There are many popular singers, they are loved, listened to, and admired, but only some of them become real idols of millions. Even after death, they are also popular and loved. You will find out which of the famous female artists entered the top 50 only in our article.

Norah Jones

Norah Jones was exposed to a wide variety of music as a child, which undoubtedly contributed to the distinctive style she has now. Jones grew up learning to play a variety of instruments, including the guitar, piano, and saxophone.

The brown-eyed beauty debuted with the album Come Away With Me in 2002, which went on to sell over 27 million copies and garner five Grammy Awards. But given that we could sit and listen to that record over and over again - it's just that fantastic — we can't say that we're surprised.

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Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston not only has a wonderful voice but she is also known as The Voice. Do we really have anything else to contribute to that? Saying Whitney Houston is a talented artist is like saying the ocean is big; both statements are true but do not accurately convey the scope of either.

With a total of 415 awards received over the course of her career, Whitney Houston holds the Guinness World Record for most female artists ever.

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Beyoncé

Beyoncé, sometimes known as "Queen B," has grown to be one of the most adored and well-known R&B performers of all time. Because of how good she is, followers have been posting videos of themselves reacting in shock when friends claim that she isn't the best ever for years. After a fruitful start with Destiny's Child, Beyonce went on to launch a solo career in 2006, winning an astounding 26 Grammy Awards in the process.

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Adele

Adele didn't start out in a professional position at all. She actually began by playing in parks all across the city of London. Now picture yourself as the club owner who refused Adele entry.

She released her debut studio album, 19 in 2008. Her second album, 21 was released three years later. With the help of that album, she became one of the biggest names in music, receiving a ton of praise in addition to the six Grammy Awards that she won.

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Debbie Harry

Debbie Harry, who was born in Miami, Florida, held numerous occupations before breaking into the mainstream and becoming a longtime success. Blondie was founded by Harry in 1974, and their debut album was released two years later. Blondie has put out a lot of albums over the years.

The band's most recent album, 2017, Pollinator, actually peaked at number four in the United Kingdom, demonstrating the significant influence Harry and Blondie have had.

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Mariah Carey

Among Mariah Carey's many accomplishments are her five Grammy Awards and 200 million album sales. Out of all of those characteristics, her voice, which has an amazing range of five octaves, is one of the most well-known features of her career.

She has achieved amazing heights thanks to this special talent, and many consider her to be one of the original pioneers of modern pop music as well as an inspiration to future vocalists.

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Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight's name is undoubtedly well-known to even those who haven't listened to her music. After all, when she was performing on stage, she was referred to be the Empress of Soul. Gladys Knight & the Pipe, her band, was first formed with a small group of intimate friends and family members, but it ultimately produced many of the classics that won Grammy Awards.

Gladys Knight & Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles is a restaurant chain that she launched as a commercial venture.

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Patti Smith

Even though Patti Smith may not be the most well-known person on this list, she left her mark on the music industry, particularly in the 1970s. With the release of her first album, Horses, she rose to prominence in the New York City punk scene.

Smith, who is referred to by many as the "punk poet laureate," was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and is still active today.

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Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand was raised in New York by her mother, a soprano singer herself when she was younger. She assisted Streisand in developing her passion for music and starting her career.

The Funny Girl diva has put out 36 studio albums during the course of that career, and she has garnered countless honors, including 10 Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite the fact that Streisand specializes in singing pop music, her strong voice has earned her the title of semi-operatic.

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Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Fitzgerald may not have an official or informal title, but it's safe to assume that she might be called the "Queen of Jazz Performance." Fitzgerald managed to stand out and win 14 Grammy Awards for songs like Cheek to Cheek, Dream a Little Dream of Me, and It Doesn't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) despite frequently working alongside musicians like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

Fitzgerald received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts before the conclusion of her career.

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Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin is incomparable, and no list of great female vocalists could ever be complete without her. Franklin, referred to as the "Queen of Soul," began her career as a gospel singer in her church choir.

She obtained a contract with Columbia Records at the age of 18, and during the course of her career, she has recorded 38 studio albums as well as 131 singles, despite the fact that she probably never envisaged becoming the musical phenomenon that she is today. In 1987, she was the first woman to be admitted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Celine Dion

Celine Dion, a native of Quebec, Canada, went on to achieve success on a global scale. Her early career in Canada was very beneficial to her because several of her CDs featured songs in both French and English. Dion's biggest break came in 1988 when she won the Eurovision song contest while competing in Switzerland.

Dion has produced songs in Italian, Spanish, German, Chinese, Latin, and Japanese, despite the fact that her albums initially exclusively featured French and English. She has earned the title of "Queen of Adult Contemporary."

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Cher

When it comes to women in music, it might be difficult to determine which accomplishment is the most amazing, but Cher is unquestionably a contender. She made a huge impact in a field that is still regarded as being heavily dominated by men, earning her the title of “Goddess of Pop.”

She is not only a gifted vocalist, but her skills as a performer have also earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

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Diana Ross

Diana Ross is more than simply a fantastic vocalist for listeners. In fact, superstars like Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Madonna credit her as their primary source of inspiration in the music business. The Supremes, Ross' vocal trio, published some of her first songs, including Love Child, You Keep Me Hangin' On, and Where Did Our Love Go.

Many of her songs as a solo performer went on to become big singles, including Upside Down and I'm Coming Out.

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Aguilera Christina

Christina Aguilera, who was born and reared in New York, shot to fame as a teenager when she recorded the worldwide hit ballad Genie in a Bottle. Despite releasing numerous pop records over the course of her career, she also dabbled in jazz and blues.

Although Etta James has been likened to Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, Aguilera considers her to be her biggest inspiration, even describing her as her “all-time favorite vocalist.”

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Tina Turner

Tina Turner gained notoriety as a member of the band Ike & Tina Turner Revue and was dubbed the "Queen of Rock and Roll" by both her admirers and detractors. Turner received a whopping 12 Grammy Awards throughout her career, along with a Life Achievement Award.

She is well known for a variety of characteristics, including her loud voice and very vivacious style. Nutbush City Limits, Let's Stay Together, What's Love Got to Do with It, and Private Dancer are a few of her best songs.

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Ariana Grande

In reality, Ariana Grande wasn't always a music sensation. Before getting a part on the Nickelodeon series Victorious, she spent her formative years performing on Broadway.

The young performer opted to release an album in 2014 that blended EDM and R&B after six years on Broadway. With songs like Problem, Love Me Harder, Thank U, Next, and Bang Bang reaching the top of the charts, this album helped her establish herself as one of the most recognizable voices.

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Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Clarkson is the first contestant to ever win American Idol, a reality singing competition. She is also an enormously popular singer. She had the chance to record her first album because she was the first winner of the competition, and it was a huge hit.

In fact, A Moment Like This, a single from that album, surpassed all other singles sold in the United States that year. But she didn't stop there. She has received Grammy awards for both of her songs, Because of You and Since You've Been Gone.

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Toni Braxton

There is no doubting Toni Braxton's influence on R&B music, despite the fact that she could have been little eclipsed by contemporaries like Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey. Braxton is well-known for classics including Un-Break My Heart and You're Makin' Me High/Let it Flow. She has won seven Grammy Awards and sold over 67 million records worldwide.

With roles in the reality series Braxton Family Values and the seventh season of Dancing With the Stars, Braxton is also successful in the television industry.

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Ann Wilson

Heart's creator and lead singer Ann Wilson and her younger sister Nancy have collaborated to create 16 unique albums, which have collectively sold more than 35 million copies.

Wilson's outstanding rock and metal voice was cemented by these recordings, and as a result, she was even honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She said, "Artists create art. People who sing. People play. Gypsies are nomads. Everyone's fires are lit by music. It's similar to oxygen!

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Billie Holiday

Singing at Harlem nightclubs was how Billie Holiday got her start in the music business. John Hammond, a music producer who assisted her in recording her debt songs, found her there.

She enjoyed great popularity in the 1930s and 1940s when What a Little Moonlight Can Do, a jazz staple, became one of her songs. She never received any professional musical training, but she more than made up for it with her amazing voice and improvisational talent.

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Madonna

What more is there to say about Madonna? The singer of hits like Material Girl and Like a Virgin, who was the prototypical pop star of the 1980s, has continuously reinvented herself over the years. She has a diversity of tones in her music and is equally well-known for her appearance as she is for her voice.

Madonna has also had a respectable Hollywood career, appearing in films including Evita and A League of Their Own.

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Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys is regarded as the "Queen of R&B," despite the fact that she didn't start out as a pop or R&B artist. In actuality, Keys began her career as a pianist with classical training and began creating her own music at the age of 12.

She produced her debut album, Songs in A Minor, at the age of 15, and was already signed to a big record label. The album sold 16 million copies and won her a Grammy. Can you picture yourself as successful and young?

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Amy Winehouse

If you don't fully commit to something, you'll never know what you might have had. One of the most popular musicians and singers, Amy Winehouse, made these moving comments.

Bob Dylan praised her and called her “the last authentic individualist around.” She produced two CDs from her time on stage and with the guitar, and as a result, she became the first British woman to get five Grammy Awards. Stronger Than Me, Love is Losing Game, Rehab, and Back to Black are some of her best-known tracks.

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Sade

Born Helen Folasade Abu, Sade is a British singer and actress who has had a significant influence on modern music. She is regarded as one of the most significant British female performers in history. In her own band, Sade played lead vocals.

Her 1984 first album Diamond Life quickly rose to the top of its genre. She participated in the famed Live Aid Charity Concert in 1985 singing. She received the OBE in 2002 in recognition of her commitment to music.

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Alanis Morissette

The Rolling Stones dubbed Alanis the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst and she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. The distinctive mezzo-soprano vocals of the Canadian-American singer-songwriter and record producer are well-known in the music business.

Her most well-known and rock-related album, Jagged Little Pill, was published in 1995 and has since sold over 33 million copies worldwide. A rock musical based on the record was produced in 2017, and it received over 15 Tony nominations, including Best Musical.

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Bonnie Tyler

Welsh singer Bonnie is well known for her distinctive husky voice. She first gained notoriety in 1977 with her debut album, which featured the singles Lost in France and More Than a Lover.

Then in 1978, It's a Heartache, one of her songs, reached positions three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and four on the UK singles chart. She started writing rock songs in the 1980s, including the hugely popular song Total Eclipse of the Heart.

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Sophie Ellis-Bextor

The main singer of the Britpop and indie rock band Theaudience, Sophie is an English singer-songwriter and model who first gained notoriety in the 1990s. After the band broke up, Ellis-Bextor found solo success with her compositions that fused disco, pop, and electronic music from the 1980s.

Read My Lips, her 2001 debut solo album, went double platinum and peaked at number two on the UK Albums Charts. In the UK, her second album peaked at number seven in 2007.

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Paula Abdul

American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress, and TV personality Paula Abdul is well-known. She became famous after directing Janet Jackson's music videos at the height of the music video craze. Abdul released her debut album, Forever Your Girl, in 1988 after joining Virgin Records.

After selling over seven million copies in the US and setting a record on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, it went on to become one of that era's most popular albums, matching her with the illustrious Diana Ross.

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Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actor, record producer, and TV judge who is popularly known by her stage name. Because of how frequently she reinvents herself in both music and design, she is sometimes referred to as the Princess of Pop by the media in Europe.

With more than 70 million records sold worldwide, Minogue is the best-selling female musician from Australia in history. Additionally, she has received numerous musical honors, including a Grammy, three Brit Awards, and 17 ARIA Music Awards.

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Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards and has won one of them. The American singer-songwriter has four decades of success in the music industry, with fifteen top-charting albums in the US.

The tune Criminal from her 1996 first album, Tidal, won the Grammy Award for Best Female Vocal Rock Performance. When the Pawn, her subsequent album, was likewise a hit and earned a platinum certification.

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Tracy Chapman

Tracy is a multi-platinum-selling musician who has won four Grammy Awards. The popular songs Fast Car, Give Me One Reason, and Crossroads made the American singer-songwriter famous.

Six Grammys were nominated for Tracy Chapman, her debut album, and she won three of them, including Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for Fast Car. Six other studio albums by Chapman have been published since then, including the multi-platinum New Beginning record for which she received her fourth Grammy.

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Shakira

Shakira's wide range of musical tastes has earned her the title of Queen of Latin Music. The singer-songwriter from Colombia is also a well-known actress, dancer, and philanthropist. With the release of her 2001 album Laundry Service, which sold over 13 million copies, Shakira gained popularity in the English-speaking market.

Her international number-one singles Whenever, Wherever and Underneath Your Clothes were included in this album and cemented her position as a global music business leader.

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Mary J. Blige

One of the most admired singers of the past 30 years is largely considered Mary J. Blige. She has had many hits, including Family Affair and Without You, the latter of which Billboard ranked as the all-time most popular R&B/Hip-Hop song.

Blige has dabbled with acting throughout the years, playing important roles in movies like Mudbound, for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Recently, she also appeared in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy as a lead.

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Dido

Dido, an English singer who was born Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong, rose to prominence in 1999 with the release of her self-titled debut album. Over 21 million copies of the album were sold worldwide, and it received numerous honors, including two Brit Awards and the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act.

With songs like White Flag and the version of Life for Rent, her third album, Life for Rent, released in 2003, helped her gain further notoriety. Dido broke records on the UK charts as a result of the popularity of her first two albums.

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Britney Spears

Spears' powerful teen pop songs in the late 1990s and early 2000s have earned her the title of "Princess of Pop" in the US. The dancer and singer-two songwriter's platinum-certified albums, Baby One More Time (1999) and Oops!... I Did It Again (2000), helped her become the best-selling teenage musician in history.

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked her debut song the best hit of all time, and her second album set a 15-year record for its opening week's sales by selling more than a million copies.

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Sheryl Crow

Over the years, Sheryl Crow has enjoyed crossover success, and that is an understatement. Crow, who is best known for her country music, has dabbled in a number of other genres and media.

Crow, who is renowned for songs like All I Wanna Do and If It Makes You Happy, had the privilege of performing the film's theme song in 1997. By 2020, Crow will have sold more than 50 million records worldwide and will have won a record-breaking nine Grammy Awards.

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Dionne Warwick

It might surprise you to learn that Dionne Warwick is among the top 40 most popular singers from the second half of the 20th century. It's not difficult to understand why with popular tunes like Walk On By and I Say a Little Pray for You.

56 of Warwick's tracks reached the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998. Warwick is a well-known humanitarian outside of the music industry and has served as the Food and Agriculture Organization's Global Ambassador for the United Nations. Damon Elliot, Warwick's second son, is a gifted record producer.

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Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill, a performer who is incredibly flexible, seems to have done it all in the entertainment business, particularly in the 1990s. Hill first gained notoriety with Wyclef Jean and Pras in the hip-hop trio The Fugees before launching a successful solo career.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, her CD, was well-received by critics. Hill hasn't been in the spotlight for the past 20 years, but after pleading guilty to tax evasion, she has made headlines.

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Stevie Nick

There is no doubt that Stevie Nick's career has been a rollercoaster. Nicks is well-known for her work as a vocalist with Fleetwood Mac. As the years passed, her involvement in the group got increasingly important, and she is prominently featured in one of the group's most popular hits, Dreams.

Nicks was ranked among the top 100 songwriters of all time by Rolling Stone. She has experience in acting, having appeared in programs like Up All Night and American Horror Story.

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Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani is well-known to music lovers as the lead singer of the '90s rock band No Doubt. But as time went on, the gifted singer made the switch to mainstream pop and established a prosperous solo career. Numerous of Stefani's songs were enormous blockbusters, including Hollaback Girl, the first US download to sell one million copies.

With her long tenure as a host of The Voice and her public romance with country music star Blake Shelton, Stefani is still as relevant as ever.

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Judy Garland

Despite the fact that Judy Garland was a gifted singer, this is not how most people remember her. Many people would probably say that they are familiar with the term because of one of the most well-known movies in history, The Wizard of Oz, if they were asked.

In spite of this, Garland had a remarkable range and was a highly talented vocalist. She had a very flexible approach to music, and she could sing and perform jazz, soul, and blues with ease. We should note that she discovered all of this on her own.

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Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton actually began her career as a songwriter for other musicians rather than a vocalist. Her time spent assisting other musicians in their careers paid off, as she saved some of her favorite lines for herself and went on to become the current global phenomenon.

Even though her career hit a bit of a low point in the 1990s after peaking in the 1970s and 1980s, it appears that Dolly Parton is on the verge of a comeback.

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Nina Simone

Nina Simone didn't enter the music business because she desired fame and financial success. She had no choice because her family depended on the money.

She started off by playing the piano in bars before being discovered and given a contract offer, which helped her become well-known. She recorded approximately 30 studio and live albums during the course of her career. She was gifted at “belting barroom blues, crooning cabaret, and exploring jazz.”

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Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox, one of the iconic figures of the 1980s synthpop genre, is best known for being one-half of the popular band Eurythmics. She had a reputation for breaking the mold, perhaps best recognized for her orange-dyed short hair and suit in the Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) music video.

Lennox also enjoyed success as a solo performer and contributed songs to the soundtracks of popular films including The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

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Janet Jackson

It cannot be disputed that Janet Jackson is a member of musical royalty. Janet Jackson never let the fact that she was Michael Jackson's younger sister and that she was a member of the Jackson Five deter her from pursuing her dreams.

She made a name for herself as a teenage singer and actress when she appeared in TV shows like Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes. With big tracks like Rhythm Nation and All for You, Jackson has sold over 100 million albums worldwide.

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Shania Twain

Shania Twain is more than simply a singer; she is also a queen, but not the monarch of any nation or realm.

Twain is the undisputed "Queen of Country Pop," according to her admirers. She has a strong affinity for country music, stating that it is "still your grandpa's music, but it's also your daughter's music." I'm happy to be a part of it as it continues to grow and improve. Twain has been touring extensively since the release of her last album in 2017.

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Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin is regarded by many as one of the most well-known female rock stars of her time. Before recording two albums and gaining a slot at the legendary Woodstock music festival, she made her start on stage in front of live crowds, performing at a number of festivals.

She has served as a great source of inspiration for many. Janis "put herself out there entirely," in the words of Stevie Nicks, “and her voice was not just strong and soulful; it was terribly and passionately true.”

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Lady Gaga

Have you ever wondered Lady Gaga's real name? We can understand why she could have abbreviated her full name to a much more pronounceable stage name as it is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.

She has undoubtedly established herself as a phenomenal singer. Beyond that, though, she has become a popular topic of discussion due to her taste in attire and costumes, as well as her seductive theatrical performances. Before going on to the international scene and becoming the legend that she is today, she began her career by working in clubs all across New York.

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The greatest female singers of the last 100 years

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