Time’s 100 Most Influential People In The World: Beyonce Leads As Cover Girl; Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Pope Francis, President Barack Obama And Benedict Cumberbatch Also Make The List

Grammy-winning singer Beyonce Knowles landed the coveted spot on the cover page of Time magazine's 2014 “Most Influential People” issue, which will hit the stands Friday. Actor Robert Redford, basketball player Jason Collins and General Motors CEO Mary Barra will also get their own individual covers.

Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, praised the singer for urging “women to be independent and lead" through her voice both on and off stage.

“In December, she took the world by surprise when she released a new album, complete with videos, and announced it on Facebook and Instagram. Beyoncé shattered music-industry rules — and sales records,” Time said in a piece honoring Beyonce’s inclusion in the annual list.

"Happy" singer Pharrell Williams and twerking queen Miley Cyrus were also among the list. Williams was praised by his frequent collaborator, Justin Timberlake, who said: "The collaboration I have with him is like no other," adding: "He made me fearless, and I've carried that with me the rest of my life.”

The list included television host Seth Meyers who was endorsed by actress Amy Poehler, “Sherlock” star Benedict Cumberbatch, “Dallas Buyers Club” star Matthew McConaughey, “American Hustle” actress Amy Adams and Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen.

Lupita Nyong’o praised McQueen saying: “From Hunger to Shame to 12 Years a Slave, Steve tackles tough subjects with passion and a very evident love. His storytelling is all about creating genuine emotional exchanges between the actors.”

Political leaders who made it to the list included U.S. President Barack Obama, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian politician Narendra Modi, Chile President Michelle Bachelet and President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, among others.

Hillary Clinton, who also made it to the list, said about Kerry: “Diplomacy takes stamina, passion and perspective, and John embodies these traits.”

Pope Francis, Malala Yousafzai, Indian author Arundhati Roy and football player Cristiano Ronaldo were among the popular icons on Time’s list.

Check out the complete list of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.