She was in the media category. For some people in that category being included in even a silly TV show is a desirable career move.

It seems odd to me that they highlighted Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, etc. under Music when there are plenty of successful internet-/self-created acts that are much more impressive in talent and ability to market. Seems unfair to people who don't have millions of dollars and dozens of handlers.

When I think 30 Under 30, I think people I don't know that are pushing the industry forward, not people that are shoved down my throat through old methods.

No matter who they choose, somebody would disagree with the choice. Whereas you would prefer to see internet / bootstrapped personalities (and I would too!), somebody else would argue that pop acts are a much bigger influence among the general population.

Justin Bieber isn't exactly in my musical demographic, but wasn't he some sort of Internet-famous YouTube thing before he was real-world famous? Or is that just the usual puff piece fake backstory?

Via Wikipedia:

As he grew up, Bieber taught himself to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. In early 2007, aged 12, Bieber sang Ne-Yo's "So Sick" for a local singing competition in Stratford and was placed second. Mallette posted a video of the performance on YouTube for their family and friends to see. She continued to upload videos of Bieber singing covers of various R&B songs, and Bieber's popularity on the site grew. Chris Hicks, Bieber's A&R at Island/Def Jam, explained Bieber's huge online following to HitQuarters, stating: "He was doing something different. He was an attractive white kid singing very soulful R&B hits. That set him apart immediately from anyone in his range because no one was covering or singing these kind of records."

FWIW, I don't like Bieber's music. But I respect him as a performer and moreso as a socially responsible figure (e.g. participates a lot in the Make-a-Wish foundation, donates a lot of his money to charities)

Who do you think marketed lady gaga before she had dozens of handlers?

Very true, but doesn't that mean she belongs on the 30 under 30 list a few years ago, not 2012?

This is more of what I was getting at; back when she was first up-and-coming and becoming a clear contender. Not x amount of albums and globally sold-out shows later. And to the sibling comment's point, I do actually think she's less influential than she has been in the past.

Only if you believe she is less influential than she used to be.

Is she influential? I think she's Dale Bozzio: The Next Generation down to the fashion (since who the fuck remembers the 80s, right?) with a bit of Madonna and Gwen Stefani along the way. In another fifteen years we'll see someone else doing the same schtick and most people will not remember any previous iteration of it.

She seems to have pretty well dropped off the radar in the second half of 2012. I'm hard-pressed to think of any very culturally influential rising stars in female pop--the standouts seem to be on flat or downward trajectories.

Forbes is a joke and so are popular media publications when they attempt to discuss the "under 30" crowd. Generalize an entire demographic into only a couple of big trends. No thanks.