From overnight sensations to slow-burning talents, the path to pop stardom isn't always the same! Join us as we countdown the modern music stars who either skyrocketed to fame with their debuts or took the scenic route to success. Our list features artists who conquered the charts immediately and those who persevered through years of grinding before reaching their peak.
02:10In the subsequent years, TikTok made her even more famous.
02:14And now she's one of the biggest alternative pop stars.
02:18She was even nominated for an Oscar in 2023.
02:21And getting a ticket for her shows is a nightmare.
02:31Number 4. Dua Lipa, Breakout
02:34This English singer began making music in 2014, and now she has won seven Brit Awards and three Grammys.
02:42After starting her career as a model, the pivot to music proved to be an excellent decision.
02:54Her debut album was released in 2017 and spawned three huge singles, earning her the 2018 Brit Award for Breakthrough Act.
03:03Many wondered if she could keep the momentum.
03:05But her 2020 album, Future Nostalgia, was even more lucrative.
03:18In 2023, she composed a tune for the Barbie soundtrack and also briefly appeared in the picture.
03:25Lipa is surprisingly down-to-earth for a pop star too, regularly interviewing authors for her book club who are often stunned by her interviewing talents.
03:34It makes me so happy when, you know, I meet my readers and they sort of have learned how to say, how are you in Igbo?
03:41Kedu.
03:42Yeah, Kedu.
03:43Well done!
03:44Number 4. Little Sims, Took Years.
03:47I hate the fault of just being a burden.
03:50I hate that these conversations have surfaced.
03:52Sims are artists, so Sim be the person.
03:54This British rapper dropped her debut album in 2015, and while it was praised, it didn't make her a big name.
04:01Well, it impressed Kendrick Lamar, who said she was his favorite rapper.
04:06She released follow-up LPs in 2016 and 2019, building up her fan base with each one.
04:13Her fourth release, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, was considered by many to be 2021's best album.
04:19Said I do as I want, I do as I like, and I watch face, and I don't fear nobody.
04:26This was the moment Little Sims was finally on top of the rap game, and she's not lost tempo since.
04:32Her two follow-up albums have also been widely acclaimed, and it doesn't look like she intends to slow down anytime soon.
04:39Did hat low, incognito, living introvert, but she ain't timid.
04:44My heart will be timeless, I don't do limits.
04:46Number 3. Olivia Rodrigo. Breakout.
04:50I know we weren't perfect, but I've never felt this way for no one.
04:58Before Rodrigo released her 2021 debut album Sour, she was already relatively famous.
05:05She was a regular on the two Disney shows, Bizarre Dvark and High School Musical.
05:10The Musical. The Series.
05:12Still, she was primarily known among children.
05:15That all changed with the immense success of Sour.
05:19Red lights, stop signs, I still see your face in the white cards.
05:26Few debut albums are as instantly successful as hers was.
05:31It was the first debut to spawn two number one singles and shattered all kinds of records.
05:36Rodrigo's rise to fame is easily one of the most meteoric of the century,
05:40and it'll likely take years for someone to break her records.
05:44And now when she's with you, do you get deja vu when she's with you?
05:54Number 3. Charlie XCX. Took years.
05:57In 2014, Charlie became famous for a handful of tracks like Boom Clap and Fancy, alongside Iggy Azalea.
06:12She didn't manage to maintain this momentum and pivoted to creating experimental hyperpop.
06:18This music was widely considered the genre's finest, but made her a semi-underground pop star for many years.
06:32Many thought Charlie's peak was behind her, but this couldn't be further from the truth.
06:37Her 2022 album Crash was her first UK number one LP.
06:42Then its follow-up, Brat, literally defined the summer of 2024.
06:47Now she's considered one of the biggest pop stars around.
06:50Other musicians should look up to her for her confidence to experiment.
07:01Brat Summer is likely going to be studied and remembered fondly for decades.
07:06Number 2. Lady Gaga. Breakout.
07:09If you remember the late 2000s, you certainly have memories of Lady Gaga's mind-blowing rise to stardom.
07:16She was signed to a label in 2007, then released the fame a year later.
07:29By the end of the decade, it felt like her music was being played on all corners of the earth.
07:35She's since released multiple solo and soundtrack albums over the years, reinventing her sound constantly, making her one of the most refreshing singers in pop.
07:52Lady Gaga doesn't have one clearly defined peak.
07:55She's been sitting on top of pop for over 15 years now and is likely to remain there.
08:01Number 2. Chapel Roan. Took years.
08:19Casual fans of Roan will be surprised to hear she started her career in 2013.
08:24She started uploading music to YouTube, then was signed by Atlantic Records in 2015.
08:31Unfortunately, they dropped her in 2020 after releasing just one EP, as it wasn't successful enough.
08:37She later signed with Island Records, which released her first album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.
08:43Roan had worked on this album for several years, but it wasn't instantly successful.
08:56However, roughly a year after the album's release, the single Good Luck Babe suddenly started topping charts globally.
09:03It became the perfect example of a sleeper hit, and we can't wait to see what she releases next.
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09:34Number 1. Billie Eilish. Breakout.
09:37This Californian singer released her first single, Ocean Eyes, in 2015, then an EP in 2017.
09:50Both were acclaimed, but she was still semi-niche.
09:54Well, that all changed with her 2019 debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
10:00It was an absurdly popular release, earning a ton of awards and making her a household name.
10:06Like, I'm the bad guy.
10:10Duh.
10:12She's released two albums since and even composed an Oscar-winning song for a James Bond film.
10:19Eilish was propelled into the highest league of pop stars almost overnight, causing her concerts to sell out in literal seconds.
10:27Number 1. Sabrina Carpenter. Took Years.
10:38You could be forgiven for thinking Espresso was Carpenter's debut single, as it was the track that made her a household name.
10:52She began her career as a character in the Disney series Girl Meets World, but unlike fellow Disney star Rodrigo, her debut album hardly made a splash.
11:02Espresso, surprisingly, comes from her sixth album, Short and Sweet.
11:05Her first four albums were all barely successful, and it wasn't until her 2022 fifth LP that her music started selling well.
11:22Now she's pretty much as famous as a pop star can get, with her seventh album similarly topping the charts.
11:28Were there any potential entries you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comments section.
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