Billboard's '21 Under 21' List

They’re young, they’re on a white-hot winning streak, and most importantly, they’re just getting started: These are Billboard.com’s “21 Under 21,” selected not only for their tender age but also for their potential to rule the pop culture zeitgeist over the next 12 months.

Whether it’s a country star whose every song lyric demands hours of analysis (Is she singing about Joe, Taylor or Kanye?!), a beloved breakout character on TV’s hottest high school musical, or a newcomer who landed a record deal on the strength of one Lady Gaga cover, expect them all to to keep us watching — and listening — in the year to come. On to the countdown of our picks!



Why She’s Hot: She was cast as Hannah Montana at age 12, and when the show premiered to the Disney Channel’s largest audience ever, Cyrus was an instant teen idol. The “Hannah Montana” franchise has spawned four seasons, a string of hit singles, a full-length movie and enough branded merchandise to fill up a middle school gymnasium. Cyrus’ ascent toward adult famedom ramped up earlier this year, when she released a more mature-sounding album, “Can’t Be Tamed” in June. The album didn’t quite tame the charts though, and Miley appears to be focusing more on her acting career with three films (“LOL: Laughing Outloud,” “Wake” and “Wings”) in the works. Still, we don’t expect the unflappable Miss Cyrus to stay away from the record studio for too long.

Other people who made it to this list are Demi Lovato (#8), Nick Jonas (#6), Selena Gomez (#3), Taylor Swift (#1) and more.