Just because one artist is influenced by one earlier, that doesn't mean the former isn't better than their predecessor. If we were going to judge it like that, then that would mean for example you could not say Britney Spears is a better dancer than Janet because Britney was inspired by her etc etc (this is not my opinion, it is just an example).

Fair standings

It is ONLY the last twenty years and it is ONLY pop I assume - I only gave it a cursory glance...

I suspect it has little basis other than most commercial.

What a lousy list, no Karen Carpenter, Joan Jett, Belinda Carlisle, Pat Benatar, Doro Pesch, Candice Night, Lita Ford, Joan Armatrading etc

I'd DIED at this list, is it US based because some I don't even know, where's Kate Bush??

I'd have Yoko Ono and Anastacia on my list but that's just me! :P

I know that, but one clearly has had more influence than the other. Thats what I mean, and this weekend showed that. I know people say things after people pass away though.

Where's Joni Mitchell, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Cass Elliot, Grace Slick, etc?

i know, why is no one else understanding that?

If this article is based on the last 20 years then Britney Spears deserves to be in the top 10, I would have placed her near too Christina and absolutely above Lady GaGa, Adele deserves to be number 11.

That said its a solid list and I guess everyones list is going to be different, there was clearly thought put into it.

So, a list that is 99% cack with a couple of random acceptable ones that in themselves make no sense due to the glaring omission of more obvious choices.

Last twenty years or not, the list still has some bizarre inclusions/omissions.

what a farce...

no siouxsie, bush, bjork, springfield, joplin, francis, james, fitzgerald, ross, denny, etc etc etc...christ the list of the greatest cannot be a list of the greatest if they miss off so many of the true greats.

so?... are todays popstars not influenced by the past greats?

So glad Christina is in the top 10. A little surprised that Britney didn't rank very high and I didn't think Adele would be THAT successful in the poll, but anyway And I'm also glad that my all time favorite urban act, Aaliyah, is in the top 50. And she hasn't even released any new music for 11 years, yet she still has plenty of fans...Timeless urban music...R.I.P.

Agreed. I'm not really a fan of Aaliyah (I only like Rock the boat and More than a woman) However, if Aaliyah was alive today, she'd have been at least top 15 in that list. She would have been a huge star. When you're selling over 3 million alone in the US with your albums, and then her last album went 13million WW due to the reaction of her death, damn she would really have went places if we hadn't lost a huge talent so early on.

Mariah only came out 3 years after Whitney. In the early days she may have been labeled as the next Whitney but she wasn't that influenced by her because they came out in short succession of each other. Also she has her own vocal trademarks and styles of singing

I know right! She had so much potential. And she even got love and respect from the industry at an early stage. She was 16 years old when she got to perform at the Academy Awards!! 2002 was going to be her biggest year (Grammy's, Hilfiger campaign, 2 new movies and more singles from the album that was a huge success from the start) I don't know if you've heard her 3rd album (the self-titled one), but it's really a masterpiece, one of the best urban albums of the 00's. She had a lot to give.

Will definitely check it out, I'm pretty ecclectic with my music, but I've always got interest in R&B and urban artists. It's like the artists that had so much more to give are taken too early. Defintely happy to see Mary up in the top 10, definitely been a big factor in the R&B, soul, hip-hop scene Also great to see TLC up so high despite the loss of Left Eye. A group that had so much more to deliver

only conclusion i can make is it must have been voted for by the public

This list is pretty much a joke. Sorry.

I can't believe they include absolute no-talent tripe like Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift & Rihanna yet leave out legendary artists like Debbie Harry, Joan Jett, Ann & Nancy Wilson... What is this world coming to?!

Happy that Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani and Nelly Furtado are there though.

Yes those last three you mentioned are all talented women who are underappreciated.

Top of my list Would be Kate Bush, Bjork, Lil Allen, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, Grace Jones and for pop Britney, Madonna, And RiRi you may not like her but she has achieved alot and Rated R showed what a talent she can be when not reliant or sex

i must say beyonce and christina aguilera are placed too high on this list. actually bey is ranked higher than whitney and janet i actually think janet should be higher beyonce. christina is ranked too high and britney should be christina is at.

The list is stupid, however a top 4 consisting of Whitney, Mariah, Janet and Madonna in any order would be fine imo. I have my favourites but they are all outstanding in their own ways.. Putting Beyonce and Xtina above Whitney is discraceful imo.

i agree with you the top 4 should've been madonna, janet, whitney and mariah. its kind of disrespectful that beyonce is higher than janet and whitney