Celebrity Women & Models

These are the ladies who have dominated the 2008 headlines — with more to come in the next few days.
By James Montgomery

Beyoncé
Photo: Getty Images

Who was the biggest star of 2008? Who had the most impact on the year that was, who inspired the most headlines or generated the biggest amount of buzz? It's really tough to say ... yet, for decades now, plenty of magazines have been doing just that (we're looking at you, Time). And so, after years of sitting on the sidelines, we here at MTV News have decided to get in on the act too.

Over the next few days, we'll be unveiling our list of the most fascinating, controversial and, well, BRITNEY!!! women of the year. These are the artists, actors and pop-culture heavyweights who dominated the headlines here at MTVNews.com (and no, Sarah Palin didn't make the cut ... we'll leave that to the folks at Time).

Today, we present picks 10 to 6. On Tuesday, we'll reveal numbers 5 to 2. And then, on Thursday, we'll unveil our 2008 MTV News Woman of the Year. And, of course, we'd love to hear what you've got to say — we'll even publish some of the best comments later this week — so if you agree with us (or if you don't), let us know in the comments below.

(For our first list of picks for the Top 10 Men of the Year, click here.)

And now, let the debate begin ...

10. Beyoncé

2008 Highlights: Spent the majority of the year putting the finishing touches on her much-discussed double-album, I Am ... Sasha Fierce ... Played legendary blues singer Etta James in "Cadillac Records" ... Married longtime beau Jay-Z ... Applauded by PETA for her fur-free outfits ... Released a pair of singles, "If I Were a Boy" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," the latter of which ended up being our second-best song of 2008 ... Donated $100,000 to victims of Hurricane Ike ... Volunteered her services for Barack Obama's inauguration ... Snagged her third-consecutive #1 album, selling more than 482,000 copies of I Am in one week ... Parodied the "Single Ladies" video to hilarious effect on "Saturday Night Live" ... Landed a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song. To anyone else, this is a lifetime's worth of résumé fodder. To B, it was just another year.

9. Hayley Williams

2008 Highlights: Penned a cryptic blog post that kicked off rumors that she and her band, Paramore, were calling it quits ... Addressed those rumors (and whispers that she was pregnant) in an equally cryptic blog post that used the phrase "My Eggo is not preggo" less than 24 hours later ... Sat down with MTV News for an "everything's fine" interview in Austin, Texas, during South by Southwest ... Defended "family friend" Miley Cyrus ... Played the Warped Tour ... Battled her stepfather over unscrupulous eBaying ... Got (then later removed) bull-ring piercing in septum ... Admired by John Mayer ... Performed in a virtual Whisky A Go Go during the MTV Video Music Awards ... Contributed a pair of songs to the "Twilight" soundtrack ... Copped to being a huge "Twilight" fan and a member of Team Jacob ... Began work on new Paramore album ... Is seriously, like, 4 feet tall.

8. Rihanna

2008 Highlights: Won her first-ever Grammy in early February ... Followed up on that momentum by landing an opening slot on Kanye West's Glow in the Dark Tour ... Re-released her hugely successful Good Girl Gone Bad album with the hugely successful single "Take a Bow" ... Denied reports that she and Chris Brown were an item (despite mounting evidence to the contrary) ... Performed a freaky version of "Disturbia" (another one of her hugely successful singles) at the Video Music Awards ... Collapsed onstage in Australia while performing a duet with Brown, sparking rumors she was pregnant ... Inspired a fan revolt when none of the aforementioned "hugely successful singles" are named in James Montgomery's Best Songs of 2008 list ... Did, at some juncture during the year, get a fairly awesome neck tattoo.

7. Aubrey O'Day

2008 Highlights: Rolled into the year fresh off reports that she was leaving Danity Kane to join the Pussycat Dolls ... Appeared to put all the drama behind her when DK's Welcome to the Dollhouse debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts ... Launched DK/Day26 tour in May ... Landed the role of Amber Von Tussle in the Broadway version of "Hairspray," which causes her to miss Danity Kane's appearance on "FNMTV" ... Boasted about her breasts during an interview with former WWE announcer Paul Heyman ... Shot a rather eye-opening photo spread for Complex magazine ... Booted from Danity Kane during live finale of MTV's "Making the Band" due to concerns over her "image" and despite the fact she was one of only two interesting members in the group ... Reportedly posed for Playboy ... May have had the most turbulent 12 months of anyone not named " Britney Spears" or "Amy Winehouse."

6: Sasha Fierce

2008 Highlights: Created by Beyoncé as a marketing tool/ psychological id for her I Am ... Sasha Fierce album ... Despite being completely fictional, may actually be more interesting than the actual Beyoncé ... Starred in the "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" video, which managed to "out-crazy even 'Ring the Alarm' " ... Definitive proof that Beyoncé is nuts ... Signified by a futuristic metallic glove worn on the left hand ... Is probably steampunk ... Quite possibly the most interesting alter-ego ever created by a musical superstar (sorry, Chris Gaines).

We'll be rolling out our Top 10 Men and Women of the Year all week! Today you've got 10 through 6, tomorrow you'll see 5 through 2, on Wednesday we'll be recapping your reactions and opinions, and on Thursday the winners will be revealed! Who do you think the Man and Woman of the Year should be? Tell us now!

• MTV News' Women And Men Of The Year

• MTV News' 2008 Men And Women Of The Year

• Britney Spears
• Beyoncé

Solange Knowles was recently featured in “Moms Working It“, a series meant to showcase celebrity moms, on “Glamour TV“. She spoke a bit about how she’s a bit ‘laxed on the bedtime rules she has set for her son, Daniel Julez.

“I get home by six sometimes, so I want him to stay up and hang out with me,” says the “Sandcastle Disco” singer. However, like many moms and dads, Solange uses a popular disciplining method.

“The counting of three system. I’m always like, ‘one, two, three’…like I’m scaring someone!” As for the family, Solange mentioned that they like to get together and do some freestyle rapping!

“Matthew Knowles and Beyonce, and me and my mom and now my son can join in. It’s really bad.”

It sounds like they’re a pretty fun family! I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of rapping those guys would come up with. Maybe they’re planning to overthrow Jay-Z ;).

Tags: solange, solange knowles, solange family, solange knowles interview, solange knowles glamour tv, solange knowles moms working it

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Have you guys seen the trailer for the movie, “The Longshots?” Well, if you haven’t, you should check it out! Beyoncé’s picture is featured next to a picture of Tyra Banks and is used as a football target.

The movie is based on the true story of Jasmine Plummer who became the first female to play in the Pop Warner football tournament at the age of eleven. The movie is set for release on August 22nd. It looks like a good movie, so maybe I’ll go and see it. What about you guys? Does it seem interesting at all?

Jay-Z, Beyoncé’s baby boy, was recently spotted in Washington DC outside of his hotel, sporting a white top and faded baggy jeans, complete with bling and a cigar. If I’m not mistaken, he was seen with those same jeans when he went out to dinner with Bey the other night.

I almost always think this man looks fly. Some of you have even referred to him as Mr. Swaggerlicious. There is no denying he has got the swag factor on his side.

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Solange Knowles, baby sister of Beyoncé, was seen strutting her stuff with her entourage, after leaving BBC Radio One in London, where she promoted her new single “I Decided.”

I’m not sure if I’m liking the dress. To me, it just looks like a sexy bath robe. Although, I think the color looks good on her. The shoes could look nice, but with that dress, I find they look a bit out of place.  Fill me in and tell me what you guys think!

More pics of Solange after the jump!

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Singing sensation, Beyoncé Knowles and her hubby, Jay-Z, were spotted in New York City, after dining at the Spotted Pig yesterday night. They both looked great! I love the all white outfit on Bey. I find it classy, if it’s done the right way.  They make a fine looking couple, don’t they?

More photos after the jump!

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Rapper and husband of Beyonce, Jay-Z, shared his opinion on the 2008 U.S presidential elections,stating that he would feel "sorry and sad for the state of America", if Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, were to lose in the upcoming elections. However, he has said that he doesn’t want people to vote for Obama just because he’s black.

"The worst thing ever for black people would be to put someone in who wasn’t capable. (But) what he represents to a little kid in Marcy Projects (in Brooklyn, New York) right now is to make him feel like he’s part of America. We never felt like we were part of the American dream."

I totally agree. Personally, I am rooting for Barack. I’d hate to see people voting for him just because he’s black. Are any of you rooting for Obama?

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Hey everyone!  I started this blog a year ago and I have loved it so much.  It has grown into a rich community and I will definitely continue to visit from time to time and gossip with all of you.  I have gotten a new job and I won’t have time to update here anymore :(

The good news is that I have handpicked my replacement.  She has actually been writing some of the posts these past few weeks as a ghostwriter to see if she liked it and could get into the writing style.  Her name is Lauren and I know you guys will love her :) 

I hope everyone has a great summer (what’s left of it) and I’ll miss you all!!!

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Image details: 79th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals served by picapp.com

It is being reported that Beau Dozier, an American songwriter/producer and former Romeos band member, will be working with Beyoncé on her upcoming album, set for release later this year.

Other musicians and producers who Beyoncé will be working with include Amanda Ghost, Timbaland, Cristyle “The Ink” Johnson, Jack Splash, Johnta Austin, Tor Erik Hermansen & Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. Together they have all worked with amazing artists such as Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and Leona Lewis.

It’s great that Bey got all these top notch people to make her third studio album. I’m so excited to see what kind of sounds will emerge from the studio!

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Image details: 2007 Vanity Fair Oscar Party served by picapp.com

It was announced at the closing of the 2008 Essence Music Festival, that Beyonce Knowles will be headlining at the festival in 2009 to celebrate it’s 15th anniversary. The president of Essence Communications Inc., Michelle Ebanks, and editor of Essence magazine, Angela Burt-Murray, made the announcement at the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday. 

Bey has already attended the festival three times before and even once with Destiny’s Child.  The event will be held on July 3, 4, and 5 of 2009. It should be exciting to see her there again!

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