Entertainment Tonight

Britney Spears, Barack Obama and Brad Pitt all topped the headlines this year, but who ranks the highest on ET's annual Hot List?

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Each year, ET ranks the top 20 stars based on who received the most coverage and mentions on the show within the past year. From a historical election to surprising splits, sizzling romances and major comebacks, 2008 was a remarkable year for celebrity news.

Britney Spears, who came back strong this month with her No. 1 hit album Circus, tops the list, joining such previous No. 1 stars as Anna Nicole Smith ('07), Tom Cruise ('06), Oprah Winfrey ('05 and '04), Jennifer Lopez ('03) and Jennifer Aniston ('02). Noticeably absent from this year's list are paparazzi faves Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, while Miley Cyrus makes her first appearance on the list at No. 13.

Here's the complete list of the top 20 of 2008:

1. Britney Spears
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Brad Pitt
4. Barack Obama
5. Angelina Jolie
6. George Clooney
7. Tom Cruise
8. Donny Osmond
9. Jennifer Aniston
10. Julianne Hough
11. Hillary Clinton
12. Marie Osmond
13. Miley Cyrus
14. Madonna
15. Katie Holmes
16. John McCain
17. America Ferrera
18. Michelle Obama
19. Will Smith
20. Valerie Bertinelli