Underwood gets influential

The full list and related tributes appear in the May 5 issue of Time, available on newsstands and tablets on April 25, and now at www.time.com/time100.

Underwood will also headline a performance as part of the Time 100 Gala to be held on April 29 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The black-tie dinner will include present and past recipients of most influential list. Previous guests have included President Bill Clinton, Justin Timberlake, Oprah Winfrey, Amy Poehler, Gabrielle Giffords and Steven Spielberg.

The TIME 100 features pairings of the influentials and the guest contributors TIME selects to write about them. Underwood's longtime friend Brad Paisley serves as the guest writer for her profile in this year's issue. "Not only has she earned her place (in country music), she's raised the bar: a prolific songwriter, a trend-setter and an Opry member. But it's her decency as a person that is so impressive."

The list, now in its 11th year, recognizes the activism, innovation and achievement of the world's most influential individuals. "The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world, it's not a list of the smartest people in the world, it's a list of the most influential people in the world.," the magazine said. "They're scientists, they're thinkers, they're philosophers, they're leaders, they're icons, they're artists, they're visionaries. People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people."