Blondie - While many have singled out their similar looks, it’s her punk-edge that Lady Gaga has most notably taken from Blondie’s Debbie Harry. Both are dynamic stage performers, yet still manage to maintain a level of unpredictability and outrageousness - which are two characteristics that’s sent millions of people around the world out to watch Lady Gaga over the last 18 months.

Prince - Many critics gave drawn parallels between Lady Gaga’s outfits and the costumes sported by Prince on stage in the 80s. Take a look yourself and it’s not hard to see why. The Purple One’s elaborate hair styles and military uniforms have been an obvious source of inspiration for the star.

Cher - Hit Google, and you’ll find endless lists of people who have asked: “Is Lady Gaga the new Cher?” And it’s no surprise. Not only are the New Yorker’s outfits reminiscent of Cher’s wardrobe before she went all plastic, she also exhibits the singer’s huge vocal range - which consistently thrills fans at her live shows.

David Bowie - Although Lady Gaga has chosen to shun numerous collaborations in order to forge her own career, she has been unable to hide her desire to perform with David Bowie. A self-confessed super-fan of the star, Gaga has revealed in recent interviews that she modeled herself on Bowie. “I used to like sit in my apartment for hours and do his make-up on myself over and over again,” she said.

Grace Jones - Like Madonna, Lady Gaga appears to draw inspiration for many of her stage outfits from Grace Jones. In fact, it’s not gone unnoticed. In an interview earlier this year, Jones was asked about the similarities between the two stars and, after much pressing, said she’d much rather work with some who is ”not copying me”.

Look familiar? Lady Gaga copies Jones's penchant for headdresses.

Freddie Mercury - If you thought Madonna was Lady Gaga’s biggest influence, think again. In a recent interview she described the late Queen frontman as “unique” who had “one of the biggest personalities in the whole of pop music” - a crown Lady Gaga looks determined to obtain.

Michael Jackson - The ways the King of Pop have inspired pop’s latest Princess (and potential future Queen) are endless. But we’ll consider just one - their music videos. Lady Gaga has said herself that she’s trying to bring back Jackson’s famous “event” productions, which often surpassed the ten-minute mark in length. Such was the expectation, for example, that he video for the singer’s recent single ‘Telephone’ achieved more than 16 million hits on YouTube in four days. It also emerged recently that Jackson had asked Lady Gaga to support him at his ill-fated London comeback gigs.

Lady Gaga has heralded the return of "event" videos originally made famous by Jackson. Here she is in 'Telephone'.

Gwen Stefani - Like Stefani when she chose to launch a solo career from No Doubt, Lady Gaga has mastered the skill of combining fashion, art and technology to create the ultimate live experience.

Look familiar?

Madonna - While Lady Gaga has cherry-picked some of the best assets from most musicians on our list, few could disagree with the fact that she has essentially modeled herself on Madonna. One only has to look through Gaga’s infinite wardrobe to see designs the veteran star sported more than 20 years ago. To some the parallels verge on ridiculous, but to others they highlight Lady Gaga’s determination to reach the very top of the pop world.

Lady Gaga doing her best Madonna impression.

Kanye West - Elaborate stage shows come hand-in-hand for these two musicians. While West has performed on everything from a spaceship to an unidentified planet, Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball has taken her from downtown New York to seedy strip joints. These are artists with bold ambitions. So it came as no surprise last year when the pair were booked to do a co-headlining tour in the US, although the dates were later cancelled in the wake of West’s outburst at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Like Kanye, Gaga has developed a taste for lavish stage sets.

Elton John - When Lady Gaga and Sir Elton John performed together for the first time at the 2010 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, the veteran star’s influence on the singer’s music and stage show was evident. Sitting on adjacent pianos, the pair performed a medley of Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Speechless’ while smothered in dirt. It was both moving and playful - characteristics that have dominated Sir Elton’s career. They established the partnership more recently at the White Tie and Tiara Ball.

Scissor Sisters - Lady Gaga has acknowledged the “big influence” fellow New York act Scissor Sisters have had on both her music and her stage show. Both, for example, have become renowned for their elaborate, stereotype-challenging productions, which come complete with large props and bold light shows. So it was not unexpected when, in a recent interview with Gigwise, frontman Jake Shears said he was “proud” to have been of service.

M.I.A - Confident, outlandish and not afraid to speak their mind are all mannerisms Lady Gaga undoubtedly shares with M.I.A. And like the British-Sri Lankan rapper, Lady Gaga has also developed a reputation for creating unpredictable music that works seamlessly on a more popular level. But that’s a trait that’s not gone down with M.I.A, who dismissed Lady Gaga recently as “a good mimic”.

Shirley Bassey - While Lady Gaga might not have Shirley’s entire vocal range, she’s not far off. She’s also been evidently inspired by the veteran entertainer’s star quality - to the point that she performed alongside Dame Shirley at a charity even in New York earlier this year.

Peaches - While Lady Gaga has become famous for her outrageous dress sense - both on and off stage - few could argue that this wasn’t an attribute first being exercised by Peaches. The Canadian-born singer’s stage shows have for a long-time, like her lyrics, bordered the realms of the sexually explicit. Both have also not been afraid to challenge the perception of gender identity.