have topped the albums chart and the first three are all certified platinum for sales. In addition he has reached the top 10 on the pop singles chart as lead artist with eight songs, the most recent the #2 smash hit “Hotline Bling.”

Review of “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

04 of 25

The Weeknd

The Weeknd. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd earned his first major pop chart success in the US as lead artist with his top 5 hit “Earned It” from the soundtrack to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey early in the year. He stormed to even greater success beginning this past summer with consecutive #1 pop hit singles “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” His album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the album chart and has been certified gold for sales. The most recent single “In the Night” has reached #12 on the pop chart, and The Weeknd earned seven Grammy Award nominations this year including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

05 of 25

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift. Photo by Hugo Hu / Getty Images

At age 25 it looks like the sky really is the limit for Taylor Swift’s career as a pop star. She first hit the country charts in 2006 as a teenager and has been moving toward mainstream pop ever since. Her current album 1989 is her first completely pop project, and it has become the biggest success of her career so far. 1989 had the biggest opening sales week of any album since 2002, and it has spent 11 weeks at #1 selling more than five million copies. The first two singles spent a combined 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Wildest Dreams” recently became the fifth single from the album to reach the pop top 10. “Out of the Woods” is the sixth single and it has broken into the top 20.

Review of 1989 Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs 

06 of 25

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots. Photo by John Shearer / Getty Images

Alternative pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are one of the big pop music stories of early 2016. Last year Blurryface became their first #1 charting album. Now, the single “Stressed Out” has become their first top 5 charting pop single after going all the way to #1 on the alternative radio chart. 

Review of “Stressed Out”

07 of 25

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez. Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo / FilmMagic

23-year-old Selena Gomez recently left her Disney past behind when she left Disney imprint Hollywood and signed a new recording contract with Interscope. The result has been a second consecutive #1 solo hit album Revival and the top 5 smash hit single “Good For You” followed by the #6 peak of “Same Old Love.” Her latest hit is “Hands To Myself” already in the top 30 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” Top 10 Selena Gomez Songs

08 of 25

One Direction

One Direction. Photo by Scott Legato / Getty Images

After suffering the departure of Zayn Malik this year paring the boy band down to a quartet, One Direction have begun a group hiatus. They went out on a strong note. The group’s fifth album in five years Made In the A.M. launched with first week sales of 402,000. It includes two top 10 pop hit singles “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

Review of “Drag Me Down” Top 10 One Direction Songs

09 of 25

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes. Photo by Tim Boyles / Getty Images

Following in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps, 17-year-old Shawn Mendes was one of the breakout pop stars of 2015. However, he reached his pop chart success in reverse fashion of many artists. With the wind of massive social media success at his back, he hit #1 with his first full-length album Handwritten last spring. However, he did not have a pop radio hit until recently when “Stitches” went all the way to #1. He has followed that success by dueting on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony. The song has reached the top 15 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of Handwritten

10 of 25

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor. Photo by Michael Tran / FilmMagic

2014 saw the rise of one of the most promising young female pop songwriters in recent history. 21-year-old Meghan Trainor roared to the top of the pop charts with her debut single “All About That Bass” and went on to earn Grammy Award nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Proving she is no one hit wonder, the follow up single “Lips Are Movin” turned into a top 5 pop smash. Her debut album Title received strong positive critical reviews while opening at #1 on the album chart. Ten months after the album’s release, Meghan Trainor returned to the pop top 10 with the ballad “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and John Legend at her side.

11 of 25

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

In 2010 British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding earned accolades as one of the world’s most promising young pop artists. In 2011 she climbed to #2 on the US pop singles chart with her single “Lights.” It has taken some time to follow that success, but with the help of inclusion in the soundtrack for the highly anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, her song “Love Me Like You Do” landed inside the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 early this year. Her third studio album Delirium has continued Ellie Goulding’s success launching the single “On My Mind” into the pop top 20.

Review of “Love Me Like You Do” Top 10 Ellie Goulding Songs

12 of 25

Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten. Photo by John Lamparski / WireImage

With her single “1,000 Ships” climbing into the top 25 at adult pop radio back in 2011, it looked like Rachel Platten was on the verge of major success. However, it took awhile for the promised to be realized. Last year her single “Fight Song” caught on and became an inspirational smash hit peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult pop radio chart. On New Year’s Day she released her album Wildfire and it opened at #5 on the album chart. It includes her latest single “Stand By You” which is already an adult pop top 10 hit

13 of 25

Fetty Wap

Fetty Wap. Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

24-year-old Willie Maxwell, aka Fetty Wap, was one of the hottest breakout hip hop artists of 2015. He started off working as a rapper, but now sings as well. His debut single “Trap Queen” climbed all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has reached platinum certification for sales. Fetty Wap followed it with two more top 10 pop hits “My Way” and “679.” His fourth single “Again” is a top 40 hit.

14 of 25

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy. Photo by Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Fall Out Boy are back arguably stronger than ever following a nearly four year hiatus. They returned in 2013 with the #1 hit album Save Rock and Roll. They have followed that with “Centuries,” the group’s first top 10 pop hit since 2007 and another #1 album American Beauty / American Psycho. The single “Uma Thurman” also reached the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new single “Irresistible” recently entered the top 25 at mainstream and adult pop radio.

Top 10 Fall Out Boy Songs

15 of 25

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth. Photo by Mike Windle / Getty Images

24-year-old Charlie Puth was listed as the top new artist of 2015 on this site. He co-wrote, co-produced and sang on Wiz Khalifa’s #1 smash hit “See You Again.” He followed that with a re-release of his single “Marvin Gaye” with Meghan Trainor and took it to #12 on the adult pop radio chart. His next single “One Call Away” is already a top 40 pop hit. Charlie Puth’s debut full-length album Nine Track Mind hits stores January 29th.

16 of 25

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato. Photo by Gary Gershoff / WireImage

With the success of her single “Cool For the Summer” a few months back, Demi Lovato proved she is a pop star that plans to stick around. She followed the hit with her fifth consecutive top 15 charting album Confident. It includes the title song which has rolled into the top 10 on the mainstream pop radio chart.

Top 10 Demi Lovato Songs

17 of 25

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande. Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Ariana Grande is not your ordinary Nickelodeon network star. She used her hit role in the series Sam & Cat to launch a pop music career that has far exceeded any of the TV success. Her sophomore album My Everything became her second consecutive #1 album. The album included four top 10 pop hit singles. She has recently returned with a new top 10 pop hit “Focus” which is the first release from an upcoming third studio album titled Moonlight. Ariana Grande is also featured vocalist on a new release of the song “Over and Over Again” by Nathan Sykes.

18 of 25

Panic! At the Disco

Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco. Photo by Roy Rochlin / FilmMagic

Last April with the announcement of Spencer Smith’s departure from Panic! At the Disco, the band officially became a one man effort by lead vocalist Brendon Urie. That has not stopped him from creating new music. The new album Death of a Bachelor was released January 15th. It includes Panic! At the Disco’s second top 40 pop hit “Hallelujah.”

19 of 25

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran. Photo by C. Brandon / Redferns

When Ed Sheeran first appeared in the pop mainstream with his single “The A Team,” he was a breath of fresh air. In classic singer-songwriter mode, he brought attention back to the words of the pop song with the sad story told in the lyrics of his first hit. His debut album + peaked at #5 on the charts and was ultimately certified platinum. However, it’s his current sophomore collection X (pronounced “multiply”) that has fulfilled his promise as a rising pop star. The recent single “Photograph” became the third top 10 pop hit from X. Ed Sheeran also co-wrote Justin Bieber’s recent top 3 pop hit single “Lose Yourself.”

Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

20 of 25

Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara. Photo by Larry Marano / Getty Images

19-year-old Alessia Cara joins fellow Canadians Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd as breakout pop stars for 2015 who hail from north of the border. Her debut hit single “Here” has been certified gold for sales on its way to top 10 mainstream pop radio success. Her debut album Know-It-All also hit the top 10.

21 of 25

Elle King

Elle King. Photo by Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Elle King is one of the most unlikely breakthrough pop stars of 2015. She is the daughter of successful comedian Rob Schneider. Despite the celebrity background, she paid her dues busking on the streets of New York City. Her catchy bluesy single “Ex’s & Oh’s” was first released more than a year ago. Its pathway to success has included topping both the alternative and rock radio charts. Now the song is a top 10 pop smash. 

22 of 25

Sam Smith

Sam Smith. Photo by Erika Goldring / FilmMagic

British singer Sam Smith emerged triumphant at 2015’s Grammy Awards taking home four honors. It followed an impressive breakthrough year in which his debut album In the Lonely Hour became the third biggest selling album of the year behind only Taylor Swift and the Frozen juggernaut. The two singles “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One” landed in the top 10 following the top 10 success of his featured vocals on Disclosure’s “Latch.” The album has been a steady seller since release and recently received a boost with the release of the expanded “Drowning Shadows” edition. Sam Smith topped the UK pop singles chart with “Writing’s On the Wall,” his theme song for the James Bond Film Spectre, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

23 of 25

Coldplay

Coldplay. Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Coldplay are one of the most successful rock bands of the past 15 years. Four consecutive studio albums have topped the US album chart. Their most recent was released just 18 months back and included the top 10 hit single “A Sky Full Of Stars.” Their recently released single “Adventure of a Lifetime” reached the top 10 at alternative, rock, and adult pop radio. The album A Head Full of Dreams debuted at #2 on the album chart.

Top 10 Coldplay Songs

24 of 25

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards. Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Even though he seems to sometimes fly under the radar, Jason Derulo has been one of the most consistent pop hitmakers of the past seven years. Last year “Want To Want Me” became his sixth top 10 pop hit. His most recent release is the single “Get Ugly.” It is included on the top 5 charting album Everything Is 4.

25 of 25

Maroon 5

Maroon 5. Photo by Andrew Toth / Getty Images

Maroon 5 recently broke a string of eight consecutive top 10 pop hit singles. However, that has not slowed the group down. The single “Feelings” has roared into the top 40 on the mainstream pop radio chart and top 20 adult pop becoming the fifth hit single from the platinum certified #1 hit album V.

01 of 25

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber. Photo by Jason Merritt / Getty Images

At age 21, after a long string of negative tabloid publicity, former teen pop star Justin Bieber has emerged more successful than ever. His single “What Do You Mean?” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He followed it with a #2 opening for “Sorry.” Ultimately “Sorry” went to #1 after being blocked from the top by Adele. His album Purpose debuted at #1 outselling One Direction and with the additional hit single “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber had three of the top 5 pop hit singles for five consecutive weeks.

Review of “What Do You Mean?” Top 10 Justin Bieber Songs

02 of 25

Adele

Adele - 25. Courtesy Columbia

It has been four years since Adele dominated the pop music world with her worldwide #1 hit album 21. Now she is back and she broke a number of records once again. Her single “Hello” is the first to sell more than one million digital copies in the US in a single week. It went on to spend 10 consecutive weeks at #1. The album 25 sold a phenomenal three million albums in its first week demolishing all past records. 

10 Reasons To Love “Hello” Top 10 Adele Songs

03 of 25

Drake

Drake. Photo by Scott Dudelson / Getty Images

Rapper Drake’s success far exceeds the boundaries of hip hop.  His surprise release album If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late sold nearly 500,000 copies in just three days of release. That comes close to matching Beyonce’s success with a surprise album released during the Christmas rush. All four of his albums have topped the albums chart and the first three are all certified platinum for sales. In addition he has reached the top 10 on the pop singles chart as lead artist with eight songs, the most recent the #2 smash hit “Hotline Bling.”

Review of “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

04 of 25

The Weeknd

The Weeknd. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd earned his first major pop chart success in the US as lead artist with his top 5 hit “Earned It” from the soundtrack to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey early in the year. He stormed to even greater success beginning this past summer with consecutive #1 pop hit singles “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” His album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the album chart and has been certified gold for sales. The most recent single “In the Night” has reached #12 on the pop chart, and The Weeknd earned seven Grammy Award nominations this year including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

05 of 25

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift. Photo by Hugo Hu / Getty Images

At age 25 it looks like the sky really is the limit for Taylor Swift’s career as a pop star. She first hit the country charts in 2006 as a teenager and has been moving toward mainstream pop ever since. Her current album 1989 is her first completely pop project, and it has become the biggest success of her career so far. 1989 had the biggest opening sales week of any album since 2002, and it has spent 11 weeks at #1 selling more than five million copies. The first two singles spent a combined 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Wildest Dreams” recently became the fifth single from the album to reach the pop top 10. “Out of the Woods” is the sixth single and it has broken into the top 20.

Review of 1989 Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs 

06 of 25

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots. Photo by John Shearer / Getty Images

Alternative pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are one of the big pop music stories of early 2016. Last year Blurryface became their first #1 charting album. Now, the single “Stressed Out” has become their first top 5 charting pop single after going all the way to #1 on the alternative radio chart. 

Review of “Stressed Out”

07 of 25

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez. Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo / FilmMagic

23-year-old Selena Gomez recently left her Disney past behind when she left Disney imprint Hollywood and signed a new recording contract with Interscope. The result has been a second consecutive #1 solo hit album Revival and the top 5 smash hit single “Good For You” followed by the #6 peak of “Same Old Love.” Her latest hit is “Hands To Myself” already in the top 30 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” Top 10 Selena Gomez Songs

08 of 25

One Direction

One Direction. Photo by Scott Legato / Getty Images

After suffering the departure of Zayn Malik this year paring the boy band down to a quartet, One Direction have begun a group hiatus. They went out on a strong note. The group’s fifth album in five years Made In the A.M. launched with first week sales of 402,000. It includes two top 10 pop hit singles “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

Review of “Drag Me Down” Top 10 One Direction Songs

09 of 25

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes. Photo by Tim Boyles / Getty Images

Following in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps, 17-year-old Shawn Mendes was one of the breakout pop stars of 2015. However, he reached his pop chart success in reverse fashion of many artists. With the wind of massive social media success at his back, he hit #1 with his first full-length album Handwritten last spring. However, he did not have a pop radio hit until recently when “Stitches” went all the way to #1. He has followed that success by dueting on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony. The song has reached the top 15 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of Handwritten

10 of 25

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor. Photo by Michael Tran / FilmMagic

2014 saw the rise of one of the most promising young female pop songwriters in recent history. 21-year-old Meghan Trainor roared to the top of the pop charts with her debut single “All About That Bass” and went on to earn Grammy Award nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Proving she is no one hit wonder, the follow up single “Lips Are Movin” turned into a top 5 pop smash. Her debut album Title received strong positive critical reviews while opening at #1 on the album chart. Ten months after the album’s release, Meghan Trainor returned to the pop top 10 with the ballad “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and John Legend at her side.

11 of 25

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

In 2010 British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding earned accolades as one of the world’s most promising young pop artists. In 2011 she climbed to #2 on the US pop singles chart with her single “Lights.” It has taken some time to follow that success, but with the help of inclusion in the soundtrack for the highly anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, her song “Love Me Like You Do” landed inside the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 early this year. Her third studio album Delirium has continued Ellie Goulding’s success launching the single “On My Mind” into the pop top 20.

Review of “Love Me Like You Do” Top 10 Ellie Goulding Songs

12 of 25

Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten. Photo by John Lamparski / WireImage

With her single “1,000 Ships” climbing into the top 25 at adult pop radio back in 2011, it looked like Rachel Platten was on the verge of major success. However, it took awhile for the promised to be realized. Last year her single “Fight Song” caught on and became an inspirational smash hit peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult pop radio chart. On New Year’s Day she released her album Wildfire and it opened at #5 on the album chart. It includes her latest single “Stand By You” which is already an adult pop top 10 hit

13 of 25

Fetty Wap

Fetty Wap. Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

24-year-old Willie Maxwell, aka Fetty Wap, was one of the hottest breakout hip hop artists of 2015. He started off working as a rapper, but now sings as well. His debut single “Trap Queen” climbed all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has reached platinum certification for sales. Fetty Wap followed it with two more top 10 pop hits “My Way” and “679.” His fourth single “Again” is a top 40 hit.

14 of 25

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy. Photo by Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Fall Out Boy are back arguably stronger than ever following a nearly four year hiatus. They returned in 2013 with the #1 hit album Save Rock and Roll. They have followed that with “Centuries,” the group’s first top 10 pop hit since 2007 and another #1 album American Beauty / American Psycho. The single “Uma Thurman” also reached the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new single “Irresistible” recently entered the top 25 at mainstream and adult pop radio.

Top 10 Fall Out Boy Songs

15 of 25

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth. Photo by Mike Windle / Getty Images

24-year-old Charlie Puth was listed as the top new artist of 2015 on this site. He co-wrote, co-produced and sang on Wiz Khalifa’s #1 smash hit “See You Again.” He followed that with a re-release of his single “Marvin Gaye” with Meghan Trainor and took it to #12 on the adult pop radio chart. His next single “One Call Away” is already a top 40 pop hit. Charlie Puth’s debut full-length album Nine Track Mind hits stores January 29th.

16 of 25

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato. Photo by Gary Gershoff / WireImage

With the success of her single “Cool For the Summer” a few months back, Demi Lovato proved she is a pop star that plans to stick around. She followed the hit with her fifth consecutive top 15 charting album Confident. It includes the title song which has rolled into the top 10 on the mainstream pop radio chart.

Top 10 Demi Lovato Songs

17 of 25

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande. Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Ariana Grande is not your ordinary Nickelodeon network star. She used her hit role in the series Sam & Cat to launch a pop music career that has far exceeded any of the TV success. Her sophomore album My Everything became her second consecutive #1 album. The album included four top 10 pop hit singles. She has recently returned with a new top 10 pop hit “Focus” which is the first release from an upcoming third studio album titled Moonlight. Ariana Grande is also featured vocalist on a new release of the song “Over and Over Again” by Nathan Sykes.

18 of 25

Panic! At the Disco

Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco. Photo by Roy Rochlin / FilmMagic

Last April with the announcement of Spencer Smith’s departure from Panic! At the Disco, the band officially became a one man effort by lead vocalist Brendon Urie. That has not stopped him from creating new music. The new album Death of a Bachelor was released January 15th. It includes Panic! At the Disco’s second top 40 pop hit “Hallelujah.”

19 of 25

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran. Photo by C. Brandon / Redferns

When Ed Sheeran first appeared in the pop mainstream with his single “The A Team,” he was a breath of fresh air. In classic singer-songwriter mode, he brought attention back to the words of the pop song with the sad story told in the lyrics of his first hit. His debut album + peaked at #5 on the charts and was ultimately certified platinum. However, it’s his current sophomore collection X (pronounced “multiply”) that has fulfilled his promise as a rising pop star. The recent single “Photograph” became the third top 10 pop hit from X. Ed Sheeran also co-wrote Justin Bieber’s recent top 3 pop hit single “Lose Yourself.”

Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

20 of 25

Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara. Photo by Larry Marano / Getty Images

19-year-old Alessia Cara joins fellow Canadians Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd as breakout pop stars for 2015 who hail from north of the border. Her debut hit single “Here” has been certified gold for sales on its way to top 10 mainstream pop radio success. Her debut album Know-It-All also hit the top 10.

21 of 25

Elle King

Elle King. Photo by Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Elle King is one of the most unlikely breakthrough pop stars of 2015. She is the daughter of successful comedian Rob Schneider. Despite the celebrity background, she paid her dues busking on the streets of New York City. Her catchy bluesy single “Ex’s & Oh’s” was first released more than a year ago. Its pathway to success has included topping both the alternative and rock radio charts. Now the song is a top 10 pop smash. 

22 of 25

Sam Smith

Sam Smith. Photo by Erika Goldring / FilmMagic

British singer Sam Smith emerged triumphant at 2015’s Grammy Awards taking home four honors. It followed an impressive breakthrough year in which his debut album In the Lonely Hour became the third biggest selling album of the year behind only Taylor Swift and the Frozen juggernaut. The two singles “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One” landed in the top 10 following the top 10 success of his featured vocals on Disclosure’s “Latch.” The album has been a steady seller since release and recently received a boost with the release of the expanded “Drowning Shadows” edition. Sam Smith topped the UK pop singles chart with “Writing’s On the Wall,” his theme song for the James Bond Film Spectre, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

23 of 25

Coldplay

Coldplay. Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Coldplay are one of the most successful rock bands of the past 15 years. Four consecutive studio albums have topped the US album chart. Their most recent was released just 18 months back and included the top 10 hit single “A Sky Full Of Stars.” Their recently released single “Adventure of a Lifetime” reached the top 10 at alternative, rock, and adult pop radio. The album A Head Full of Dreams debuted at #2 on the album chart.

Top 10 Coldplay Songs

24 of 25

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards. Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Even though he seems to sometimes fly under the radar, Jason Derulo has been one of the most consistent pop hitmakers of the past seven years. Last year “Want To Want Me” became his sixth top 10 pop hit. His most recent release is the single “Get Ugly.” It is included on the top 5 charting album Everything Is 4.

25 of 25

Maroon 5

Maroon 5. Photo by Andrew Toth / Getty Images

Maroon 5 recently broke a string of eight consecutive top 10 pop hit singles. However, that has not slowed the group down. The single “Feelings” has roared into the top 40 on the mainstream pop radio chart and top 20 adult pop becoming the fifth hit single from the platinum certified #1 hit album V.

01 of 25

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber. Photo by Jason Merritt / Getty Images

At age 21, after a long string of negative tabloid publicity, former teen pop star Justin Bieber has emerged more successful than ever. His single “What Do You Mean?” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He followed it with a #2 opening for “Sorry.” Ultimately “Sorry” went to #1 after being blocked from the top by Adele. His album Purpose debuted at #1 outselling One Direction and with the additional hit single “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber had three of the top 5 pop hit singles for five consecutive weeks.

Review of “What Do You Mean?” Top 10 Justin Bieber Songs

02 of 25

Adele

Adele - 25. Courtesy Columbia

It has been four years since Adele dominated the pop music world with her worldwide #1 hit album 21. Now she is back and she broke a number of records once again. Her single “Hello” is the first to sell more than one million digital copies in the US in a single week. It went on to spend 10 consecutive weeks at #1. The album 25 sold a phenomenal three million albums in its first week demolishing all past records. 

10 Reasons To Love “Hello” Top 10 Adele Songs

03 of 25

Drake

Drake. Photo by Scott Dudelson / Getty Images

Rapper Drake’s success far exceeds the boundaries of hip hop.  His surprise release album If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late sold nearly 500,000 copies in just three days of release. That comes close to matching Beyonce’s success with a surprise album released during the Christmas rush. All four of his albums have topped the albums chart and the first three are all certified platinum for sales. In addition he has reached the top 10 on the pop singles chart as lead artist with eight songs, the most recent the #2 smash hit “Hotline Bling.”

Review of “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

04 of 25

The Weeknd

The Weeknd. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd earned his first major pop chart success in the US as lead artist with his top 5 hit “Earned It” from the soundtrack to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey early in the year. He stormed to even greater success beginning this past summer with consecutive #1 pop hit singles “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” His album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the album chart and has been certified gold for sales. The most recent single “In the Night” has reached #12 on the pop chart, and The Weeknd earned seven Grammy Award nominations this year including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

05 of 25

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift. Photo by Hugo Hu / Getty Images

At age 25 it looks like the sky really is the limit for Taylor Swift’s career as a pop star. She first hit the country charts in 2006 as a teenager and has been moving toward mainstream pop ever since. Her current album 1989 is her first completely pop project, and it has become the biggest success of her career so far. 1989 had the biggest opening sales week of any album since 2002, and it has spent 11 weeks at #1 selling more than five million copies. The first two singles spent a combined 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Wildest Dreams” recently became the fifth single from the album to reach the pop top 10. “Out of the Woods” is the sixth single and it has broken into the top 20.

Review of 1989 Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs 

06 of 25

Twenty One Pilots

Twenty One Pilots. Photo by John Shearer / Getty Images

Alternative pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are one of the big pop music stories of early 2016. Last year Blurryface became their first #1 charting album. Now, the single “Stressed Out” has become their first top 5 charting pop single after going all the way to #1 on the alternative radio chart. 

Review of “Stressed Out”

07 of 25

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez. Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo / FilmMagic

23-year-old Selena Gomez recently left her Disney past behind when she left Disney imprint Hollywood and signed a new recording contract with Interscope. The result has been a second consecutive #1 solo hit album Revival and the top 5 smash hit single “Good For You” followed by the #6 peak of “Same Old Love.” Her latest hit is “Hands To Myself” already in the top 30 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of “The Heart Wants What It Wants” Top 10 Selena Gomez Songs

08 of 25

One Direction

One Direction. Photo by Scott Legato / Getty Images

After suffering the departure of Zayn Malik this year paring the boy band down to a quartet, One Direction have begun a group hiatus. They went out on a strong note. The group’s fifth album in five years Made In the A.M. launched with first week sales of 402,000. It includes two top 10 pop hit singles “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

Review of “Drag Me Down” Top 10 One Direction Songs

09 of 25

Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes. Photo by Tim Boyles / Getty Images

Following in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps, 17-year-old Shawn Mendes was one of the breakout pop stars of 2015. However, he reached his pop chart success in reverse fashion of many artists. With the wind of massive social media success at his back, he hit #1 with his first full-length album Handwritten last spring. However, he did not have a pop radio hit until recently when “Stitches” went all the way to #1. He has followed that success by dueting on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony. The song has reached the top 15 at mainstream pop radio.

Review of Handwritten

10 of 25

Meghan Trainor

Meghan Trainor. Photo by Michael Tran / FilmMagic

2014 saw the rise of one of the most promising young female pop songwriters in recent history. 21-year-old Meghan Trainor roared to the top of the pop charts with her debut single “All About That Bass” and went on to earn Grammy Award nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Proving she is no one hit wonder, the follow up single “Lips Are Movin” turned into a top 5 pop smash. Her debut album Title received strong positive critical reviews while opening at #1 on the album chart. Ten months after the album’s release, Meghan Trainor returned to the pop top 10 with the ballad “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and John Legend at her side.

11 of 25

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding. Photo by Taylor Hill / Getty Images

In 2010 British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding earned accolades as one of the world’s most promising young pop artists. In 2011 she climbed to #2 on the US pop singles chart with her single “Lights.” It has taken some time to follow that success, but with the help of inclusion in the soundtrack for the highly anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, her song “Love Me Like You Do” landed inside the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 early this year. Her third studio album Delirium has continued Ellie Goulding’s success launching the single “On My Mind” into the pop top 20.

Review of “Love Me Like You Do” Top 10 Ellie Goulding Songs

12 of 25

Rachel Platten

Rachel Platten. Photo by John Lamparski / WireImage

With her single “1,000 Ships” climbing into the top 25 at adult pop radio back in 2011, it looked like Rachel Platten was on the verge of major success. However, it took awhile for the promised to be realized. Last year her single “Fight Song” caught on and became an inspirational smash hit peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult pop radio chart. On New Year’s Day she released her album Wildfire and it opened at #5 on the album chart. It includes her latest single “Stand By You” which is already an adult pop top 10 hit

13 of 25

Fetty Wap

Fetty Wap. Photo by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

24-year-old Willie Maxwell, aka Fetty Wap, was one of the hottest breakout hip hop artists of 2015. He started off working as a rapper, but now sings as well. His debut single “Trap Queen” climbed all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has reached platinum certification for sales. Fetty Wap followed it with two more top 10 pop hits “My Way” and “679.” His fourth single “Again” is a top 40 hit.

14 of 25

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy. Photo by Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Images

Fall Out Boy are back arguably stronger than ever following a nearly four year hiatus. They returned in 2013 with the #1 hit album Save Rock and Roll. They have followed that with “Centuries,” the group’s first top 10 pop hit since 2007 and another #1 album American Beauty / American Psycho. The single “Uma Thurman” also reached the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new single “Irresistible” recently entered the top 25 at mainstream and adult pop radio.

Top 10 Fall Out Boy Songs

15 of 25

Charlie Puth

Charlie Puth. Photo by Mike Windle / Getty Images

24-year-old Charlie Puth was listed as the top new artist of 2015 on this site. He co-wrote, co-produced and sang on Wiz Khalifa’s #1 smash hit “See You Again.” He followed that with a re-release of his single “Marvin Gaye” with Meghan Trainor and took it to #12 on the adult pop radio chart. His next single “One Call Away” is already a top 40 pop hit. Charlie Puth’s debut full-length album Nine Track Mind hits stores January 29th.

16 of 25

Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato. Photo by Gary Gershoff / WireImage

With the success of her single “Cool For the Summer” a few months back, Demi Lovato proved she is a pop star that plans to stick around. She followed the hit with her fifth consecutive top 15 charting album Confident. It includes the title song which has rolled into the top 10 on the mainstream pop radio chart.

Top 10 Demi Lovato Songs

17 of 25

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande. Photo by Christopher Polk / Getty Images

Ariana Grande is not your ordinary Nickelodeon network star. She used her hit role in the series Sam & Cat to launch a pop music career that has far exceeded any of the TV success. Her sophomore album My Everything became her second consecutive #1 album. The album included four top 10 pop hit singles. She has recently returned with a new top 10 pop hit “Focus” which is the first release from an upcoming third studio album titled Moonlight. Ariana Grande is also featured vocalist on a new release of the song “Over and Over Again” by Nathan Sykes.

18 of 25

Panic! At the Disco

Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco. Photo by Roy Rochlin / FilmMagic

Last April with the announcement of Spencer Smith’s departure from Panic! At the Disco, the band officially became a one man effort by lead vocalist Brendon Urie. That has not stopped him from creating new music. The new album Death of a Bachelor was released January 15th. It includes Panic! At the Disco’s second top 40 pop hit “Hallelujah.”

19 of 25

Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran. Photo by C. Brandon / Redferns

When Ed Sheeran first appeared in the pop mainstream with his single “The A Team,” he was a breath of fresh air. In classic singer-songwriter mode, he brought attention back to the words of the pop song with the sad story told in the lyrics of his first hit. His debut album + peaked at #5 on the charts and was ultimately certified platinum. However, it’s his current sophomore collection X (pronounced “multiply”) that has fulfilled his promise as a rising pop star. The recent single “Photograph” became the third top 10 pop hit from X. Ed Sheeran also co-wrote Justin Bieber’s recent top 3 pop hit single “Lose Yourself.”

Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

20 of 25

Alessia Cara

Alessia Cara. Photo by Larry Marano / Getty Images

19-year-old Alessia Cara joins fellow Canadians Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd as breakout pop stars for 2015 who hail from north of the border. Her debut hit single “Here” has been certified gold for sales on its way to top 10 mainstream pop radio success. Her debut album Know-It-All also hit the top 10.

21 of 25

Elle King

Elle King. Photo by Mike Coppola / Getty Images

Elle King is one of the most unlikely breakthrough pop stars of 2015. She is the daughter of successful comedian Rob Schneider. Despite the celebrity background, she paid her dues busking on the streets of New York City. Her catchy bluesy single “Ex’s & Oh’s” was first released more than a year ago. Its pathway to success has included topping both the alternative and rock radio charts. Now the song is a top 10 pop smash. 

22 of 25

Sam Smith

Sam Smith. Photo by Erika Goldring / FilmMagic

British singer Sam Smith emerged triumphant at 2015’s Grammy Awards taking home four honors. It followed an impressive breakthrough year in which his debut album In the Lonely Hour became the third biggest selling album of the year behind only Taylor Swift and the Frozen juggernaut. The two singles “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One” landed in the top 10 following the top 10 success of his featured vocals on Disclosure’s “Latch.” The album has been a steady seller since release and recently received a boost with the release of the expanded “Drowning Shadows” edition. Sam Smith topped the UK pop singles chart with “Writing’s On the Wall,” his theme song for the James Bond Film Spectre, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

23 of 25

Coldplay

Coldplay. Photo by Kevin Mazur / Getty Images

Coldplay are one of the most successful rock bands of the past 15 years. Four consecutive studio albums have topped the US album chart. Their most recent was released just 18 months back and included the top 10 hit single “A Sky Full Of Stars.” Their recently released single “Adventure of a Lifetime” reached the top 10 at alternative, rock, and adult pop radio. The album A Head Full of Dreams debuted at #2 on the album chart.

Top 10 Coldplay Songs

24 of 25

Jason Derulo

Jason Derulo at the 2016 People’s Choice Awards. Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images

Even though he seems to sometimes fly under the radar, Jason Derulo has been one of the most consistent pop hitmakers of the past seven years. Last year “Want To Want Me” became his sixth top 10 pop hit. His most recent release is the single “Get Ugly.” It is included on the top 5 charting album Everything Is 4.

25 of 25

Maroon 5

Maroon 5. Photo by Andrew Toth / Getty Images

Maroon 5 recently broke a string of eight consecutive top 10 pop hit singles. However, that has not slowed the group down. The single “Feelings” has roared into the top 40 on the mainstream pop radio chart and top 20 adult pop becoming the fifth hit single from the platinum certified #1 hit album V.

01 of 25

Justin Bieber

At age 21, after a long string of negative tabloid publicity, former teen pop star Justin Bieber has emerged more successful than ever. His single “What Do You Mean?” debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. He followed it with a #2 opening for “Sorry.” Ultimately “Sorry” went to #1 after being blocked from the top by Adele. His album Purpose debuted at #1 outselling One Direction and with the additional hit single “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber had three of the top 5 pop hit singles for five consecutive weeks.

01 of 25

01

of 25

  • Review of “What Do You Mean?”
  • Top 10 Justin Bieber Songs

02 of 25

Adele

It has been four years since Adele dominated the pop music world with her worldwide #1 hit album 21. Now she is back and she broke a number of records once again. Her single “Hello” is the first to sell more than one million digital copies in the US in a single week. It went on to spend 10 consecutive weeks at #1. The album 25 sold a phenomenal three million albums in its first week demolishing all past records. 

02 of 25

02

  • 10 Reasons To Love “Hello”
  • Top 10 Adele Songs

03 of 25

Drake

Rapper Drake’s success far exceeds the boundaries of hip hop.  His surprise release album If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late sold nearly 500,000 copies in just three days of release. That comes close to matching Beyonce’s success with a surprise album released during the Christmas rush. All four of his albums have topped the albums chart and the first three are all certified platinum for sales. In addition he has reached the top 10 on the pop singles chart as lead artist with eight songs, the most recent the #2 smash hit “Hotline Bling.”

03 of 25

03

  • Review of “Hold On, We’re Going Home”

04 of 25

The Weeknd

Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd earned his first major pop chart success in the US as lead artist with his top 5 hit “Earned It” from the soundtrack to the hit movie Fifty Shades of Grey early in the year. He stormed to even greater success beginning this past summer with consecutive #1 pop hit singles “Can’t Feel My Face” and “The Hills.” His album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the album chart and has been certified gold for sales. The most recent single “In the Night” has reached #12 on the pop chart, and The Weeknd earned seven Grammy Award nominations this year including for Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

04 of 25

04

05 of 25

Taylor Swift

At age 25 it looks like the sky really is the limit for Taylor Swift’s career as a pop star. She first hit the country charts in 2006 as a teenager and has been moving toward mainstream pop ever since. Her current album 1989 is her first completely pop project, and it has become the biggest success of her career so far. 1989 had the biggest opening sales week of any album since 2002, and it has spent 11 weeks at #1 selling more than five million copies. The first two singles spent a combined 11 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Wildest Dreams” recently became the fifth single from the album to reach the pop top 10. “Out of the Woods” is the sixth single and it has broken into the top 20.

05 of 25

05

  • Review of 1989
  • Top 10 Taylor Swift Songs

06 of 25

Twenty One Pilots

Alternative pop-rock duo Twenty One Pilots are one of the big pop music stories of early 2016. Last year Blurryface became their first #1 charting album. Now, the single “Stressed Out” has become their first top 5 charting pop single after going all the way to #1 on the alternative radio chart. 

06 of 25

06

  • Review of “Stressed Out”

07 of 25

Selena Gomez

23-year-old Selena Gomez recently left her Disney past behind when she left Disney imprint Hollywood and signed a new recording contract with Interscope. The result has been a second consecutive #1 solo hit album Revival and the top 5 smash hit single “Good For You” followed by the #6 peak of “Same Old Love.” Her latest hit is “Hands To Myself” already in the top 30 at mainstream pop radio.

07 of 25

07

  • Review of “The Heart Wants What It Wants”
  • Top 10 Selena Gomez Songs

08 of 25

One Direction

After suffering the departure of Zayn Malik this year paring the boy band down to a quartet, One Direction have begun a group hiatus. They went out on a strong note. The group’s fifth album in five years Made In the A.M. launched with first week sales of 402,000. It includes two top 10 pop hit singles “Drag Me Down” and “Perfect.”

08 of 25

08

  • Review of “Drag Me Down”
  • Top 10 One Direction Songs

09 of 25

Shawn Mendes

Following in fellow Canadian Justin Bieber’s footsteps, 17-year-old Shawn Mendes was one of the breakout pop stars of 2015. However, he reached his pop chart success in reverse fashion of many artists. With the wind of massive social media success at his back, he hit #1 with his first full-length album Handwritten last spring. However, he did not have a pop radio hit until recently when “Stitches” went all the way to #1. He has followed that success by dueting on “I Know What You Did Last Summer” with Camila Cabello from Fifth Harmony. The song has reached the top 15 at mainstream pop radio.

09 of 25

09

  • Review of Handwritten

10 of 25

Meghan Trainor

2014 saw the rise of one of the most promising young female pop songwriters in recent history. 21-year-old Meghan Trainor roared to the top of the pop charts with her debut single “All About That Bass” and went on to earn Grammy Award nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Proving she is no one hit wonder, the follow up single “Lips Are Movin” turned into a top 5 pop smash. Her debut album Title received strong positive critical reviews while opening at #1 on the album chart. Ten months after the album’s release, Meghan Trainor returned to the pop top 10 with the ballad “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” and John Legend at her side.

10 of 25

10

11 of 25

Ellie Goulding

In 2010 British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding earned accolades as one of the world’s most promising young pop artists. In 2011 she climbed to #2 on the US pop singles chart with her single “Lights.” It has taken some time to follow that success, but with the help of inclusion in the soundtrack for the highly anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey, her song “Love Me Like You Do” landed inside the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 early this year. Her third studio album Delirium has continued Ellie Goulding’s success launching the single “On My Mind” into the pop top 20.

11 of 25

11

  • Review of “Love Me Like You Do”
  • Top 10 Ellie Goulding Songs

12 of 25

Rachel Platten

With her single “1,000 Ships” climbing into the top 25 at adult pop radio back in 2011, it looked like Rachel Platten was on the verge of major success. However, it took awhile for the promised to be realized. Last year her single “Fight Song” caught on and became an inspirational smash hit peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the adult pop radio chart. On New Year’s Day she released her album Wildfire and it opened at #5 on the album chart. It includes her latest single “Stand By You” which is already an adult pop top 10 hit

12 of 25

12

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Fetty Wap

24-year-old Willie Maxwell, aka Fetty Wap, was one of the hottest breakout hip hop artists of 2015. He started off working as a rapper, but now sings as well. His debut single “Trap Queen” climbed all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has reached platinum certification for sales. Fetty Wap followed it with two more top 10 pop hits “My Way” and “679.” His fourth single “Again” is a top 40 hit.

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Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy are back arguably stronger than ever following a nearly four year hiatus. They returned in 2013 with the #1 hit album Save Rock and Roll. They have followed that with “Centuries,” the group’s first top 10 pop hit since 2007 and another #1 album American Beauty / American Psycho. The single “Uma Thurman” also reached the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new single “Irresistible” recently entered the top 25 at mainstream and adult pop radio.

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  • Top 10 Fall Out Boy Songs

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Charlie Puth

24-year-old Charlie Puth was listed as the top new artist of 2015 on this site. He co-wrote, co-produced and sang on Wiz Khalifa’s #1 smash hit “See You Again.” He followed that with a re-release of his single “Marvin Gaye” with Meghan Trainor and took it to #12 on the adult pop radio chart. His next single “One Call Away” is already a top 40 pop hit. Charlie Puth’s debut full-length album Nine Track Mind hits stores January 29th.

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Demi Lovato

With the success of her single “Cool For the Summer” a few months back, Demi Lovato proved she is a pop star that plans to stick around. She followed the hit with her fifth consecutive top 15 charting album Confident. It includes the title song which has rolled into the top 10 on the mainstream pop radio chart.

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  • Top 10 Demi Lovato Songs

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Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande is not your ordinary Nickelodeon network star. She used her hit role in the series Sam & Cat to launch a pop music career that has far exceeded any of the TV success. Her sophomore album My Everything became her second consecutive #1 album. The album included four top 10 pop hit singles. She has recently returned with a new top 10 pop hit “Focus” which is the first release from an upcoming third studio album titled Moonlight. Ariana Grande is also featured vocalist on a new release of the song “Over and Over Again” by Nathan Sykes.

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Panic! At the Disco

Last April with the announcement of Spencer Smith’s departure from Panic! At the Disco, the band officially became a one man effort by lead vocalist Brendon Urie. That has not stopped him from creating new music. The new album Death of a Bachelor was released January 15th. It includes Panic! At the Disco’s second top 40 pop hit “Hallelujah.”

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Ed Sheeran

When Ed Sheeran first appeared in the pop mainstream with his single “The A Team,” he was a breath of fresh air. In classic singer-songwriter mode, he brought attention back to the words of the pop song with the sad story told in the lyrics of his first hit. His debut album + peaked at #5 on the charts and was ultimately certified platinum. However, it’s his current sophomore collection X (pronounced “multiply”) that has fulfilled his promise as a rising pop star. The recent single “Photograph” became the third top 10 pop hit from X. Ed Sheeran also co-wrote Justin Bieber’s recent top 3 pop hit single “Lose Yourself.”

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  • Top 10 Ed Sheeran Songs

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Alessia Cara

19-year-old Alessia Cara joins fellow Canadians Shawn Mendes and The Weeknd as breakout pop stars for 2015 who hail from north of the border. Her debut hit single “Here” has been certified gold for sales on its way to top 10 mainstream pop radio success. Her debut album Know-It-All also hit the top 10.

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Elle King

Elle King is one of the most unlikely breakthrough pop stars of 2015. She is the daughter of successful comedian Rob Schneider. Despite the celebrity background, she paid her dues busking on the streets of New York City. Her catchy bluesy single “Ex’s & Oh’s” was first released more than a year ago. Its pathway to success has included topping both the alternative and rock radio charts. Now the song is a top 10 pop smash. 

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Sam Smith

British singer Sam Smith emerged triumphant at 2015’s Grammy Awards taking home four honors. It followed an impressive breakthrough year in which his debut album In the Lonely Hour became the third biggest selling album of the year behind only Taylor Swift and the Frozen juggernaut. The two singles “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not the Only One” landed in the top 10 following the top 10 success of his featured vocals on Disclosure’s “Latch.” The album has been a steady seller since release and recently received a boost with the release of the expanded “Drowning Shadows” edition. Sam Smith topped the UK pop singles chart with “Writing’s On the Wall,” his theme song for the James Bond Film Spectre, and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.

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Coldplay

Coldplay are one of the most successful rock bands of the past 15 years. Four consecutive studio albums have topped the US album chart. Their most recent was released just 18 months back and included the top 10 hit single “A Sky Full Of Stars.” Their recently released single “Adventure of a Lifetime” reached the top 10 at alternative, rock, and adult pop radio. The album A Head Full of Dreams debuted at #2 on the album chart.

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  • Top 10 Coldplay Songs

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Jason Derulo

Even though he seems to sometimes fly under the radar, Jason Derulo has been one of the most consistent pop hitmakers of the past seven years. Last year “Want To Want Me” became his sixth top 10 pop hit. His most recent release is the single “Get Ugly.” It is included on the top 5 charting album Everything Is 4.

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Maroon 5

Maroon 5 recently broke a string of eight consecutive top 10 pop hit singles. However, that has not slowed the group down. The single “Feelings” has roared into the top 40 on the mainstream pop radio chart and top 20 adult pop becoming the fifth hit single from the platinum certified #1 hit album V.

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