The survey was conducted by MTV to mark their 25th birthday. Bono topped the list, and was followed by Michael Jackson and Madonna, who were second and third on the poll, respectively. More than 4,000 people participated in the survey.
The other twelve celebrities making the top 15 influential stars were Kurt Cobain, Prince, Eminem, Kylie Minogue, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Sir Elton John, Beyonce Knowles, Robbie Williams, Pete Doherty, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears.
MTV (Music Television) was first on the air on August 1, 1981. Today, the channel is available in 179 countries and reaches more than 1.3 billion viewers.