Alright, here's a question for you that's surfaced by a discussion my girlfriend and I had. We were talking about the general pop industry, and how most of the women involved start out their initial debute with fantastic bodies (Lips). Now, here and there, you'll also find the same Lips that come out with fantastic Lyrics. Combine those two together, and you usually have your mass-famed starlets, such as Britney, Alanis, Shakira, Madonna, et cetera (Or your Limelight). So, open questions:

Who is the best looking recent pop starlet?
Which starlet has the best lyrics recently?
Who is the most popular pop starlet, and why?
Who is the most over-rated starlet - recently, or of all time?

Feel free to answer any, or all, of these - I'm just interested to see what the general response is to this. For me:

Best looking recent pop starlet: Shakira - I'm not sure what it is, aside from the fact that she's short (yum), but she's got a great overall package to her.

Best lyrics: Sarah McLachlan - I've always been able to feel what she's been singing about. I know I'm pushing the envelope on "recent" here, but she's the first one that came to mind with great lyrics.

Most popular: I've gotta say its a toss up with Britney and Christina. And while I tend to want to hit myself for thinking to hard on this, I'd say Britney wins just because she was around first. I'm not sure what Chrstina's drastic changes have done for her, but I think Britney's moderate consitency helps her in the long-run.

Most over-rated: Personal opinion, of course, but Mariah Carey. I just cannot, beyond any shade of reason, see why she ever got popular. I think she not terribly good looking, her lyrics are pretty much awful, and I would plainly like to see her disappear for good off the scene of the music industry.

All yours, take it away...

Best looking recent pop starlet: I'd go for shakira too, she looks kinda cute
Best lyrics: I don't reeally listen to a lot of pop, especially not to those girlies, but I have to say texas, because it's not all about love and stuff. Sarah McLachlan is also very good, but I don't like her music that much.
most popular: Yeah of course I have to toss between christina and britney too. But I'd have to say Britney. Soo many teenagers like her
overrated: Again Britney, I mean...she sucks, I really don't like her. Her voice is so nasal, I don't think she has a good voice at all.

Who is the best looking recent pop starlet? Hmmm...Delta Goodren from Australia is pretty hot. She actually has some talent too.
Which starlet has the best lyrics recently? I don't know...I tend not to listen to pop music let alone concentrate on their lyrics. The only lyrics I've heard have been pretty average.
Who is the most popular pop starlet, and why? I'd say Britney Spears. She's been getting her face all over the place even without her music. She's been going for a while now too.
Who is the most over-rated starlet - recently, or of all time?Geri Halliwell? Victoria Beckham perhaps? Both are very average but have gained a lot of attention.

but there's a slight distinction that needs to be made with some of the names mentionned... your comparing some of those completely manufactured pop stars (like christina and britney) with other pop stars that have some talent and have been working in the music industry for more than a few years (alanis and sarah mclachlan have both been at it for about 15 years each)... while they're all pop stars to a certain extent some had to do more than look pretty to get where they are today...

Absolutely, and that is an inherent part of my discussion/thought on the matter. I'm looking to get answers to these questions to see if my take stands up to the general concensus. The whole point of these questions is not to make the distinction - they're pop artists, and that's why I'm comparing them. Nothing more than that.

Best looking: I'd go for Kylie or Dido
Best Lyrics: Not easy to say, because most recent pop-stars dont' make their own music... Texas has good lyrics AND good music
Most popular: probably Madonna I think.
Over-rated: I think many of recent pop-stars are a bit overrated, but indeed, victoria beckham and co. are pretty much overrated

interesting point... very interesting... but are we sticking to women or not? solo artist or bands...

personally i've always considered blur's 'great escape' to be the best pop album i've heard... by far the best lyrics to any pop songs...

and what constitutes recent? last 5 years?

personally i hate most pop music... i keep getting christina aguillera's 'beautiful' song stuck in my head... that or kylie's 'can't get you out of my head'... it's very annoying...

so Beautiful was sung by Christina... focking A, i hated that song ever since I first heard it on my coworker's car. I almost went homicidal on his ass. her shallowness really focking pissed me off! i was wondering who in the hell would sing stupid shallow lyrics like that...