Rihanna
Courtesy Esquire
The runner-up was fellow chart-topper Katy Perry.
With hits like "S&M" and new single "We Found Love," Rihanna, 23, is certainly known for turning up the heat in her music video shoots, not to mention live performances.
But the Barbados native is not all about looks – her latest album, Loud, has been certified platinum in more than a dozen countries.
The Esquire distinction has previously been awarded to stars like Minka Kelly and Halle Berry.
Last month, 30 Rock's Katrina Bowden was named Esquire's People's Choice for Sexiest Woman Alive. With more than 2,000 readers responding, Bowden took the crown from the 2010 winner, swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker.
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