The 49 Most Influential Men Of 2011

This list was published with permission from AskMen.

More than half a million of our readers voted, along with our staff, to determine the Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2011.

The men who made the list come from different walks of life, but they're all visionaries who completely own their respective fields. They not only challenge themselves to become Better Men every day, but they're dedicated to furthering the future of mankind (even Charlie Sheen, in his own strange way).

These are the men history will remember as having defined 2011. So who made the list?

#49 Simon Cowell

Why is Simon Cowell #49?

Despite all the accolades Steven Tyler received during his inaugural run as a judge on American Idol, it was clear from the get-go that the Aerosmith front man would be unable to match the incisive and insightful commentary that Simon Cowell, his predecessor, became famous for. Yes, American Idol still achieved massive ratings, but that was pre-X Factor. This fall, the acid-tongued Brit debuted his massively anticipated talent show. While there was no shortage of buzz thanks to its overseas success and the long-awaited reunion of Cowell and his former better half, Paula Abdul, ratings on this side of the pond have been less than stellar. Cowell’s reported $80-million net worth speaks volumes, but we're not sure his new show can usurp Idol as America’s No. 1 talent competition. Still, Cowell's performance portfolio says we shouldn’t bet against him just yet.

Three Highlights of Simon Cowell's 2011

• Although American Idol is still America's No. 1 TV show, Cowell left the show that made him famous stateside in 2011.

• Reportedly had a falling-out with former X Factor costar Cheryl Cole after a conversation about politics.

• Revealed in a recent interview with Howard Stern that he’s had a threesome and once went on a blind date with Denise Richards

Source: AskMen

#48 Oscar Pistorius

Why is Oscar Pistorius #48?

Never has an athlete made eighth place look so good. When Oscar Pistorius of South Africa came in first in his heat of the men’s 400m semifinal at this summer’s IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, it was his biggest win in a career full of them. You see, as a child, Pistorius had both legs amputated (due to congenital absence of the fibula) and replaced with bladelike carbon-fiber prostheses, which some say gives him an unfair advantage when running against two-footed humans. We say hogwash! Pistorius’ achievements should not be relegated to a byproduct of his disability, but instead as a result of his rigorous training and limitless heart. Now Pistorius turns his attentions to

#47 Bradley Cooper

Why is Bradley Cooper #47?

Bradley Cooper’s not really a cocksure jerk; he just plays one in the movies. In fact, no one is more surprised by his late-in-life success than Cooper himself. Once destined for middle-of-the-closing-credits irrelevance, Cooper has parlayed the success of 2009’s The Hangover into an unlikely spot atop Hollywood’s A-list. 2011 saw the permanently scruffy star carry a film on his own for the first time, as a genius who juices in Limitless. And that was just the calm before the storm: This past summer, Cooper got smashed, and so did box-office records, as The Hangover Part II became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy ever. Bradley Cooper -- proving that the 30s are the new 20s, one blockbuster at a time.

Please follow Business Insider on Twitter and Facebook.