Rihanna Is This Year's Pop-Star Prom Queen - Vanity Fair

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By Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS.

The 2010s have offered no shortage of options when it comes to pop icons: we’ve got Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Adele, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. Each has her own ultra-dedicated fan base, but would you call any of them the pop-star of our time? A strong argument could be made for each of them: Swift and Adele have already figured out how to turn their love lives into Grammy-laden careers that show no signs of stopping. Gomez is our generation’s Instagram queen, while Perry is our Twitter queen. And post-Lemonade, Beyoncé surpasses explanation. As for Rihanna? Later this year, she’ll join a club that includes many of our favorite pop stars—including some of the above—when she accepts MTV’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

Who else has won the award? Britney Spears, Madonna, and Janet Jackson, all of whom have reigned supreme over the world of pop at one point or another. There’s also Beyoncé, who won the award two years ago. Male recipients have included Kanye West last year, along with Justin Timberlake, David Bowie, and Michael Jackson. Bands sometimes win, too, like the Beastie Boys and Guns N’ Roses.

Rihanna already has two video-of-the-year awards behind her, for “We Found Love” (2012) and “Umbrella (ft. Jay Z)” (2007). This year, she’s up for multiple awards at August’s V.M.A.s, including two best-collaboration nominations (for “Work” and “This Is What You Came For”), best female video and, hilariously enough, best malevideo—again, for “This Is What You Came For.”

This nomination also makes Rihanna the award’s second-youngest recipient after Janet Jackson, which continues her record-pushing trend. As Variety reports, she’s also the youngest solo artist ever to land 14 No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 list.

Obviously, there can be multiple dominant pop stars at any given time. But Rihanna is certainly closer than ever to the top of the pile, alongside Beyoncé—and there aren’t many places most people would rather be than anywhere alongside Queen Bey. Rihanna might be pretty laid back and unconcerned with what others think, but we’re guessing wherever she is, she’s celebrating right now by walking down the street with a refreshing glass of wine.

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Is it a cape? Is it a gown? A freelance royal blanket perhaps? The only way to honor this slide show is to start off with this jaw-dropping Met Gala hand-made number designed by Guo Pei that will may have you double-taking at an Ikea luxe bed-sheet collection nearest you.

From Getty Images.

Rihanna arrived at her “B.B.H.M.M.” performance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in the only way we know how Rihanna would arrive at anything, really: out of a helicopter and dressed in all green everything.

From Getty Images.

The bluest of blues, a far cry from ever keeping you down.

So. Content.

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If you don’t look like this at Coachella, you’re not doing it right.

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Cruella de Vil inspo. Pinterest, get on it.

From Getty Images.

A wacky custom, hand-painted faux-fur coat by DIY by Panida that may or may not have been inspired by this little Kanye treasure.

From Getty Images.

This is our new work-uniform outfit inspiration for fall.

From Getty Images.

A wine-stained dress at a Fashion Week date with Zac Posen met its match with this regal snow-crumble coat worthy of fashion-show hopping, skiing, mountain climbing, you name it.

From Getty Images.

After all of these puffy coats, here’s something a little more subtle in Dior.

From Getty Images.

Eat your coat collection heart out, Dolly Parton.

From Getty Images.

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Laura BradleyLaura Bradley is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com. She was formerly an editorial assistant at Slate and lives in Brooklyn.

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