Dec 22, 2016 08:06 AM EST By Jane Reed, UniversityHerald Reporter

Women have made their voices heard in 2016. Women from different industries, cultures and groups have stood up in the face of uncertainty to break the cracks. Now, 2017 is almost here. But 2016 has brought in a host of female influences from politics, activism, music and even pop.

There are five names that stand out in 2016. Before everyone ushers in the new year, take a look at the previous months and remember how these women changed everything.

Here are the top 5 most influential women of 2016:

Hillary Clinton 

She may have lost to Donald Trump in the United States presidential election but she stood up against Trump's misogynistic comments, as reported by Lifestyle. Clinton's advice to all little girls is to never doubt that they are valuable and powerful.

Amal Clooney 

George Clooney's wife took on ISIS. The human rights lawyer is considered to be an influential figure. But 2016 was a tough year for Amal. Regardless of the controversies she faced, she announced that she is taking on ISIS by providing legal representation to an ISIS victim.

Beyonce 

The Queen Bey is praised for her albume "Lemonade." It was her way of sending a political message in support of Black Lives Matter. Beyonce chose to feature strong women in her album amidst the sexism going on in America. "Lemonade" has been nominated for nine Grammys, including Album, Record and Song of the Year award, as reported by the Houston Press.

Emma Watson 

The former "Harry Potter" actress has been challenging sexism and promoting gender equality everywhere. During a UN assembly, Watson said that a university should be a place of refuge that takes action against all forms of violence. This is her response to gender inequality.

 Angelina Jolie

When Jolie declared that she had a double mastectomy, women started to seek genetic testing to find out if they have the BRCA1 gene that promotes ovarian cancer. Women are now becoming aware of this illness. Jolie has in a way saved their lives.

Check out Beyonce's Grammy nominated best video of the year "Formation" from her album "Lemonade" below:

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit