More than any other single artist, "Britney Spears" was the driving force behind the return of teen pop in the late '90s. The blockbuster success of "the Spice Girls" and "Backstreet Boys" certainly paved the way for her own commercial breakthrough, but "Spears" didn't just become a star -- she was a bona fide pop phenomenon. Not only did she sell millions of records, she was a media fixture regardless of what she was (or wasn't) doing; among female singers of the era (many of whom followed in her footsteps),... [more]

The best-selling female performer of the 1990s, Mariah Carey rose to superstardom on the strength of her stunning five-octave voice; an elastic talent who moved easily from glossy ballads to hip-hop-inspired dance-pop, she earned frequent comparison to rivals Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, but did them both one better by composing all of her own material. Born in Long Island, NY, on March 27, 1970, Carey moved to New York City at the age of 17 -- just one day after graduating high school -- to pursue a music... [more]

Once "Nick Cannon" firmly established himself on television and then in Hollywood, he expanded his reach into music, signing to Jive Records. The young multi-talent made his smash debut in late 2001 with a remake of "DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince"'s 1988 hit, "Parents Just Don't Understand," which appeared on the Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius soundtrack and also featured "Lil' Romeo" and "3LW". "Cannon" returned in early 2003 with his self-titled debut album for Jive and its leadoff single, "Your Pops Don't... [more]

Child actress "Lindsay Lohan" was already an experienced performer when she made her feature debut in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. Born in New York City, Lohan began modeling at age three. After appearing in numerous TV commercials, Lohan moved to series TV with a role on the soap operaAnother World from 1996 to 1997. Cast as The Parent Trap's scheming twin sisters after a six month search for just the right girl, Lohan succeeded in filling "Hayley Mills"' shoes, winning over audiences with her pert... [more]

At one point, it would have been hard to define Paris Hilton. "Career heiress" doesn't cut it; nor does "party girl" or "high-ranking socialite-cum-model-cum-actress," and "American royalty" was arguably too dramatic a label for a woman whose true breakout role cost less to film than a night in a budget room at the neighborhood Hilton hotel. Luckily, as lackluster economies are wont to do, the early 2000s looked toward the financial elite and borrowed heavily from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in hopes of... [more]