20. AJ McLean:

Backstreet Boy AJ has fast become one of the leading lights of pop's top vocal quintet. This 5 foot-10 inch tall, brown eyed Florida native has helped lead his band to the very top of the charts around the world with the Boys' debut disc already a platinum smash in Germany, Japan and Canada. Aj answers to the nick-name "Bone" from his bandmates because he's so skinny, but to his ever-growing legion of fans he's still "Mr. Cool". By the way, AJ says that the girl of his dreams is someone confident, intelligent, pretty and with a good sense of humor.

19. Phil Rodell:

Code Red's Phil Rodell is absolutely thrilled that his band has broken out of their English strong hold to take on the world with their debut album Scarlet. This 21 year-old harmony master can't wait to visit some of the places he's only heard about - including many cities on this side of the Big Pond - though he admits that he's concerned about leaving home for long, especially since his pet boa constrictor is in need of Phil's constant loving care. But when he's not playing with his five-foot snake (it'll get a lot bigger!) Phil loves going to the movies - especially romantic flicks.

18. Jimmy Constable:

911's Jimmy Contable freely admits that he's a "hopeless romantic", but that's just a part of this 23 year-old's charm. He grew up in his native Liverpool, England dreaming of playing soccer for his local team - and still follows the sport avidly no matter where in the world his music may take him. His youthful exuberance towards soccer is reflected in his musical attitude, which has played a major role in turning 911 into an international phenomenon with the success of the debut album.

17. Daniel Johns:

Silverchair's Daniel Johns was all of 17 when his band's first album, Frogstomp, rocketed him to fame and fortune. At that time Daniel was still in school, trying to squeeze in sold-out world tours between final exams. Despite his hectic schedule, however, Daniel not only managed to pass all his exams and make it to all of Silverchair's live dates but he somehow found time to emerge as a big-league hunk as well. While this still somewhat self-conscious guy would blush if told he was the love interest of millions around the globe, he's still polite enough to offer a sincere "thanks" to his fans.

16. Brian Littrell

Call him whatever you want - B-Rok, Mr. Joker or Seaver - the Backstreet Boys Brian Littrell will probably answer. This 5-foot 8-inch blond haired dynamo brings his charm and talent to every note he sings in the BsB repertoire. While he admits to loving the music made by Boyz II Men and Jodeci, he states that all music is worth listening to - though the songs made by the Boys are truly special. Born in Lexington, Kentucky, Brian says he loves to play basketball and go swimming whenever his busy schedule allows.

15. Isaac Hanson:

Being the "oldest" Hanson brother comes with a certain degree of responsibility, but 17 year-old Isaac Hanson has been able to handle that extra "pressure" with the kind of grace that one might expect. As the unofficial "leader" of pop's hottest trio, Ike's lanky build and fleet guitar-playing fingers have made fans smile from coast to cost. This 5-foot 11-inch, brown eyed Scorpio says that his favorite school subjects science and that his favorite TV show is Seinfeld.

14. Usher:

Usher is sweeet! With a voice that can melt butter and a face that makes hearts flutter, this soulful singer extraordinare has quicky proven to be a favorite with audience throughout the nation. Thanks to the strong support his songs have received from MTV, where Usher videos seem to pop up every few minutes, fans from coast-to-coast have been continually amazed by the talent housed within this lean, clean pop music machine.

13. Shane Lynch:

The music industry has certainly been kind to Boyzone's good lookin' Shane Lynch... and to his entire family. Not only is Shane riding high with the success of his band, but each of his three sisters recently have attained their own degree of notoriety. One sister, Tara, is part of the band, Fab, which recently toured with 911. His twin sisters Edele and Keavy are both in the band Desire, who are hoping to land a record deal of their own. By the way, Shane sadly tells his female fans that he currently has a girlfriend named Easther.

12. Gavin Rossdale:

Bush's handsome vocalist/guitarist Gavin Rossdale has certainly been burning up the gossip wires in recent months. His hot-as-it-gets romance with No Doubt's effervescent Gwen Stefani has ended up as front-page news on both sides of the Atlantic - as has Bush's chart-topping exploits. With two multi-platinum albums to their credit, the band emerged as one of the top rock attractions of the late '90s. But it remains Gavin's brooding good looks and rugged vocal timbre that continues to attract so many fans to the band's musical cause.

11. Jakob Dylan:

Growing up in the shadow of a father who has emerged as the true icon of a generation is certainly never easy. Some people would crumble under the pressure. For Jakob Dylan, however, the pressures associated with being Bob Dylan's youngest son only served to inspire him to reach for his own level of greatness. With the success of the second album by his band the Wallflowers, young Jakob has been added to his family's rich musical legacy - while emerging as a major international heart throb in the process.

10. Zac Hanson:

Zac Hanson is getting a little tired of being called "cute" by his band's army of followers. But the undeniable fact is that this 12 year old drum machine is cute! Now standing 5-feet 4 inches tall - and growing taller as-we-speak - Zac is ready to assume a more "mature" role within the most successful pop trio of the '90s. He's even thinking about starting to date girls - if he has the time! But he knows that as long as brothers Taylor and Isaac stay older than he is (and it's a pretty good bet that they will), Zac will be kept in his place as the cutest drummer in the music world.

9. Will Smith:

Will SMith is the unquestioned master of all he surveys. First it was the music world that this Philadelphia native won over with his hip-hopping hit sound of the early '90s. Then it was on to television where this Fresh Prince of conquered not only Bel Ai,r, but the entire world as well. Will then parlayed his small screen success into monster-sized hits on the big screen where such flicks as Independence Day and Men In Black turned him into a box office dynamo. Married to the lovely Jada Pinkett (the couple just had their first baby) Will certainly seems like he's got the world on a string.

8. Danny Zavatsky:

He may only be 15 years-old - the youngest member of the hot new band No Authority, but cute Danny Zavatsky has certainly crammed a lot of livin' into hisshort life. In addition to being in one of pop's hottest acts, he's made a name for himself in Hollywood by working with the famed directors, the Hughes Brothers, whose hits include Dead Presidents and Menace II Society. If that wasn't enough (and don't you think to ought to be?) Danny is also a top-notch surfer and an avid skate boarder.

7. Ronan Keating:

Boyzone's handsome Ronan Keating is certainly an interesting chap. In addtition to his love for all types of music, this guy who was named after a 5th Century Irish saint also believes in ghosts and UFOs. While he hopes to have a long and lasting career in music, he already has aspirations of turning the fame brought to him through Boyzome into a career as an actor. With his kind of looks, and his kind of talent, it seems a safe bet he'll be a success at whatever he chooses to do.

6. Nick Lachey:

Nick Lachey was a student at Miami University in Ohio when the call came from future 98 degress bandmate Justin Jeffre to see if he'd be intersted in joing the band. Less than a week later Nick had dropped out of class, loaded up his car, and made the long drive out to the West Coast. The fans of this silky-smooth vocal qartet are all certainly glad that he did. While he had to work a few menial jobs in El Lay as 98 degress waited for the Big Break, Nick now knows that he certainly made all the right moves. In fact, it seems like every move he makes is greeted by the cheers of his adoring fans.

5. Jonathan Taylor Thomas:

Who says that being a TV kid is a dead end when it comes to a lifetime career? Maybe that's the case for a lot of people who grew up in front of the camera lens, but if anyone is going to break apart that stereotype, Jonathan Taylor Thomas would seem to be the perfect choice. After starring in TV's top-rated Home Improvement throughout the '98s, JTT has lauched a successful move career - one that he hopes to keep going for many years to come. He knows that his dedicated television followers will gladly follow him as his big screen career continues to explode.

4. Taylor Hanson:

It's been said that Taylor Hanson has the best teen voice in contemporary music since Michael Jackson was a pup. But there's more to this blue-eyed Pisces than his soaring vocal style. He also happens to be a computer wiz, a gifted cartoonist and, of course, a skilled keyboard performer. As Hanson's most visible member (that's the way it goes when you're the lead vocalist), 15 year old Tay has set hearts aflutter from London to Los Angeles and as Hanson's fame continues to grow, it seems a virtual certainty that his rep as as pop's Number One vocalist will grow as well.

3. Josh Keaton:

For a guy only 18 years old, No Authority's Josh Keaton has certainly had a busy life. In addition to helping to lead his smooth-sounding quartet to the top of the charts, Josh has become a favorite on Hollywood sets, appearing on such top-rated TV shows as Baywatch and Chicago Hope. If that wasn't enough, he also served as the voice of young Hercules in Disney's top-grossing smash, Hercules. But music remains Josh's first love (along with his 5.0 convertible Mustang), and as No Authority continues to tour the world, he promises to say hello to as many of his fans as possible.

2. Nick Carter:

As any fan of the Backstreet Boys knows, somewhere along the line Nick Carter changed from being a cute boy into a Total Hunk. It seemed to happen overnight - and it happened in front of all of our eyes. This amazing transformation took the breath away from the fans of this 6-foot tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed pop god. But astonishingly it hasn't affected this down-to-earth Jamestown, New York native. Nick still stays in close touch with his mom, Jane, and his dad, Bob, as well as with his younger siblings, BJ, Leslie, Aaron and Angel. While he says he has yet to fall in love, he does admit he's definitely on the look-out for the girl of his dreams.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio:

Even before the unprecedented success of Titanic transformed him into a cultural icon, 23 year-old Leonardo DiCaprio enjoyed wide spread respect throughout the entertainment industry. His previous credits, including What's Eating Gilbert Grape and The Quick & The Dead, won him kudos from both film industry peers and media critics. But it wasn't until that famous ocean liner set cinematic sail on it's maiden - and final - voyage that young Leonardo emerged as a true megastar of the late '90s. Now with the box office recipts for his latest flick, Man In The Iron Mask threatening to set records all their own, there seems to be no stopping this mega-sexy mega-star! His drop-dead gorgeous good looks, incredible acting talent and nice-guy public persona have turned him into the "incredible hunk" of 1998.

- Starline

August 1998