The Next Generation Of Male Pop Stars

Maybe once he jumps the Good Ship 1D, Styles, famously the most rakishly charming member of the band, will go on to new solo heights. Though he'll need to lose his apparent contempt for playing the promo game; in the pop world, that just doesn't fly.

The surprise pop star of the year just may be this Rumson, N.J., native who's made his mark with the chart-topping Furious 7 anthem "See You Again," with Wiz Khalifa, and the Meghan Trainor pair-up "Marvin Gaye." You have to like his odds.

Once touted as the "next Bieber," Mahone has released only one EP since signing with the rap-heavy label Cash Money two years ago. Things feel stuck in neutral for him, though iHeartMedia's Dastur has heard new music from him and is optimistic.

Yes, he's also a cute Canadian teen who made his name online. But the guitar-plucking Mendes actually has less in common with Justin Bieber than he does with Ed Sheeran. Though his debut, Handwritten, bowed at No. 1 in April, it's yielded no top 10 singles.

Abel Tesfaye shunned the spotlight at first thanks to his unwillingness to be a public figure. Now he's embracing it. "Love Me Harder" and "Earned It" are radio staples, and the new "Can't Feel My Face" is his most mainstream-friendly jam yet.

When the highly touted folkie from England appeared as the musical guest on SNL in March, most Americans responded, "Who?" But likable songs that aim for the sweet spot between Mumford and Sheeran appeal could take him far.

With LGBT progress on so many fronts, it's high time we had an out-and-proud male pop star who doesn't just channel Freddie Mercury. So who better to root for than this YouTube sensation from Australia? Bonus: He's got musical and comedic chops.