Lady GaGa, Conan O'Brien, Others: Very Influential

Time Magazine has come out with its annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

It's divided into four categories (Leaders, Heroes, Thinkers and Artists), although we have no idea how Sarah Palin ended up in the number-nine slot as a "Leader." What does she lead, exactly? Whatever organization pays her the most money to speak at its event?

But anyway.

Lady GaGa is considered the most influential artist on the planet, with Conan O'Brien ranking second. Also in the top 10: Oprah, Taylor Swift and Robert Pattinson.

The magazine spoke to a number of people closely associated to these celebrities and received the following takes on them:

Cyndi Lauper on Lady GaGa: Lady Gaga's art captures the period we're in right now. She isn't a pop act, she is a performance artist. She herself is the art. She is the sculpture.

George Lopez on Conan O'Brien: Conan's tenacity and wit have been an inspiration to me on my own late-night show. I'm happy and proud that we'll be playing on the same team when he comes to basic cable.

Chris Weitz on Robert Pattinson: Rob is a reserved, bookish sort of specimen, a guy who'd rather spend the night at the corner table in the pub with friends — a bit of a weirdo, frankly, in the best sense.

For the complete list of influential artists, see below.

1. Lady Gaga
2. Conan O’Brien
3. Kathryn Bigelow
4. Oprah Winfrey
5. Valery Gergiev
6. Robert Pattinson
7. Ashton Kutcher
8. Suzanne Collins
9. Taylor Swift
10. Neil Patrick Harris
11. Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof
12. Prince
13. Lea Michele
14. Jerry Holkins and Mike Krahulik
15. Simon Cowell
16. Neill Blomkamp
17. Elton John
18. Marc Jacobs
19. David Chang
20. Banksy
21. Chetan Bhagat
22. Sandra Bullock
23. Ricky Gervais
24. Han Han
25. James Cameron