1

The Supremes

Image: Namroud Gorguis

The ‘60s gave us The Supremes, which was not only one of the most successful girl groups ever but also had the iconic Diana Ross among its members.

Have you heard "Stop! In the name of love / Before you break my heart / Think it over / Think it over"? But that unforgettable 1965 hit was not the Supremes' only success. They created many other hits, such as the famous "You Can't Hurry Love" from 1966. In fact, the group had 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100!

The influence of this successful group was so deep that it inspired and contributed to the flourishing and recognition of many other girl groups in the decades that followed, some of which are also on this list.

2

The Jackson 5

Image: Markus Spiske

The Supremes were not the only musical group that gave rise to an iconic solo star. The Jackson 5 appeared in 1964, featuring a very young Michael Jackson and his four brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon.

In the late ‘60s and ‘70s, the Jackson brothers achieved great success. In fact, one of their first singles, "I Want You Back," from 1969, became a number-one hit. When that song was played all over America, Michael Jackson was only 11 years old! Tunes like "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" are just a few of the other hits that followed.

In addition, The Jackson 5 had their own TV show, "The Jacksons" (from 1976 to 1977), and they were even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997!

3

The Monkees

Image: Austin Prock

If you hear, "I thought love was only true in fairy tales..." you know how the lyrics of that song go on, right?

The Beatles' film A Hard Day's Night inspired an American series called The Monkees , televised from 1966 to 1968. If you watched it, you probably remember the musical band of the same name, created specifically for the show. Originally composed of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Davy Jones, The Monkees achieved great musical success, particularly with the hit we just mentioned, "I'm a Believer," which remains famous worldwide.

4

The Ronettes

Image: Gayatri Pandkar

The '60s were prolific in musical groups, and one of the most popular was The Ronettes, a girl group formed by sisters Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector) and Estelle Bennett, along with their cousin Nedra Talley. Have you listened to some of their hits, such as "Be My Baby," "Baby, I Love You," and "Walking in the Rain"?

In addition to their catchy tunes, what distinguished The Ronettes was their style, characterized by dramatic makeup, beehive hairstyles , and iconic outfits.

Despite their influence, many years passed before they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 .

5

The Pointer Sisters

Image: Haley Lawrence

Pop, soul, R&B, jazz, country, and even dance music were some of the genres played by The Pointer Sisters, the girl group from Oakland, California, that rose to fame in the 70s. Their talent and versatility kept them going for several decades!

As their name suggests, The Pointer Sisters were a trio made up of sisters Anita, June, and Ruth Pointer. "I'm So Excited," "Jump (For My Love)," and "Fire" were some of the most famous hits of this three-time Grammy Award-winning group. Have you listened to them? You probably have!

6

New Kids on the Block

Image: Florian Schmetz

NKOTB was the coolest way to refer to the legendary New Kids on the Block (in fact, their fan base called themselves "NKOTB Nation"). Formed in 1984 in Boston, Massachusetts, this boy band triumphed in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.

NKOTB paved the way for other boy bands that emerged in the '90s, reshaping our concept of pop music. "You Got It (The Right Stuff)," "Hangin' Tough," and "Step by Step" were just a few of their many hits, which made them winners of several American Music Awards during their peak years. They also sold more than 80 million records worldwide!

If you want to remember NKOTB, you can listen to their songs, of course, but you can also visit their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where they've been honored since 2014.

7

Salt-N-Pepa

Image: Ben Wiens

In 1985, Queens , New York, saw the birth of Salt-N-Pepa, a legendary hip-hop group that became one of the first female groups in the genre.

Did you ever dream of forming a band when you were in college? We did! So did the members of Salt-N-Pepa. They not only made it happen, but they also became a huge success.

With hits like "Push It," "Shoop," "Whatta Man," and many others, these girls were everywhere. They had so much flow and rhythm that, in 2005, they were inducted into the Dance Music Hall of Fame!

8

Backstreet Boys

Image: Steve Johnson

If someone says, "Tell me why," many of us would probably respond with, "Ain't nothing but a heartache." And that's just one of the many ways the Backstreet Boys have left their mark across generations.

As one of the best-selling boy bands, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson were a sensation in the late '90s and early 2000s . Their music was everywhere, and fans were desperate to meet them.

As you know, they had several hits that we still remember, such as "I Want It That Way," "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," and "As Long As You Love Me." You've probably danced to the beat of some of these hit songs, right? Did you have a favorite?

9

Destiny's Child

Image: Rob Sarmiento

Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams were the final and best-known members of a girl group called Destiny's Child. Do any of these names ring a bell?

Big hits like "Say My Name" and "Bills, Bills, Bills"—which won them a couple of Grammy Awards, by the way—launched these women to total stardom. Destiny's Child was a constant presence on the charts during the late ‘90s and early 2000s, and had us all singing catchy lyrics like "Say my name, say my name / If no one is around you, say baby I love you."

In addition to several major hits that still live on in many people's minds and hearts, Destiny's Child gave us the incredible, iconic, record-breaking Beyoncé . What more could we ask for?

10

'N Sync

Image: Alphacolor

This list could never be complete without mentioning the unforgettable 'N Sync.

Not only was this one of pop's most legendary boy bands, but it also featured one member who eventually became a solo superstar. Yes, you guessed it— we're talking about Justin Timberlake! He, along with JC Chasez, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, and Lance Bass, formed 'N Sync in 1995. Their first album, released in 1998, sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone and included hits like "I Want You Back."

The faces of the 'N Sync members were everywhere: on posters, T-shirts, dolls, and all sorts of merchandise, selling out not just in the U.S. but also in other parts of the world. Remember their performance at the 2001 Super Bowl ?

1

The Joker

Image: Miggy Rivera

We’ll start with comic books’ most nefarious villain . Should an alien visit us tomorrow, it would be very hard to explain that a playing card-themed maniac is an archetypical antagonist to a bat-themed superhero. And yet, ever since appearing in Batman’s very first solo comic book, the Joker has proved again and again why he is known as "the Clown Prince of Crime".

Just like Batman, the Joker doesn’t have any superpowers besides his cunning and wicked sense of humor. Although definitively insane, he is remarkably smart, which is shown by his expertise as a chemist. He is responsible for creating his signature "Joker venom", a chemical compound capable of forcing anyone to smile.

2

The Green Goblin

Image: Uélvis Santana

The Green Goblin is to Spiderman what The Joker is to Batman. Another bad guy with a flare for theatricality (though almost all comic-book villains do), this flying menace soars through the air on his "Goblin Glider", his patented flying device.

Contrary to his superhero antagonist, this villain’s backstory is simple and selfish: wealthy industrialist Norman Osborn became this alter-ego to rule organized crime in New York City. Nowadays, Willem Dafoe’s portrayal of the Green Goblin in the 2001 "Spiderman" movie is perhaps this character’s most remembered iteration.

3

Hans Gruber

Image: Matt The Artist

There are many reasons why "Die Hard" is considered the very best action movie in history, from its groundbreaking setting to its amazing dialogue and fast-paced action. However, one of the most influential factors behind this movie’s legacy is Hans Gruber , the sophisticated and soft-spoken nemesis of John McClane.

Wonderfully portrayed by Allan Rickman, Gruber arrives at the fictional Nakatomi Plaza under false pretenses, with the sole purpose of stealing millions in bearer bonds. Rickman's superb performance almost made us feel bad when his plans got foiled by a certain adventurous NYPD detective. An action movie that made us feel bad about its bad guy! Can you imagine that?

4

Darth Vader

Image: André Volkmann

Should we add a spoiler warning for one of the most iconic reveals in the history of cinema? We won’t disclose it in the very (extremely) slim chance that you haven’t seen "The Empire Strikes Back". However, we are absolutely sure that you are familiar with science fiction's most memorable villain, even if you haven’t seen a single scene in any "Star Wars" movie.

Truly, Darth Vader needs no introduction: From his menacing mask, cold demeanor, and lightsaber skills, this Sith knight is truly a force to be reckoned with. What’s perhaps most iconic about Vader is his deep and powerful voice, provided by Hollywood legend James Earl Jones.

5

Wicked Witch of the West

Image: Ksenia Yakovleva

Granted, the 2003 musical "Wicked" made us realize that Elphaba, also known as "The Wicked Witch of the West" , was a truly nuanced character. However, by the time she received her dishonorable title in "The Wizard of Oz", Elphaba had become a dastardly green-skinned witch, hellbent on foiling the plans of Dorothy and her friends.

Margaret Hamilton’s performance in the 1939 version of "The Wizard of Oz" was so iconic that it cemented the look that most media witches would have over time: You can thank Hamilton for the pointy black hats, green make-up, and terrifying cackles you hear every Halloween.

6

Norman Bates

Image: Maxime Roedel

Just like with our Darth Vader entry, we have to ask: Is anyone not aware of the groundbreaking twist in Alfred Hitchcock’s most famous movie? We’ll once again have to tread lightly, but that doesn’t mean we can properly remember Norman Bates , the bone-chilling villain from "Psycho".

Portrayed by Anthony Perkins in the original 1960 movie and its 3 sequels, Norman Bates is the shy, mild-mannered proprietor of the "Bates Hotel", co-owned by Norman and his mother. However, anyone watching this classic thriller for the first time will quickly realize that there’s something sinister hiding in this hotel.

7

Hannibal Lecter

Image: Elchino portrait

You would expect someone nicknamed "Hannibal the Cannibal" to be a feral brute with an insatiable bloodlust, but Dr. Hannibal Lecter is, above all, well-mannered. While he definitively has the bloodlust part going, Lecter has been described as a soft-spoken, intelligent, and cultured monster since his first appearance in the 1981 horror novel "Red Dragon".

Most of us remember this character from Anthony Hopkins’ character in "Silence of the Lambs" and "Red Dragon", but did you know that there was a previous film portrayal of Hannibal Lecter? Scottish actor Brian Cox portrayed him in the 1981 film "Manhunter", although under the last name "Lecktor".

8

Xenomorphs

Image: Hossam el-Hamalawy, CC BY 2.0

When posters for the movie "Alien" first appeared in movie theaters, they had a simple yet terrifying tagline: "In space, no one can hear you scream". This 1979 horror masterpiece by Ridley Scott introduced the world to the now-iconic "Xenomorph", the perfect killing machine that haunts outer space.

Part of what makes the Xenomorph so memorable is its groundbreaking design, a huge departure from the traditional aliens depicted up to that point. It helps that they were designed by Swedish artist H.R. Giger, who in turn based them on his own 1976 surrealist painting "Necronom IV".

9

Lex Luthor

Image: Jon Tyson

Who knew that the perfect nemesis for "The Man of Steel" would be a bald billionaire? Lex Luthor is Superman’s lifelong and most-famous nemesis, always plotting to bring the world’s most powerful superhero to his knees.

In a way, the fact that Luthor has no superpowers other than his remarkable intellect is particularly fitting: While heavy-hitters like Doomsday or Metallo can physically hold their own against Superman, Luthor’s human greed and resourcefulness ultimately prove to be the biggest threat to this hero.

10

HAL 9000

Image: Axel Richter

We’ll end with the only robotic villain in this article. When audiences first met the artificial intelligence known as HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick’s groundbreaking "2001: A Space Odyssey", they were perplexed by how a single red light talking in a monotone yet calm voice could be so downright terrifying.

In truth, that’s part of what makes HAL such an incredible villain: He is not a sadistic, murderous monster, but rather a cold and calculating machine run by logic. HAL chooses to destroy the astronauts aboard the "Discovery One" only because he considers them a threat to the spacecraft’s plans. So, in a sense, this machine was only doing what it was programmed to do.

1

American Alligator

Image: Joshua J. Cotten

Did you know that American alligators are one of only two alligator species in the whole world ? China is the only other place with an alligator species, the Chinese alligator. Often confused with their relatives, the crocodiles and the caimans, alligators can be differentiated by the shape of their teeth, their round snouts, their darker color, and their preference for freshwater habitats. An inhabitant of tropical and subtropical wetlands, the American alligator can be found throughout the Southeastern U.S.

2

Nene

Image: Lyle Wilkinson

Also known as the Hawaiian goose, this bird can only be found in its wild state across the islands of Maui, Kauaʻi, Molokai, and Hawaiʻi . Believed to be distantly related to the Canada goose, the nēnē is considered the rarest goose species in the world and is a protected species. Thanks to successful conservation efforts, it has been reclassified from endangered to near threatened. It has also been designated as the official state bird of Hawaiʻi.

3

Common Raccoon

Image: Chris Ensminger

If you are asked to describe a raccoon, the common raccoon, native to North America, will most likely come to mind. The other two species of raccoon—also native to the Americas—present marked differences in color and size. Their name is derived from the Algonquian aroughcoune , meaning ‘he who scratches with his hands.’ The unusual shape of their thumbs, combined with their cleverness, allows them to open closed containers to access food and trash, which has earned them the nickname of "trash pandas." Due to human intervention, they have become a highly invasive species in European and Asian ecosystems.

4

Monarch Butterfly

Image: Alex Guillaume

One of the most recognizable butterfly species, the Monarch can be identified by its orange and black wings with white spots . Monarch subspecies can be found across the Americas, but the North American monarch is especially known for its remarkable migratory behavior. As winter approaches, monarch butterflies in the northern United States travel thousands of miles to overwintering sites in California and central Mexico. In spring, they will return home in time for summer.

5

North American Beaver

Image: Tim Umphreys

Though North American beavers are related to those found in Asia and Europe, their genetics are so different that they are unable to mix. North American beavers are generally larger and darker than their Eurasian counterparts , and they have a broader and longer tail. They are a widespread species across the Continental U.S., Canada, and northern Mexico and have been chosen as the official state mammal of Oregon and New York.

6

Bald Eagle

Image: Mathew Schwartz

Widely recognized as a national U.S. symbol and featured in multiple official imagery , the bald eagle came close to extinction in the late 20th century. Found across most of North America, it favors habitats near large bodies of water. Fun fact: bald eagles were named after the color of their head feathers, as the word ‘bald’ was anciently used for ‘having a white head.’

7

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Image: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Like the reptile it takes its name from, this pointy reptile is only found in freshwater habitats across the U.S. The spiky ridges on its shell give it an armored tank appearance, but these will flatten as the turtle ages. They have an extremely powerful bite , and they have been known for biting human fingers off, which makes them a dangerous animal that should be approached with caution.

8

Texas Blind Salamander

Image: Ryan Hagerty/USFWS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Unlike other entries on this list, this amphibian can only be found in a very specific place: San Marcos, Texas . Considered to be a critically endangered species, the Texas blind salamander lives in underground caves and streams and is highly sensitive to water pollution and droughts.

9

Coyote

Image: Dylan Ferreira

Also known as the American jackal or prairie wolf, the coyote fulfills a key role in North American ecosystems by helping regulate the population of smaller animals and consuming carrion that could otherwise spread disease. Somewhat friendly toward humans, coyotes play an important role in Native American folklore, and there are recorded cases of domesticated coyotes.

10

Giant Kangaroo Rat

Image: Harrison, George, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Although kangaroos are native to Australia, giant kangaroo rats are found only in California . Preferring dry, sandy habitats that allow them to dig burrows, these rodents are known for using foot stomps as a way of communicating. Due to habitat loss caused by agriculture, the giant kangaroo rat has been classified as an endangered species.

11

American Mink

Image: Alexandre Daoust

American minks can be found across Alaska, Canada, and the northern and central United States, both in the wild and on farms. Although they are not specifically bred to be tame, they are officially considered suitable to be pets if trained from a young age. Their introduction to many parts of Europe, Asia, and South America has harmed native species, and they have been classified as invasive in many of these regions.