Top 10 most influential people of the year 2006

South Korean King of Pop whose albums have topped the charts in Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and, of course, South Korea. ***

Emmy-winning host one of Comedy Central's highest-rated series ***

Millions voted him into the top 7 finalists of American Idol. His clever performances, creative hair styles and happy-go-lucky attitude gave America 'something to talk about' and generated mass appeal. ***

His 2005 CD/DVD Retaliation debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard charts and went on to become double-platinum and the best-selling comedy albums since Steve Martin's Wild and Crazy Guy in 1978. ***

First pick of the 2005 NHL draft and one of the leading scorers during the 05-06 season, Crosby is the youngest player and the only teenager ever to win a scoring title in any major sports league. ***

Author of the bestselling Harry Potter series, which has sold 377 million copies worldwide and spawned a blockbuster movie franchise. She is the first person to become a billionaire writing books and the second-richest female entertainer in the world after Oprah. ***

Adamant rationalist and prolific writer who holds a deeply gene-centered view of evolution and firm evolutionist's view of life. Dawkins has most recently spiced up the debate between believers and atheists with his unequivocally titled, bestselling book The God Delusion. ***

Star of the hit Fox drama 24, whose ratings have consistently increased over the course of the show's six seasons. The latest season premiere gained its largest audience ever: 15.7 million viewers. A recipient of both an Emmy and Golden Globe, Sutherland is also the highest-paid actor on a TV drama ***

Most successful game designer, creator of Super Mario, Donkey Kong and The Legend of Zelda, whose new platform, the Wii, is currently the top-selling game console. ***

The U2 frontman's recent knighthood has drawn ire from some Irish nationalists who believe he should not accept any British honor ***