Gwen Stefani

As the lead singer of California neo-ska pop-punks No Doubt, Gwen Stefani gained notoriety for her spunky, riot grrrl-lite approach to fronting a rock band. On her 2004 solo debut, LOVE. ANGEL. MUSIC. BABY., Stefani pulled a musical about-face and fully embraced electronic, club, and hip-hop styles, cloaking the whole package in a sometimes-cute/sometimes-sexy J-pop aesthetic. Her solo album would prove to be a commercial juggernaut, garnering five Grammy nominations and pumping out charting singles nearly two years after its initial release.

• pop