Rising Stars: Pop

Pop stars may come in all shapes, sizes, and sounds, but they have one crucial thing in common: the ability to catch sonic lightning in a bottle, to sink that hook into the country's collective brainpan and reel in listeners by the millions. Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles does it with the gutsy punch of her sweet-and-sassy "Love Song," while freshly minted superstar Miley Cyrus packs a whole lotta tweener 'tude into her feisty-girl anthem "7 Things." Stratford, Ontario's Justin Bieber carries an old R&B head on his young shoulders with "Favorite Girl," and Edmonton's Stereos keep the hip-pop party rollin' with "Throw Ya Hands Up." What's next for pop's rising stars? Find out in Next Steps.

Soundtrack siren Ingrid Michaelson slipped into the mainstream via the TV screen, with the dreamy strains of songs like "The Way I Am" sweetening nighttime dramas and ad spots. Gavin DeGraw built his newfound fame the old-fashioned way, slowly amassing a following in Manhattan clubs while crafting the beguiling blend of rock crunch and pop gloss that he perfects in "In Love With a Girl," and brash Brits the Ting Tings prefer to sharpen their alterna-edge on the endlessly catchy, admirably feisty "Shut Up and Let Me Go." Pop into Deep Cuts for even more of pop's rising stars.

Pure pop doesn't get more beautifully bouncy than the bright-eyed sparkle and fizz of "If That's Not Love" from pre-teen prodigies the Naked Brothers Band. Meanwhile, Swedish sista Robyn hits the club to make with the bold dance beats of "Who's That Girl?," American Idol David Cook soars on his breakthrough ballad, "The Time of My Life," the Kooks like to draw on the past with the retro kick of "Always Where I Need to Be," and Sean Kingston swirls some island sounds of his Jamaican homeland into the breezy hip-hopper "There's Nothin (feat. Elan & Juelz Santana)."

"Burnin' Up" just about says it all for smokin' sensations the Jonas Brothers, whose fiery hooks and smouldering good looks are incinerating the charts and hearts of pop-loving listeners everywhere. The trio may be the hottest thing going, but our stacked set of pop's rising stars is overflowing with fresh, new faces and outstanding up-and-comers — from the blue-eyed, bubble-wrapped soul of Duffy and "Mercy," to the new-wave quirk of Santigold and a perky "Lights Out." It's all about the ability to strike a chord among the masses while still staying true to oneself, and only the best can pull it off . . . like songwriting powerhouse Keri Hilson, who steps up to the mic and makes the most of her own personal "Energy." And us? We're just enjoying the iTunes ease of having them all in one simple download.