12. Breaking months of silence, West announces on his blog that he’s back in the studio, where he’s drawing inspiration from artists like Maya Angelou, Nina Simone, and Gil Scott-Heron. (Jan. 2)
Image Credit: George Napolitano/FilmMagic.com; Inset: AP Images
From creative triumphs (''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'') to water-cooler moments (''The Today Show''). Here is our countdown of the top 12.