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Pop stars are an international phenomenon, even if America likes to think we have the market cornered on these stadium-filling musical acts, but that’s simply not the case. In fact, there are plenty of musicians around the world who qualify for the label of pop superstars.
Here are just a few of the biggest pop stars around the world. They come from different countries, but they all have one thing in common: they can draw a crowd with their music. With fandoms in the millions, these international stars know what it takes to draw a crowd.
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International Pop Stars
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Psy (South Korea)
One of the most well-known singers around the world, Psy's "Gangnam Style" was inescapable when it came out in 2012. It quickly racked up plays and YouTube views, becoming the sixth most-watched video in history (over 3.2 billion views). The singer has been crowned the "King of YouTube."
Photo: Jeon Heon-Kyun-Pool (Getty Images)
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Kris Wu (China)
An actor, singer and model, Wu is a triple threat. While arguably more famous for his acting, Wu was also one of the initial members of the K-Pop supergroup EXO and has released an award-winning album.
Photo: Cassidy Sparrow (Getty Images)
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Neha Kakkar (India)
One of India's biggest stars in both movies and song, Neha Kakkar is known as the "Queen of the Blockbuster." She's been singing since she was 4 years old and appeared on Indian Idol Season 2. She's a multi-talented star.
Photo: David Talukdar (Getty Images)
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Ozuna (Puerto Rico)
The artist with the most 1 billion-view videos on YouTube, Ozuna is a Latin and reggaeton star who has had several No. 1 hits. He's also won two Billboard Music Awards and three Latin American Music Awards. His first album, Odisea, spent 30 weeks on Billboard's Top Latin Charts.
Photo: John Parra (Getty Images)
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BTS (South Korea)
While technically a group, BTS is one of the most successful South Korean pop groups in history. They've released million-selling albums in South Korea and had a certified platinum song in the United States in 2018 with "MIC Drop".
Photo: YOAN VALAT (Getty Images)
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J Balvin (Columbia)
Known for collaborations with Cardi B ("I Like It") and another billion-view YouTube artist, J Balvin is a Columbian artist who doesn't stick to one genre. Dabbling in reggaeton, electronica and R&B, J Balvin is a multi-faceted star.
Photo: John Parra (Getty Images)
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Aryana Sayeed (Afghanistan)
The "Voice of Afghanistan" Aryana Sayeed has appeared on television and onstage as a singer. She's tackled both abuse and relationships in her music, and sings in two languages. She's Afghanistan's most popular singer and has gone international.
Photo: MASSOUD HOSSAINI (Getty Images)
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Pedro Capo (Puerto Rico)
Latin Grammy winner and ASCAP Award winner Pedro Capo is a multi-talented singer/songwriter who was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in New York. He's collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jennifer Lopez and his latest single has gained over 500 million plays on YouTube.
Photo: John Parra (Getty Images)
