From the spelling of his name to the production of his music, will.i.am does things a bit differently. For the last decade the performer-producer-writer has given pop some of its most infectious tracks, from the hits of the Black Eyed Peas (“Boom Boom Pow,” “I Gotta Feeling”) to his solo tracks with guests like Britney Spears, Chris Brown, and Justin Bieber. For this ‘round of CERTIFIED we’re celebrating the maestro’s solo endeavors. Both “Scream & Shout” and “This Is Love” have both passed the 100M views mark, and we got his most zealous fans together to present him with awards for both. During our exclusive interviews, he took us behind the scenes of both video shoots, revealed how they were made, and explained his passion for futuristic thinking in the tech world. There’s no question: innovation comes from those with imagination, and whether he’s appearing as a hologram on stage, or crafting yet another mind-boggling video narrative, will.i.am is all about progressive ideas.

Superstar DJ David Guetta started working the decks early. He was 17 when he got his first gig spinning at a Paris disco, and built his rep through the next 15 years, playing clubs and steadily earning a rabid audience. By 2009 the slow-build exploded: he produced and co-wrote the Black Eyed Peas’ beyond-humungous worldwide smash, “I Gotta Feeling,” and his One Love album became a global smash, powered by cameos from Rihanna, Akon, Kid Cudi, and Kelly Rowland. 2011’s Nothing But the Beat kept the party raging, and spawned the videos that have earned him CERTIFIED status. “Titanium,” “Where Them Girls At,” “Without You” and “Turn Me On” all have over 100 million views. Of course he’s still got DJ fever; from Electric Daisy to Ultra, he continues to turn the party out at festivals around the world. Guetta is clearly a master. “Being a DJ means I can read what people want,” he says. “I feed off their energy!” And there’s no doubt millions of fans feed off of his.

It would be hard to imagine modern pop and dance music without Pitbull. Since launching his career with a guest shot on Lil Jon’s 2002 ‘Kings Of Crunk’ album, the energetic showman has moved from being a skilled Miami MC to being deemed Mr. Worldwide, a global sensation who thrives as a writer, producer, and entrepreneur. Four of his videos, including “International Love” and “Rain Over Me” have become CERTIFIED, with over 100 million views to their credit. Pit’s appearances with other artists boast explosive numbers as well. “On The Floor” and “Dance Again,” his landmark collaborations with Jennifer Lopez, have dominated the world of dance music. Ceaselessly celebrating the Latin culture of his beloved Miami, he’s become a symbol of hard work and achievement as well as an irrefutable club and concert icon. It’s only a matter of time before “Don’t Stop The Party,” the first track from his ‘Global Warming’ album, joins its predecessors. Becoming a CERTIFIED artist is just a way of setting the bar even higher for Pit. “Hey,” he says, “we gotta go over that, and beyond.”

Alicia Keys has had it from the start. The singer-pianist roared to prominence at the tender age of 20 with the incredible Songs In A Minor, but had been honing her craft early on, learning classical pieces as a child, and studying at the Professional Performing Arts School in her teens. Her now-classic 2001 debut embraced a wide range of styles, including steamy soul, hints of hip-hop, and ultra-melodic pop. It sold 12 million copies worldwide and won five Grammys. Two years later, The Diary of Alicia Keys triumphed over the sophomore slump while grabbing three more Grammys. “No One,” from her 2007 As I Am, is the first title to earn Keys VEVO’s CERTIFIED status, with more than 131 million views as of this writing. “It’s full force,” she has said of the song, “classical yet vintage, desperate yet triumphant. I want people to feel my soul.”” Mission accomplished: “No One”” topped charts around the world in 2008 – it’s the biggest hit of superstar’s remarkable career. The video is elegantly understated, with Keys portrayed in diverse settings and alluring styles. Her latest triumph is the new Girl On Fire; the album’s title video – with Nicki Minaj along for the ride - has clocked a quick five million views in just a few weeks. Its emotional power is a perfect reminder that the singer’s creative flame is burning as strong as ever.

It’s hard to remember a time when Britney Spears wasn’t front and center in pop culture. She first appeared as a Mouseketeer on the Disney Channel in the early ‘90s, but became truly ubiquitous in 1999 with the release of her debut, …Baby One More Time. The video for the title cut, with Britney and pals dancing in the halls of her high school, was an instant sensation; the album eventually sold an astounding 26 million copies. The next decade was superstar central - a blur of tours, magazine covers, TV appearances, films, and a parade of multi-million-selling albums: Oops!…I Did It Again, In the Zone, Blackout, Circus, and last year’s Femme Fatale are some of pop’s most celebrated albums. The latter included two singles whose videos have amassed more than 100 million views, and made Spears part of VEVO’s circle of CERTIFIED artists. “I Wanna Go” is a frenetic and funny take on Spears’ oversized celebrity. With a nudge and a wink, she curses at clueless reporters, flashes men on the street, and uses a mic as a whip to defend herself against paparazzi. In ”Till the World Ends” Brit and friends dance the night away at an underground club while destruction rages outside (it’s set on December 21, 2012). We’re assuming the planet is going to make through 12.21.12, and we’re counting on Britney to be a continuous trailblazer when it comes to bringing dance pop into the future.

It was pretty obvious from the start. Taylor Swift has been a force to be reckoned with ever since she released her first video as a teen in 2006. “Tim McGraw” contained all the elements that make us fall for any Taylor track: a radiant melody, an easy glide, and a natural blend of innocence and sophistication. People noticed immediately, and 2009’s “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” found her approaching star status, and hard touring connected her with innumerable new fans. At the age of 19 the CMA named her “Entertainer Of The Year,” and she made history by being the youngest artist to ever receive that award. By the time 2010’s “Mean” had finished its job, the world knew that Swift had moved from country star to pop sensation. The stats of her sales triumphs and Grammy wins are awesome, and coinciding with the arrival of her new album ‘Red,’ VEVO is proud to include Taylor in its CERTIFIED program. “Mine,” “Love Story” and “You Belong With Me” have all earned over 100 million views, and in one of her exclusive CERTIFIED interviews, Taylor gives lots of the credit to her fans. "It's an amazing feeling knowing there's this group of people that always has my back," she says. ‘Red’ is yet another amazing album, and with tracks like “We Will Never Ever Get Back Together” already hurtling towards CERTIFIED status, we bet those fans will be with their hero for a long time to come.

Selena Gomez has always been an actress. A childhood job frolicking with Barney led to her role as the magical Alex Russo on Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place. But lucky for us the talented teen had other ambitions, and music was at the top of list. Both infectious and charming, the string of videos she's made since the 2009 arrival of “Falling Down” are some of pop's best. As she's grown to be a young adult, she's blossomed even further. Fans have fallen hard for that adorable yet assertive personality. A key reason: her positive outlook on life. For a perfect blend of uplift and catchiness, check her power anthem "Who Says.” Its anti-bullying views forward a thoughtful and helpful message. We also love her when she's just having plain old fun. "Naturally," a perfect dance floor song, is her most viewed video, done up in smashing shades of black and red. She explains its creation, including her many fashion choices, in one of our must-see CERTIFIED interviews. Selena is still a teenager, which makes her success in so many fields all the more remarkable. With a return to acting about to redefine her once again, there are many reliable hints that her star will be shining for quite some time.

There are hits, there are smashes, and then there is “Party Rock Anthem,” a track so dominant that it leaves every other recent dance track in its wake. It may have started in the clubs, but now LMFAO's jewel is heard everywhere from sports events to kids' birthday bashes – a true party anthem. Redfoo and Sky Blu, the fab duo on the mics, are all about entertainment, and it's a refreshing approach. Their inspired combo of clever lyrics and banging club rhythms, along with outrageous dancing and the perpetual shaking of certain body parts, are irresistible. While the zombie-apocalypse antics of "Party Rock Anthem” were quite impressive, the guys really hit their home run with “Sexy And I Know It.” In one of our several candid CERTIFIED interviews, they explain how the video was shot on the boardwalk and barrooms of L.A.'s Venice Beach. Now we'll finally know what it was like to be part of that “wiggle, wiggle, wiggle” competition.

Katy Perry is one of those rare artists who creates brilliant pop songs that encourage self-empowerment and dole out humor. A helpful big sister with a grin on her face and a larger-than-life charisma, she has quickly established herself as one of the best-selling artists of all time. From the 2010 arrival of Teenage Dream to the recent debut of its Complete Confection update, innumerable "Katy Cats" have shown their love for the singer by taking an unbounded leap into her world: Perry's most-watched video to date, "Firework," has been viewed over 245 million times. Her other triumphs, like "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” claim well over 170 million views apiece. Perhaps these victories are built on a simple fact: even though she's a superstar, Perry attracts audiences by coming on like a BFF, someone you want to hang with. That's especially true for "Last Friday Night," which showcases the singer's goofy side by introducing her impossibly nerdy alter-ego, Kathy Beth Terry, and features kitschy cameos by Corey Feldman, Deborah Gibson, and Rebecca Black. Call it a girl-power anthem with a love-me-warts-and-all message. From the Silly String battle in the living room to the duct-taped dude in the bedroom, Katy explains how this classic video shoot unfolded (and several other career secrets) in our exclusive CERTIFIED interviews. No doubt, she inhabits a slightly twisted fairytale land. But we would give almost anything to live there with her.

It's been a thrill to watch Justin Bieber grow up in public. Ever since 2009's My World brought him to the charts, an enticing blend of looks, style, charisma, as well as a wealth of vocal and dancing skills, has defined the Bieber equation. It didn't take long before the whole planet fell under his sway. "Baby," JB's biggest hit, one of his eight CERTIFIED videos, has been viewed almost 750 million times, making it the most viewed video in the history of VEVO as of June 2012. His constantly-growing audience of “Beliebers” are some of the most dedicated and vocal fans in the pop music universe, and they've been thrilled to see his talent develop and stature rise over the past few years. Justin fills us in on the strong relationship he has with his fans (and reveals his favorite music video ever) in one of our exclusive CERTIFIED interviews. As it turns out, Usher's one-time protégé is a guy who makes major strides with each new move. JB's latest turn is perhaps the most rewarding to observe. The steamy “Boyfriend” video recently proved the now 18-year-old is a man to be reckoned with. Don't blink – inevitably it, too, will be part of the CERTIFIED family.