10 Iconic Pop Star Makeovers That Redefined Their Careers

In pop music, no one stays the same for long. In order to maintain success and keep audiences entertained, constant reinvention is required. Some stars have gone to extremes to shed their old image, while others simply traveled down paths they’d never been before.

One thing is for sure: these stars have earned industry respect by proving how dedicated they are to their craft. Here are 10 of the most impactful sonic makeovers throughout pop history.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has become the queen of reinvention. From her start as a sweet, teenage country singer to pop superstardom, she’s walked down every avenue throughout her career. The most memorable is arguably after her 1989 era, when she reemerged as a darker version of herself for reputation.

The inspiration behind reputation lay in her Kim Kardashian and Kanye West feud. When the public turned on Swift, it tainted her image, and she could no longer be the squeaky-clean pop star she was before. The album showcased her bitter emotions toward the situation, and her music videos and lyrics held dark imagery and messages.

However, when the reputation era was over, Swift reinvented herself again for Lover, this time as the happiest, most colorful version of herself. She’d continue to reinvent after that, and is currently in Vegas showgirl mode for her upcoming album, The Life Of A Showgirl.

Miley Cyrus

When Hannah Montana aired its final episode, Disney Channel ex-act, Miley Cyrus was ready to leave her blonde wig behind. She traded it for a bleach blonde pixie cut and entered her Bangerz Era. It was one of the strangest, most memorable pop culture moments from the 2010s and changed the way the world saw Miley Cyrus forever.

She clearly was no longer the tween from Disney Channel as she rode a giant hot dog around arenas on tour and twerked on Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. However, Cyrus quickly changed course for her next album, Younger Now. She tapped into her true self, getting back to her roots, which made a lot of fans feel close to her again.

Cyrus went on to experiment with rock for Plastic Hearts and took home two Grammys for her song “Flowers” off Endless Summer Vacation. The singer has earned a lot of respect from the music industry in the years after Bangerz, and continues to as she releases new music, like her latest album, Something Beautiful.

Kesha

Kesha was on top of the world in the late 2000s and early 2010s. Unfortunately, her career came to a halt amidst a legal battle with producer Dr. Luke. Kesha claimed the producer sexually assaulted her, and while she gained support from fellow artists, like Swift and Lady Gaga, she was under a contract with Luke’s label and couldn’t release music.

The singer made a powerful comeback in 2017 with her single “Pray” off her album Rainbow. It proved her resilience and showed others in her position what is possible when you refuse to back down. While she may not be as big as she was earlier in her career, Kesha continues to release music and has become an inspiration to her fanbase.

Rihanna

Rihanna recently gave birth to her third child and first daughter, Rocki Irish Mayers. However, before her ongoing music break, the singer was constantly experimenting with different sounds and aesthetics.

Rihanna started out with a more pop and R&B sound before branding herself a good girl gone bad in the late 2000s. It was then that her image became a little more risqué. She went on to dominate the industry in the 2010s with songs like “We Found Love” and “Where Have You Been.”

Then she pivoted again, going back to R&B, collaborating with Kanye West, Drake, and SZA. While the singer hasn’t released an album since 2016, her fans would be happy to see her reinvent herself again for a new album anytime.

Madonna

Madonna is often recognized as the queen of pop, and to get that title, she had to do a lot of reinventing. The ’80s icon paved the road for many of today’s pop stars because of her fearless nature and her ability to constantly evolve.

One of Madonna’s most dramatic changes was her Ray of Light era. The music was much different than the kind of pop she’d been putting out in her career. The songs were more electronic and techno pop than her previous work, but it only made her a more interesting artist.

Madonna would continue to twist herself into different shapes to fit the current pop star mold. With Madonna’s upcoming 15th studio album, the “Like A Virgin” singer has more to prove and more reinventing to do.

Michael Jackson

If any artist has defined what it means to reinvent oneself, it’s Michael Jackson. The star grew up before the world’s eyes, as he was only six years old when The Jackson 5 debuted. That meant, if he wanted to keep people entertained all those years, he had a lot of work to do.

Jackson’s most famous reinvention came after his 1979 album Off The Wall failed to acquire any Grammy nominations outside of R&B. Jackson went on a mission to become the biggest pop star in history, and he succeeded like no other.

Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time and helped Jackson become the official King of Pop. His work didn’t stop there, as he continued to push his limits and become a new version of himself with every album after that. However, his Thriller reinvention remains his most iconic.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga became the biggest name in pop music when she released “Just Dance” in 2008. However, just because she was dominating the pop industry didn’t mean she wanted to stay there.

Gaga shocked the industry when she pivoted to Jazz music for a collaborative album with Tony Bennett. The pair released two albums together, and it gave Gaga a completely different legacy than she would have had if she had stayed in pop.

Of course, she eventually made her way back to pop music, with Mayhem being an impressive comeback. However, the way she effortlessly moves from genre to genre has made her one of the best artists of her generation.

Britney Spears

In the late 90s and early 2000s, the pop music industry was truly Britney Spears’ world. However, in 2007, Spears had a public meltdown that shocked the world. This didn’t prevent Spears from releasing music, though.

The star dropped Blackout that year, debuting her dark brown hair on the cover. It was vastly different from the work she’d made before, and while the Free Britney movement exposed what was going on behind the scenes at the time, Blackout remains an iconic pop album.

The album was more unapologetic than anything the singer had done in the past, from “Gimme More” to “Piece Of Me.” It was also the album that coined the phrase, “it’s Britney b*tch,“ which would cement the star as a pop music legend.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey has also maintained decades of success through constant pop makeovers. However, one of Carey’s most iconic moments was when she released The Emancipation of Mimi.

Before the album, it felt as if her work was not as strong as it had been throughout the 90s. It’s difficult to see so much success in one decade and try to top it in the next.

However, Mariah Carey proved she had plans to dominate the 2000s when she released “We Belong Together,” one of her best-known songs to date. The Emancipation of Mimi put Carey at the center of the industry once again, making it easy to release countless unforgettable albums afterward.

Beyoncé

It may seem like Beyoncé was always on top of the world and always will be, but she’s had to work very hard for this to be the case. From going solo to tapping into the country genre, Beyoncé is the modern blueprint for reinvention After her fourth album, 4, was not as beloved as her previous work, Beyoncé released her self-titled surprise album.

The album showed the industry exactly what she was capable of. She’s been one of the most respected artists of her generation since. She’s experimented with various genres, like rock and disco, and whatever she has planned next, it’s sure to be equally impressive as her past work.