Adele

Born of the same '00s British soul girl wave that produced Amy Winehouse, Adele Adkins not only justified the immense early hype, but she also proved she was more than good enough to command a single-name moniker, à la Sting or Cher. In 2011, she became the first and only living artist since the Beatles (in 1964) to send two Top 5 hits into the Billboard Pop Albums and Singles charts during the same week, and she won a brace of GRAMMY® Awards in 2009. But let's be honest here: all stats and awards become mere cake decoration the moment she opens her mouth and sings. Her voice is, quite simply, incredible. "Chasing Pavements" and the Bob Dylan cover "Make You Feel My Love" were among the highlights on debut album 19, while the hybrid gospel/disco/blues groove of "Rolling in the Deep" and the powerful "Someone Like You" are among the standout picks on follow-up 21.