Top 10 Pop Culture Icons

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Pop culture or popular culture is a set of objects, beliefs or practices that are ubiquitous and dominant in a society at a given point in time. Pop culture also encompasses the feelings or activities produced when these principal objects interact. Mass media heavily shapes society’s attitude towards certain individuals or topics. There is no precise definition of pop culture since it is considered to be a conceptual category which can have different meanings depending on the context in which it appears. Pop culture can, therefore, defined through different theoretical perspectives such as structuralism, postmodernism, and psychoanalysis, but it is very different from other forms of culture such as high culture, working-class culture, folk culture and mass culture.^[1]Definition of American Pop Cultures The different categories of pop culture include entertainment (video games, television, music, and movies), news (people and places), slang, technology, fashion/clothes, and politics.

A pop icon is an object, character or a celebrity whose exposure to pop culture defines a characteristic of a given era or society. The categorization of a pop icon is associated with such elements as distinction, ubiquity, and longevity.

The use of distinction applies when a pop icon creates a distinguished association with the archetype of a society. This makes the pop icon to have a nickname that is more popular than their real names. In fact, in many cases, most people do not even know their real names. Their nicknames are synonymous with ideas or common words in some societies. Some pop icons such as the Simpsons, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, The X-Men, Darth Vader, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh are fictional characters whose nicknames conjure up ideas by themselves.

Ubiquity is a standard pop icon element that makes the pop icon achieve allusion or an imagery status. For instance, Albert Einstein’s legacy continues in representations of his image on T-shirts, in comedies, greeting cards and several other things.

The longevity or notoriety of a celebrity is also used to determine a pop icon. Some pop icons have maintained their celebrity status. They have left an indelible mark in their career fields. This has helped them secure a lasting recognition in society at large. Check out the list below for the top 10 pop culture icons.

#10: Oprah Winfrey

Oprah is one of the wealthiest women in the world. However, she did not come from a wealthy family. It is through her prodigious talents that she became a pop star. In high school, she got a job offer to read the news on the radio. Afterwards, she won a scholarship to Tennessee University due to her winning a public speaking competition. In 1981, after university, she started her famous Oprah Winfrey Show. Through her show, she won several prestigious awards including the Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1998 and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy Of Motion Pictures Arts And Sciences. However, on May 25, 2011, the show can to an end. It left behind a legacy of inspiring millions of viewers by helping them lead a better life.^[2]Biography – Oprah Winfrey

#9: Barrack Obama

Obama was the first African American president in the history of the United States. He is the son of Barrack Obama senior, a Kenyan from Alego and Stanley Ann Dunham, an American. His father left him when he was a toddler to join Harvard University. Later, he returned to Kenya to work for the government. His mother married an Indonesian oil manager and settled in Jakarta. However, she returned to Hawaii with her son after being exposed to excruciating levels of poverty.

Obama was mostly brought up by his maternal grandparents. At school he proved himself a bright student. In fact, he even went to Harvard and had a distinguished time while there. For example, he was the first African American editor for Harvard Law Review. However, this was just the first among many accomplishments. He later became the first African American senator from Illinois. Most famously he became the first president with an African background to win presidential elections in America. He went on to be president for two terms.^[3]Biography – Barack Obama

#8: Beyoncé

Beyoncé was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Her father is Mathew Knowles, who later became the manager of Destiny’s Child, and Tina Knowles, a designer. The famous Whitney Houston discovered her. However, she rose to become a famous pop star, even overtaking Whitney Houston in fame. She produced such famous hit songs as “Nasty Girl”,”Bootylicious”,”Jumpin Jumpin”,”Apple Pie”, “Happy Face”, “Independent Women” and “Jumpin Jumpin”. She married the internationally famous rapper, Jay Z. Together they have three children. They are considered to be the most stable and prosperous pop star couple in America today. In 2001, she became the first African-American woman ever to win the ASCAP Pop Songwriter of the Year Award. She has also won many other awards. The list includes the Billboard Awards, MTV Europe Video Music Awards, and The Radio Music Awards.^[4]Biography – Beyonce Knowles

#7: Britney Spears

Britney Spears was born to Lynne Spears and Jamie Spears as a second child of the three children. When she was still young, she had a dream of becoming a star following the steps of Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Mariah Carey. As a young child, she was always singing. She added to her natural talents by taking great dance and vocal lessons. Britney started performing in various talent shows and fairs until she auditioned for The All New Mickey Mouse Club in 1989. However, at only 8 years old at the time, she was too young to get the part.

Britney’s mother saw her natural talent. In order to give her daughter the best opportunity, she moved her to New York. There she featured in several advertisements. Two years after her first audition at The All New Mickey Mouse Club, she tried out for the part again. This time she got the part. During her time on the show, she started alongside other famous stars like Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. These two became her mentors. When she was a teenager, she attempted to go sole in her singing career. She approached recording several recording labels such as Mercury and Sony. However, most of them turned her down. It was Jive Records that finally took the young Britney on. They rest is history and she went on to become the star that she is today.^[5]Biography – Britney Spears

#6: Michael Joseph Jackson

Also popularly known as the king of pop, Michael Jackson was born in 1958. He entertained audiences during the better part of his child and adult lives. His dancing and singing talents were unparalleled in America during his time. With them, he soon took over the group the Jackson Five. The band’s members consisted of him and his siblings. His most significant selling album of all time was“Thriller”. It sold more than 51 million copies. However, his celebrity status was full of controversies. These included plastic surgery, multiple dysfunctional marriages, and racial slur against his fellow African Americans. Despite all his shortcomings, Jackson’s passion and artistry as a businessman, dancer and singer are unparalleled. It is these prodigious talents that have ultimately prevailed over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled adult life.^[6]Biography – Michael Jackson

#5: Shakira

Shakira is a Grammy-winning pop singer of Colombian and Lebanese heritage. She began her musical career when she was only 12 years old. She soon captured the attention of the whole world through her 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her “MTV Unplugged” album. One of her greatest hits “La tortura” topped the charts in many countries. This included many European countries. Her most successful song was “Hips Don’t Lie”. She won several awards for this world famous song. Shakira was ranked 20th place in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006” supplement. Additionally, she was the lead performer in one of the most popular tournaments in the world, the 2010 world cup in South Africa.^[7]Biography – Shakira

#4: Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie is an academy winning actress who was brought to the limelight when she took a leading role in such blockbuster movies as “Lara Croft,” Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008), Salt (2010) and Maleficent (2014). However, her international projects for charity, especially those involving refugees, have really made her stand out. Additionally, she has appeared in many lists of the most beautiful women in the world. Furthermore, she continues to be a headline in most tabloid presses who cover most of her personal life.^[8]Biography – Angelina Jolie

#3: Willard Carroll “Will” Smith, Jr.

Will Smith was born on September 25, 1968. He is a famous and successful songwriter, rapper, producer, comedian and actor. A 2007 Newsweek edition described him as “the most powerful actor in Hollywood.” His lists of awards and accolades include four Grammy awards, two Academy Award nominations, and five Golden Globe Awards. In addition, He has been ranked as the most bankable actor worldwide by Forbes Magazine. For example, in 2014, his films grossed $6.6 billion at the global box office.^[9]IMBd – Will Smith

#2: Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga was born on March 28, 1986 to Joseph Anthony Germanotta, Jr. and Cynthia Louise (Bissett). At the age of four, she could sing and play the piano. However, people bullied her at the Convent of the Sacred Heart when she was 11 because of her physical appearance. In order to overcome this, she learned to be confident in her appearance. This defines her success in the showbiz today. At 17, she was among the 20 people in the world to gain admission to the New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. In 2011, her album “Born This Way” broke the record of selling more than 1 million copies within a week. She attained the rank of number 99 in the 2011 FHM list of “100 Sexiest Women” and number 92 in the 2010 FHM list of “100 Sexiest Women”.^[10]IMBd – Lady Gaga

#1: Bill Gates

One of the most recognizable pop culture icons of our time is Bill Gates. The founder of Microsoft has been the richest man in the world for many consecutive years. However, apart from his vast fortune, he famously made life easier for humanity through technology. His company’s products have allowed technology to become more competitive. They have helped accommodate businesses and make them more profitable by assisting them in tracing the management of their strategic plans. Gates is known for his business acumen, investments, and philanthropy.^[11]Biography Online – Biography of Bill Gates