Katy Perry - Oh, Katy, how we’ve longed for you. A bi-curious preacher’s daughter who looks like she should be painted on the nose of a B-52 bomber? Yes, please! With her inescapably catchy ditty “I Kissed a Girl,” the lovely Miss Perry scored the undisputed summer jam of ’08. It wasn’t just her scantily clad lesploitation pop that had us drooling, however. The singer, who kicks off the second leg of her world tour this month, is also blessed with the finest set of, um, vocal cords this side of Dolly Parton. Sure to bust out with even more hits this year, Katy’s staking her claim as bona fide rock royalty.
Olivia Wilde - While it probably goes against the Hippocratic oath for a doctor to make body temperatures rise, that’s precisely what Olivia Wilde does each week on House M.D. Her character’s near lethal combination of brains and bisexuality adds a dose of raw sex appeal to Fox’s ratings juggernaut. Don’t think, however, that this alum of The O.C. is content burning up flat-screens. This year Olivia will be giving multiplexes a one-two punch, first in the indie flick In NorthWood, then in the Judd Apatow–produced The Year One. Starring opposite Jack Black in this prehistoric comedy, she will no doubt reduce summer moviegoers to drooling Neanderthals.
Hayden Panettiere - There’s a reason that God made cheerleader outfits, and you’re looking at her. No, not the counter girl you’re buying this issue from. We’re talking about the super-est Hero of them all, Hayden Panettiere. Born to be a star, she nabbed her first gig in a Playskool commercial when she was 11 months old. Since then she has blossomed into the sexiest thing on NBC since Joey. But the idiot box cannot contain this feisty sexpot. She’s got three movies heading your way, including I Love You, Beth Cooper, in which she plays the hottest girl in school. Now there’s a stretch.
Audrina Patridge - If you don’t know who Audrina Patridge is, you’re lacking a girlfriend, a TV, or a set of working eyes. The one-time bit player on MTV’s reality phenomenon The Hills has been placed front and center this past season, knocking aside bickering blondes Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag. If you won’t be tuning in to the upcoming fifth season (or need an excuse to leave the house), you can catch the busty brunette in theaters. This year sees Audrina in the sub-sea-level sequel Into the Blue 2 and the collegiate slasher flick Sorority Row. Pledge at your own risk.
Rihanna - Since storming American shores in 2005, this Caribbean cutie has made a name as a singer, model, and up-and-coming fashion designer on her way to racking up 11 million in album sales, a Grammy, and five number one singles. For the record, that makes her the hottest pop star of the decade. The coming year sees her continuing to dominate through tours and a new album. Rihanna, even if you’re too young to legally celebrate with us, we’re raising a glass of Cristal in your honor!
Scarlett Johansson - Shapely of body, gravelly of voice, ScarJo defines womanly perfection circa 2009. (We’re not acknowledging that she’s married—damn you, Ryan Reynolds!) Scarlett is that rare creature who is strikingly attractive and consistently appears in projects we actually want to see. Whether she’s serving as Woody Allen’s personal muse (and Viagra supplement), giving disturbingly sexy voice to the deranged toys of Robot Chicken, or appearing as a femme fatale in this month’s The Spirit, she always brings the goodness. Scarlett’s appearing in a slew of upcoming flicks—and, if there’s a God in heaven, divorce court—before the year is out.
Blake Lively - Playing a perfect prep-school queen bee on the steamy nighttime soap Gossip Girl doesn’t seem to be much of a stretch for the flawless Blake Lively. Her cascading blonde locks and seductive smile were enough to win the Tarzana, California native a starring role in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants film franchise—her first major acting job—after she simply dropped her photo on a table at the audition, then walked out. Up next for the 21-year-old beauty: a part in the big-screen drama The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. Don’t wanna sit through a two-hour chick flick just to catch a glimpse of Lively? Take a good look at this photo, then revise your answer.
Vanessa Hudgens - Disney’s most dangerous damsel is the main reason we know what the hell High School Musical is. Vanessa’s beauty is a blend of Filipino, Native American, Chinese, Latin, and Irish, a look that is appealing to her worldwide network of tween fans and tastier than “International Day” in the Maxim cafeteria. Far more than just a pretty face, Vanessa is a budding pop star with two solo albums under her tiny belt. Expect more of her singing chops on display in 2009’s Band Slam, in which she joins yet another cute high school music group. Why mess with a winning formula?
