The PopCrush Fan Choice Awards: Best Comeback
The PopCrush Fan Choice Awards are officially in full swing. You, our loyal readers, will decide who takes home the digital gold.
When it comes to pop, we love when our superstars deliver hit after hit for years. The reality is, however, that longevity sometimes quires a few years out of the spotlight to refocus, reinvent and come out swinging with a refreshed new sound and style. As a result, the only thing better than an artist's initial string of successful releases? A comeback.
These eight artists took some time away for a few months and/or years (and, in some cases, nearly a decade!) before deciding to deliver something totally new: From JoJo's long-awaited return with her III "tringle" since escaping a bad record label situation, to Gwen Stefani's tear-soaked post-divorce power ballad "Used To Love You" to the return of two bonafide icons: #UnapologeticBitch Madonna and Janet (Miss Jackson, if you're nasty), this was a year well worth the wait for our faves.
And the candidates are...
Madonna
2012's MDNA didn't quite do it for you? That's okay. After hooking up with Diplo and discovering Instagram, Her Madgesty dove into the studio and concocted one major, hashtag-heavy pop masterpiece in Rebel Heart, a collection of fresh-sounding, self-referencing and empowering odes to life and love for the dance floor and beyond including "Bitch I'm Madonna," her first Billboard Hot 100 hit since 2012's "Give Me All Your Luvin'." "Iconic," indeed.
JoJo
The powerhouse "Leave (Get Out)" singer was stuck in a terrible, shady record label situation for nearly a decade before finally getting out and signing with Atlantic Records. And at last, the formerly caged songbird spread her wings and let that big, beautiful voice soar in the form of three major singles toward the end of the year — and this is just the beginning of what she has to offer to the world.
Gwen Stefani
After stop-and-start efforts with cuts like "Baby Don't Lie" and "Spark The Fire" last year, the No Doubt frontman switched it up, opting to go personal with her heartbreaking "Used To Love You." The single showcased a raw, honest side of Stefani — one that proved infinitely more compelling than her bouncy past few efforts.
Wonder Girls
K-Pop comebacks are often no more than a year or two apart, but in the the case of the Wonder Girls, the troupe legitimately made a comeback after four years in the form of Reboot. The girls switched up their style (and their member roster), grabbed some instruments and delivered wonderful, '80s-inspired dance-pop nostalgia.
Missy Elliott
Step aside, and allow Missy Misdemeanor to show you how a real emcee commands the mic. After a show-stealing cameo during Katy Perry's Super Bowl halftime show, the rap legend returned with the fierce and funky "WTF" with Pharrell at the tail-end of the year. She remains really, really hot.
Justin Bieber
From egg tossing to peeing in a bucket to DUI arrests, Justin Bieber's come a long way in the past few years since his last studio album. With the help of a perfectly executed unofficial apology tour, as well as Skrillex and a few new friends in the studio, the teen heartthrob went from bratty rebel to upstanding tropical House-pop touting comeback kid in a matter of a few incredible singles. At last, he found Purpose.
Adele
"Hello, it's me." With just one word (and a flip phone), Adele set the entire world ablaze. The notoriously reclusive, massively powerful powerhouse vocalist has done some growing up in the past few years, and she's finally ready to let us hear what she's been up to.
Janet Jackson
Seven years after Discipline, Miss Janet was at long last ready to start the conversation (in a cafe) once again in 2015. Helmed by longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Unbreakable proved to be a sensual, and truly timeless set from Miss Jackson, full of life lessons accrued over the past decades and sensually purred self-reflection. Plush...
And now, it's time for you to decide. Who had the best comeback of the year? Place your vote below — we'll reveal the winner right here on December 1 at 5 PM ET.
UPDATE: And the winner is...
Janet Jackson's Style Evolution Through The Years