42: Sade – Powerful Women of 2013

No one has ever made R&B sound any smoother than Sade Adu can.

Since the 1980s, the London songstress and her band has crafted hits like ‘Smooth Operator’ and ‘Paradise,’ which were so sultry that they are still on people’s lovemaking playlists to this day.

Throughout her career, she has released six albums including 2010’s ‘Soldier of Love,’ an LP that won her the Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo and Group.

Sade has sold more than 50 million singles and albums to date and was named one of the “100 Greats Artists of All Time” by VH1.

The 54-year-old may not have new tracks to showcase right now, but her spot on this list is rightfully deserved for the lauded career she's developed in addition to the many singers (and rappers) she's inspired along the way.