Top 10 Teen Idols of the 2000s
They're all grown up now, but back in the 2000s, they were everyone's teen idols! For this list, we're looking at our favorite pop culture figures who shaped us as we grew up between 2000 and 2010. These individuals don't necessarily have to have been teens themselves during the decade, but should have at least appealed to fans within that age range. We've included celebrities like Avril Lavigne, Raven-Symone, Miley Cyrus, Amanda Bynes Lindsay Lohan, Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff and Britney Spears.
#10: Avril Lavigne
When this Canadian singer broke onto the scene with her hit “Complicated” in 2002, she was applauded for her refreshing “realness.” The pop punk queen reached idol status thanks to her signature style, which really spoke to the angsty teens of the 2000s. Her pop-punk look featured heavy eyeliner, studded belts, neckties, plus an optional skater boy boyfriend. Her incredibly catchy songs and her compelling “I don’t give a damn” attitude had every teen sick of boy bands saying “I’m With You” Avril! We still remember all the words to her hit songs!
#9: Raven-Symoné
This larger than life actress changed the Disney Channel game with her starring roles in feature length films and TV shows. In 2003, Raven gained a following with “The Cheetah Girls” TV movie, which featured velour tracksuits, catchy songs and a ton of girl power. In the same year, “That’s so Raven” premiered on Disney and became the channel’s first series to reach 100 episodes. Her natural physical comedy, unique style and the show’s over-the-top plotlines made her an instant hit. Instead of looking into the future, fans are getting a little piece of the past with Raven Baxter’s return to the small screen on “Raven’s Home” in 2017. Oh Snap!
#8: Miley Cyrus
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Like Raven, Miley combined acting and singing to create a superhuman teen idol fresh from the House of Mouse. Skyrocketing into stardom as a newly minted teenager in 2006, Miley’s starring role in “Hannah Montana” spawned a movie, numerous albums, merchandise galore and made the young actress a household name. Long before Cyrus was joking about killing Hannah Montana, she was a fresh-faced star who managed to bring together the charm of the south and the excitement of Hollywood to young girls everywhere. When “Party in the U.S.A” was released in 2009, it ushered her fans into another phase of the Miley-craze.
#7: Jonas Brothers
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This pop-rock band of brothers made waves in 2008 with the hit Disney Channel Original Movie “Camp Rock.” The film solidified Joe’s heartthrob status and perfected their whole bad-boys-with-purity-rings image. Fans couldn’t get enough of the blessed Jonas genes, and as a result the trio was “Burnin’ Up” your television and radio with a Disney show and string of albums. Jonas fans will remember having opinions about which brother was the best and obsessing over every one of their famous relationships, but we can all agree that the JoBros and those Camp Rock jams are a perfect reminder of the good old days.
#6: Amanda Bynes With her first starring role on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show,” this young actress spent the greater part of the 2000s showing off her comedic chops. When she wasn’t holding her own against Colin Firth in “What a Girl Wants” or delivering hilarious lines in “She’s the Man,” Bynes was rocking tube tops and tiny shoulder bags on the red carpet, accepting Kids’ Choice awards and warming hearts with her natural charm and talent. By the end of the 2000s, the star had branched out with her roles as Penny in “Hairspray” and the scene stealing villain in “Easy A.” But to us, she will forever remain the girl who dances with lobsters.
#5: Zac Efron
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The stellar cast of 2006’s “High School Musical” were all teen idols in their own right, but Zac was undoubtedly the biggest star of the bunch, though Vanessa Hudgens is a close second. The pretty boy bopped his way to the top with dreamy blue eyes and boyish charm in his starring role as Troy Bolton. The sporty-yet-musical heartthrob taught teens that you can have it all, especially when you look like Zac Efron. “Breaking Free” of his Disney designation, the young actor starred in popular films “Hairspray” and “17 Again,” which helped widen his appeal. He may be grown up now, but he’ll always be the lanky boy who sang and danced his way into our hearts.
#4: Lindsay Lohan
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Lindsay Lohan was no newcomer to Hollywood in the 2000s, but the decade saw Lilo transition from adorable child actor to teen idol. Her leading roles in “Get a Clue,” “Freaky Friday” and “Confessions of a Teenaged Drama Queen” gave Lohan the platform to flex her comedy skills and develop her fan base before she struck gold with “Mean Girls” in 2004. The cult favourite comedy had teens everywhere reciting quotes and copying the star’s style. The next year saw Lindsay release an album and star in “Herbie: Fully Loaded.” Lindsay was on fire in the 2000s and seeing photos of the actress, her famous friends and their fabulous lifestyles had you saying “That’s so fetch.”
#3: Justin Timberlake
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JT was pretty busy at the beginning of the new millennium; starting a solo career after saying “bye bye bye” to his bandmates; being one half of one of pop’s most iconic pairings; getting over a bad breakup; and not to mention single-handedly bringing sexy back. It’s no wonder fans were drooling over this Renaissance man’s killer moves, amazing pipes, and surprising comedic skills. Fans showed their love by memorizing his choreography, tearing up while listening to “Cry Me a River” and collecting his posters from Teen Beat. While he continues to be a huge success today, the 2000s were Justin’s time to shine.
#2: Hilary Duff
The Hilary obsession began with her title role in “Lizzie McGuire.” The adorable blonde took her brand to the next level with her music career, introducing hits “Why Not” and “Come Clean.” Hil’s relatable girl-next-door persona was adored by the masses and she went on to star in a myriad of successful films in the 2000s, “Agent Cody Banks”, “Raise Your Voice”, “A Cinderella Story”, to name a few. Fans watching Lizzie frolic in Italy or Princeton Girl fall in love were collectively thinking, now this is what dreams are made of. Before we unveil our top pick, here are some honorable mentions. Jesse McCartney Drake Bell Chad Michael Murray
#1 Britney Spears
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Brit ruled the pop scene at the turn of the century. Every song was an instant hit and every outfit was iconic. It wasn’t an award show unless she was performing and it wasn’t a Britney performance without out of this world choreography and the occasional reptile. In addition to selling 37 million albums before turning 20, when the singer was “Not a Girl but Not Yet a Woman,” she found time to star in 2002’s “Crossroads”. Her talent and overall image has been the inspiration for other teen idols past and present, making her the ultimate icon of the 2000s.
