Bisexual singer Lady Gaga and lesbian TV presenter Ellen DeGeneres have been named in the top ten of a list of the world’s 100 most powerful women.

Forbes’ 2010 list places the pair ahead of women such as House speaker Nancy Pelosi and US secretary of homeland security Janet Napolitano.

Last year’s list was mostly comprised of politicians and international chief executives but Forbes said this year that the new ranking ” reflects the New Order of now”.

Gaga, who has been campaigning against the military gay ban, was number seven on the list and was credited with “reinvigorating pop music”.

DeGeneres, who recently quit as an American Idol judge, was ranked at number ten. Her show pulls in three million viewers per day.

Lesbian presenter Rachel Maddow is listed at 50, while Icelandic prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, who recently married her partner, was ranked at number 80.

The Queen, at number 41, is the only British woman on the list.

The top ten:

1. Michelle Obama, 46. First lady.

2. Irene Rosenfeld, 47. CEO of Kraft Foods.

3. Oprah Winfrey, 56. Talk show host.

4. Angela Merkel, 56. German chancellor.

5. Hillary Rodham Clinton, 62. US Secretary of State.

6. Indra Nooyi, 54. CEO of Pepsico.

7. Lady Gaga, 24. Singer.

8. Gail Kelly, 54. CEO of Westpac.

9. Beyoncé Knowles, 29. Singer.

10. Ellen DeGeneres, 52. Talk show host.