Taylor Swift named People's "most intriguing", Susan boyle, "the surprise hit"

Oprah Winfrey, who announced she would end her influential TV talk show in 2011, was honored as "the departing diva", Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as "the power pair" and President Barack Obama and wife Michelle as "the first couple."

The list is not ranked.

Swift, 20, whose country/pop crossover album is the biggest selling of 2009 and who won five American Music Awards and the coveted Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year, was named the "golden girl" in the People double-issue.

Swift said her success "feels like this ongoing dream," but told People she hoped to remain grounded.

"You can stay the same person, even if everything around you changes," she said, regarding her fame. "I would like to think everybody out there isn't just waiting for me to trip and fall and stumble out of a club drunk. People know I'm not a party girl. I'm not hiding some dying urge to be out clubbing right now."

In a new category marking the fall of a number of male celebrities in 2009, golfer Tiger Woods, rapper Kanye West, singer Chris Brown, reality star Jon Gosselin, and TV talk show host David Letterman, who admitted affairs with his staffers, were named "Men in the Doghouse."

Rihanna, who was attacked in February by then boyfriend Brown, was named the "resilient star" after a series of frank interviews in November and a new album.

Michael Jackson's three young children, suddenly thrust into the spotlight after the singer's death in June, were named "the descendants"; actor John Travolta "the heartbroken dad" after the death in January of his 16 year-old autistic son; and singer Lady Gaga the "shock star."

The special double-issue of People hits news stands on Friday.