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From sold-out concerts to appearances on every awards shows to a tour that kinda-sorta kidnapped 150 journalists, these artists have had the biggest years in music with the biggest albums. Check out who made the top ten and who’s coming back for more in 2013.

Click here to see out all the amazing specials, blogs, galleries, countdowns and more that are part of this year’s Holiday Wrap.

10. fun., Some Nights

Delivering one of the year’s most iconic videos while only one week in 2012 with We Are Young, fun. hit the ground running this year, racking up fans worldwide and performing everywhere from SNL to the MTV Movie Awards.

9. Pink, The Truth About Love

Showing that motherhood and marriage haven’t softened Pink’s edge, the singer flexed both her creative muscles and muscle-muscles with her videos for Blow Me (One Last Kiss) and Try.

8. Frank Ocean, Channel Orange

You know an album is pretty incredible when it overshadows the first public coming out in the hip hop world.

7. Flo Rida, Wild Ones

Love him or hate him, Flo Rida has released some of the biggest, catchiest songs of 2012.

6. One Direction, Take Me Home

The five lads from UK have continued their worldwide invasion with album number two. Plans for a summer release in the theatres means that the X-Factor finalists will have an even bigger 2013.

5. Ed Sheeran, +

His songs have gained praise from the critics, his voice has girls screaming like he’s all four Beatles in one, and his pen has him writing for chart heavyweights One Direction. If opening for Taylor Swift’s sold-out Red Tour isn’t huge, then I don’t know what is.

4. Maroon 5, Overexposed

While most bands are losing steam by their fifth studio album, Maroon 5 are hitting their stride, experimenting with collaborators and new sounds on their 2012 disc.

3. Rihanna, Unapologetic

From the media blitz surrounding her 777 Tour to the attention on her on-again/of-again relationship with Chris Brown, it’s amazing that anyone was able to stop talking about Rihanna long enough to listen to Rihanna. But we did, and the disc is great.

2. Justin Bieber, Believe

If you didn’t believe in Justin Bieber when the long-haired 14 year-old first hit the music scene, it’s pretty impossible to deny his star power four years into his hugely successful career. With a North American tour that sold out in minutes, Bieber fever is alive and kicking.

1. Taylor Swift, Red

Releasing half of the songs on her album before it hit shelves may seem like Swift was just giving away her music for free. But the pop singer’s instincts were right, with sales for Red hitting 3 million and counting.

Tags: Ed Sheeran, flo rida, Frank Icean, fun, holiday wrap, justin bieber, maroon 5, One Direction, Pink, rihanna, taylor swift

Posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 at 6:40 pm by Allison and is filed under Blog, Featured, Holiday Wrap.