MSN Lifestyle's Most Influential Women of 2008

Every year, we here at MSN Lifestyle assemble our list of influential people, and every year we end up asking ourselves the same question: What does "influential" really mean? Does it apply to someone living in the spotlight? Or is it meant for someone less well-known, working behind the scenes but motivating and inspiring just the same?
While it's never easy to define "influence," there are some things we can say for certain. This year's election felt so omnipresent and rife with historic implications we had to resist the urge to fill these lists with politicians and pundits. But even though politics took over our TVs, magazine covers and Web pages for many months, it wasn't the only game in town. The Olympics featured performances that shocked us with raw athletic brilliance. Advances were made in finding solutions for climate change. And celebrities continued to earn our attention.

Here are the women that made 2008 so memorable. See the Men's list

Miley Cyrus
Singer. Songwriter. Actress. Fashion designer. Pop-culture phenomenon. Throw in a multi-million dollar franchise built around an alter ego. That's a lot for a 16-year-old to juggle. Her memorabilia was among the top selling eBay categories of 2008. And Cyrus's Best of Both Worlds concert, which launched in October 2007, sold out across the country, prompting promoters to extend the tour until January of this year. But it's been noted that for Miley to continue her success, she'll need to reinvent herself and grow with her fan base. Perhaps she tried a little too soon. She caused an uproar when photos appeared earlier this year from a Vanity Fair photo spread, which featured a bare-backed Miley. And now she's being seen with an older, underwear-model boyfriend. Bad timing? Maybe. But let her be. Daddy's little girl growing up right in front of our eyes.