While the stars who command the concert stages of today have everything perfectly coordinated and styled to enhance their successful musical personas, they didn’t all start out with stylists, choreographers, and a crew of hundreds backstage. See what these musical stars looked like when left to their own devices to style themselves back in the day!

Sure, they’re (mostly) cool now. They’re music legends, hit makers, trendsetters. But back in the day? Not so much. The funny thing about nerds in high school is that they often grow up to be the smartest and most successful people around. So take note, you aspiring music superstars: Just because you’re a nerd doesn’t mean you won’t make it big.

This year’s Oscars seem to be all about The Artist. It feels like it has already won, even though the nominations were just announced. The film picked up 10 nominations, just one shy of Hugo. But let’s take a look back at some of the other nominations for the top movies and performances of 2011.