1.  Can’t Hold Us (feat. Ray Dalton)

A grassroots success, Seattle rapper Macklemore not only climbed to number two on the Billboard 200 album charts, but with little mainstream help, his 2012 sophomore release debuted with only Mumford & Sons in his way for the number one spot. Born Ben Haggerty and raised in Seattle, he debuted as Professor Macklemore in 2000 with the Open Your Eyes EP. Five years later his debut album, The Language of My World, earned him a local following, but it was his 2010 team-up with DJ/producer Ryan Lewis for the Vs. Redux EP that yielded the Red Hot Chili Peppers-sampling hit “Otherside.” With Macklemore’s wit meeting Lewis’ inventive production, further hits like “My Oh My” and “Can’t Hold Us” were spread throughout social media and video-sharing sites, setting the stage for a successful sophomore release. That came in 2012 when The Heist dropped as a Macklemore/Ryan Lewis release, debuting at the number two spot on the Billboard 200. A tour of North America followed.

2.  Come & Get It

Before releasing her debut album in 2009, Selena Gomez began her career as a child actress. Born in 1992, she grew up in Texas and got her first break as a cast member on the kids TV show Barney and Friends. Gomez landed minor roles in several other TV programs, but it was her affiliation with the Disney Channel — who discovered her during a nation0-wide talent search in 2004 — that officially jumpstarted her acting career. Guest appearances on The Suite Life of Zach and Cody and Hannah Montana paved the way for Gomez’s own show,The Wizards of Waverly Place, which premiered in October 2007 and quickly became one of the network’s most popular programs. Dubbed “the next Miley Cyrus,” Gomez began juggling her commitment to The Wizards of Waverly Place with additional projects, including movie roles and a burgeoning singing career.

3.  Just Give Me a Reason (feat. Nate Ruess)

Although initially viewed as another face in the late-’90s crowd of teen pop acts, Pink (professionally known as P!nk) quickly transcended and outgrew that label with her combination of pop songcraft and powerhouse, rock-influenced vocals. Born Alecia Moore on September 8, 1979, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Pink received her nickname as a child, years before she dyed her hair accordingly. She grew up in a musical family and was a regular on the Philadelphia club scene by the age of 13, first as a dancer and then as a backing vocalist for the local hip-hop group Schoolz of Thought. At 14, she began writing her own songs; the same year, a local DJ at Club Fever began inviting her on-stage to sing a song every Friday.

4.  Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell)

As the son of vocalist Gloria Loring and Growing Pains’ Alan Thicke, Robin Thicke grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles during the ’80s and ’90s. Thicke credits his dad for motivating him to immerse himself in all kinds of pop music. The elder Thicke is popular for writing the theme songs for The Facts of Life and Diff’rent Strokes, so naturally Robin had his head in music. He was an average student; by 13, he was writing songs. Three years later, he befriended the president of Bad Boy Entertainment, André Harrell, and struck a deal with Interscope. Thicke began writing hits for the likes of Christina Aguilera, Mya, Brandy, Marc Anthony, and Jordan Knight. Still, this artist in the making was dying for his own chance. By 2000, Thicke, who was in his mid-twenties, made his dream come true. Thicke issued his debut album, Cherry Blue Skies, in fall 2002. It was later retitled Beautiful World and prepped for a massive media push the following spring. Two years later, Pharrell Williams joined Thicke for the recording of “Wanna Love You Girl.” Their collaboration also led Thicke to a contract with Williams’ own imprint, Star Trak. Thicke’s sophomore album, The Evolution of Robin Thicke, arrived on the label in late 2006. Certified platinum by the RIAA in March 2007, the album made to number five on the Billboard 200 while topping their Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The more focused and refined Something Else, a 2008 release, peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. Sex Therapy, led by its Polow da Don-produced title track, was issued during the tail end of 2009 and narrowly missed the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Love After War, Thicke’s fifth studio album, followed in late 2011.

5.  Mirrors

Justin Timberlake may be the quintessential pop star of the new millennium, a star who jumped from platform to platform on his way to establishing himself as something bigger than a star: he was a self-sustained empire. Timberlake began his rise as a TV star, performing on The New Mickey Mouse Club as a child in the ’90s, but he earned his superstardom as one of the frontmen for *NSYNC, the most popular boy band of the turn of the millennium. Justin stepped away from the band just as its popularity crested, releasing the sleek Justified in 2002, its hit singles “Cry Me a River” and “Rock Your Body” establishing him as a force outside the group and he consolidated that success in 2006 with FutureSex/LoveSounds, the album that generated his biggest hit, “SexyBack.” After reaching this pop peak, he decided to pursue other ventures, choosing to concentrate on acting and entrepreneurship. Recurring appearances on Saturday Night Live proved to be among the show’s most popular spots and he received acclaim for his performance in the 2010 Oscar-winning film The Social Network. Additionally, Timberlake established his own fashion imprint and record label, opened several restaurants, and, in 2011, invested in MySpace.