The queens of pop

With Lady Gaga’s ‘Artpop’ hitting the shelves this week, Weekend looks at some of the top female pop stars and how they’ve fared in 2013.

Katy Perry

The 2013 pop leading lady and winner for biggest music star on the planet goes to Katy Perry.
“Roar” stayed atop the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, knocking down the 12-week reign of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.”
Perry’s new album, “Prism,” debuted at No. 1, selling 286,000 copies and becoming the highest debut for a female artist this year.
Early critics may have dismissed her as a one-hit wonder who gained fame by kissing a girl, but Perry clearly has the eye of the tiger and is here to stay.

Best song
“Teenage Dream”

Worst song
“Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”

Britney Spears

While the celebrated pop perennial’s new album “Britney Jean” doesn’t drop until Dec. 3, the legendary Ms. Britney Spears has almost a decade and a half of hit songs and iconic performances behind her.
Unfortunately, her first single, “Work Bitch,” only peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 after seven weeks. Spears will always be a queen, but this doesn’t seem to be her strongest season.

Best song
“Toxic”

Worst song
“I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman”

Miley Cyrus

If controversy was the deciding factor, then 2013 would hands down belong to the former Hannah Montana.
From the smash singles “We Can’t Stop” and “Wrecking Ball” to her CNN headline-grabbing VMA performance, Cyrus has totally revamped her good girl image and debuted as one of pop’s sexiest stars.
She’s still a little green in the gills compared to some other pop heavyweights, but expect Cyrus to show us more of what she’s got in the years to come.

Best song
“We Can’t Stop”

Worst song
“Anything” by Hannah Montana

Lorde

While this New Zealand newcomer just turned 17 a week ago, she hit the ground running with 2012’s “The Love Club” EP.
People noticed the sleek, stark, artpop production of that release’s single “Royals,” and the song gained exponential traction leading up to her 2013 debut album “Pure Heroine.”
Lorde is an up-and-comer on the pop scene who can’t quite hold a candle to Katy or Gaga, but she’s got nowhere to go but up. And to do that, she picked a pretty good role model. Lorde cited Yeezus himself as a major influence.

Best song
“Royals”

Worst song
“Glory and Gore”

Lady Gaga

Gaga has always been a performer first rather than a musician. Her extravagant live shows, including her wild and scantily clad performance of “Applause” at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, prove that.
She’s an example of a pop star who puts her image before her music. Ever since her 2008 debut album, “The Fame,” her music output has been mediocre.
That trend hasn’t changed on “Artpop.” Unfortunately for Gaga, to be the pop queen you’ve gotta have some substance.

Best song
“Bad Romance”

Worst song
“Heavy Metal Lover”

M.I.A.

Maya Arulpragasam, aka M.I.A., has always been a nonconformist. Her masterful 2007 release, “Kala,” was a game-changer for female rappers.
M.I.A. doesn’t shy away from her Sri Lankan roots, but she also knows how to make an insane club banger. Her music is a combination of exotic pop and abrasive, hard-hitting dance.
Although she’s probably the most adored by critics of anyone on this list, and some of her singles have seen some pop crossover (most notably “Paper Planes”), she’s still mostly on the underground.
Most of her music isn’t quite accessible enough for mainstream radio, and some of her controversies (e.g. her beef with the NFL) keep her from being a pop superstar.

Best song
“Bring The Noize”

Worst song
“Come Around”