A highly-respected male performer—who we shall not name—insisted that Arson was the top talent he worked with in 2024. And this guy shoots at least 3-4 times per week with some of the biggest-name talent in the industry. So, yes … that’s quite a compliment, especially considering Arson entered porn just over a year ago after finishing college in Canada, where she juggled jobs at a thrift store and a nightclub to help pay for school. Arson is a former competitive gymnast, which has led to some memorable moments in scenes with Jules Jordan, Nade Nasty, Johnny Sins, Zac Wild and others. “I have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos,” Arson tells PornCrush. “It essentially means that I have an excess production of collagen in my body, and it allows for me to move in ways that you normally do not see.” Arson makes no secret of her love of sloppy scenes, whether it involves excess spit, sloppy rimming, squirting or streaking mascara. She’s already become an anal star and handed over her double-penetration card to Jordan and Wild in a scorching scene that somehow fell short of an AVN nomination. Arson was a shoo-in for her Best New Starlet nomination from AVN and may have had a strong chance to win had she not stepped away from the industry during the fall and winter to deal with some personal issues back in Canada. Either way, expect Arson to be back on the grind in 2025, when she has the potential to become one of the industry’s most well-known performers.

After six years in the industry, Blu was finally presented with the type of career-changing opportunities that would help elevate her brand to a new level. She was cast as the lead (obviously) in Holly Randall’s “Broken Butterfly: The Perfect Shade of Blu” and her performance led to a Best Acting nomination from AVN. As well, the 82-minute project was nominated for “Best Featurette.” The cherry on top came when Blu was named as a Performer of the Year finalist by both AVN and XBIZ for the first time in her career. So, yes, 2024 was indeed a breakthrough year for Blu in terms of awards and industry notoriety. But then again, Blu has been wildly popular with fans for years. She’s regarded as one of the top cam girls, streamers and content creators in the business and boasts No. 118 ranking on PornHub. Physically, Blu looks better than she ever has, as she was one of the biggest head-turners on various red carpets throughout 2024. With her bookings increasing right along with her confidence and energy, 2025 could be an even better year for Blu.

It’s common for mainstream performers to roll their eyes and scoff at “content creators” who enter the industry, shoot a few studio scenes and then tout themselves as porn stars. Early on the feeling was that Dangler was destined for that narrative. But instead, nearly a year later, Dangler is still her shooting porn. The Detroit native paid her dues, worked her ass off and proved that she wasn't like so many others, and for that, she's earned industry-wide respect. An AVN Best New Starlet nominee, Dangler boasts 1.2 million followers on Instagram and nearly 700,000 more on X, but the reasons for her popularity extend far beyond her movie-star smile, bodacious boobs and sizzling sex scenes. In an era where fans want to feel connected to the performers they support, Dangler is easy to like and root for. She lays her personal life on the table for everyone to see, whether it involves documenting a fun day on set or a heart-wrenching Thanksgiving Day conversation with her unsupportive father about her career choice. Dangler is also a strong advocate for abused animals. She houses seven dogs, raises money for shelters and encourages people to adopt. She lashed out against Mia Khalifa over the former model's asinine comments about the US Military. In a more recent post, she pleaded with new performers who are sometimes young and naive to save money, and offered to set them up with an accountant who would keep their finances in check. "I'm just looking out for my girlies," Dangler said. Yes, behind those big boobs, there’s an even bigger heart. Dangler doesn’t need anyone’s validation, but we’re giving her ours anyway, because we couldn’t be more impressed with how Dangler went about things in 2024.

For Green, 2024 was one of those magical years when things started off on a high note and then kept getting better month after month. The positive vibes began in January when Green served as a Trophy Girl at the AVN Awards in Las Vegas. And they continued when director Ricky Greenwood cast Green as the co-lead alongside Seth Gamble in Digital Playground’s  “Synthesis,” which marked her first feature film. Green estimates she shot more than 50 studio scenes in 2024 for studios such as Brazzers, Vixen, RIcky’s Room and Evil Angel. As a passion project, she also started her own anime-themed magazine that has been a hit with both fans and fellow performers. “Things never slowed down for me this year,” Green says. “And I’m not complaining, I loved every minute of it.” Earlier this month, super agent Mark Spiegler announced he'd added Green to his stable of all-stars. Of all her accomplishments, Green says it was this one that evoked the biggest sense of pride—the perfect bow around an already-fulfilling year.

A former circus worker with cute little freckles and an adorable high-pitched voice, Hawks shot approximately 60 studio scenes in 2024. But it was the type of bookings that indicated just how high Hawks' star has risen, as she worked for virtually every major studio in the business over the past 12 months. Hawks group scene for Blacked with Chanel Camryn and a pair of hung swordsmen earned an AVN nomination for Best Foursome/Orgy. She was also nominated for Best Girl/Girl Scene for her Girlsway tryst with Explicit Kate, and Hawks was included in Kira Noir’s Brazzers showcase “Kira on Display.” Adult Time, Deeper, Slayed, Reality Kings, Nubiles, Jules Jordan and Elegant Angel were among the other studios and banners to feature Hawks in 2024. One year after being nominated for Best New Starlet, Hawks took things to an even higher level, and her dedication and professionalism have caused her reputation to soar right along with her bookings.

No trans talent enters awards season with as much momentum as Kade, who was the most prolific performer in her genre in 2024. Kade is nominated for six AVN awards and is among the leading candidates for the coveted Trans Performer of the Year trophy. Some of the best work of Kade’s career can be found in Bachelor Party Surprise, a six-on-one romp that marked Kade’s first-ever gangbang. Kade—who has already been crowned Trans Performer of the Year by Adult Empire—has always been hailed as an elite on-screen talent. But in 2024 she gained more and more praise for the way she carries herself away from set. Kade’s warmth and kindness make her a favorite among her co-stars, and she’s low-drama and free of toxicity on social media. A frequent guest on podcasts, Kade represents the industry well, much like Emma Rose did in 2023, when she was constantly under the spotlight. Always on point with her style and fashion, Kade owned every red carpet she stepped on over the past 12 months. She proved in 2024 that she’s a good ambassador not just for trans performers, but for the entire adult industry.

Born in the Bible Belt of Kansas, Kingsley was forced to sign abstinence cards in middle school, vowing she wouldn’t have sex before marriage. That didn’t exactly work out. The former high school basketball star moved to California after graduation and shot OnlyFans content before transitioning to studio porn. Kingsley debuted in the summer of 2023 and had shot her first anal scene (with Vince Karter) by the end of the year. But Kingsley’s popularity truly began to soar in 2024, when she became a favorite of Mike Adriano and also the folks at Dogfart. Kingsley excels in Virtual Reality (VR) scenes; her threesome alongside Haley Spades and an unnamed male talent for VR Bangers is a must watch. Kingsley appeared twice on the cover of Hustler magazine in 2024, including a November issue that included a 14-page centerfold spread. Kingsley is one of six performers to be nominated for both Best New Starlet (by AVN) and Best New Performer (XBIZ).

“Good LORD Raven Lane is so hooottt!” Those were the comments uttered by a high-level male performer to PornCrush as Lane walked the red carpet at the XBIZ nominations party in November. Granted, we at PornCrush had been privy to this confidential information since Lane’s debut, but eventually the secret leaked out, and now everyone is hopping on the bandwagon. And they should! Lane is a special talent with a unique, alluring look, so it was good to see her opportunitesincrease significantly in 2024, when studios such as Blacked Raw, Kink, Naughty America, Nubiles and Evil Angel lined up to book Lane, some of them multiple times. Lane’s willingness to allow backdoor access also made her a favorite of anal-obsessed director/talent Mike Adriano, who raved about Lane’s performance. When it comes to tatted porn girls, few are hotter than Lane. The ink complements her flawless skin tastefully, without distracting from her pretty smile, tight waist and toned tushy. The highlight of Lane’s career to date came on Nov. 20, when AVN revealed that Lane was among the 15 finalists for the organization’s coveted Best New Starlet award. The BSN field is as strong as it's been in years, so Lane is in some lofty company. Which is right where she belongs.

How could anyone not like Myra Moans? Even folks who don’t know the Florida native personally will grow fond of her simply by following her on Instagram and SnapChat, where she exudes positivity and energy. Moans isn’t shy about her love of weed—but it certainly hasn’t made her lazy. The girl is an absolute workhorse, shooting 207 scenes since her debut in February of 2023. That’s an insane amount, especially considering that Moans isn’t even doing anal scenes. Yet. Moans wouldn’t get that many bookings if she wasn’t a top-tier performer. Multiple male talents have praised Moans’ sexual prowess during casual conversations with PornCrush. AVN and XBIZ rewarded Moans for her efforts with nominations for their coveted Best New Starlet and Newcomer of the Year awards, respectively. Moans also received multiple scene nominations as well as an AVN Fan Award nomination for her “Poddy Break” podcast. Yes,  somehow, Moans finds time to dabble in media ventures, too. Moans told PornCrush Thursday that she’s feeling so motivated lately that she’s skipping her annual trip home for Christmas so she can stay in LA and continue to work.  It’s always uplifting to see hard work paying off—especially for good people.

A nominee for AVN’s Best New Starlet award, Morgan is one of those performers who truly seems to enjoy her job. (She also truly enjoys In N Out, but that’s another story for another day). Morgan’s smile is constant and her energy and positivity are powerful. Morgan is a high-level performer, but she sets herself a part through her social media channels. Multiple times she’s met up with older, insecure fans and agreed to have sex with them, but her documentation of the events leading up to the “big moment” are what truly make the videos special. Morgan shot for Blacked and Naughty America in 2024 but did most of her work for MILF-related sites.

The audience roared with approval last January when Li became the first black performer to win the Best Trans Newcomer trophy at the AVN Awards in Las Vegas. Li is incredibly well-liked within the industry and has steered clear of the toxicity and online drama that—fair or not—can often sour public opinion about a performer. Instead of resting on her laurels after a banner 2023, Li came back even stronger in 2024. While she flourished in shoots for Adult Time, Grooby, TransAngels and others, her best work came for Evil Angel. Li appeared in three scenes for the A-list studio, including a square-off with fell trans performer Kasey Kei and also in a threesome with Kenzie Taylor and Andre Stone. It was Lee’s tango with super-squirter Valerica Steele, however, that earned Li a nomination in AVN’s “Best Trans One-On-One Sex Scene” category. She is also nominated for Trans Performer of the Year. Li—who has a knack for standing out on a red carpet—should enter 2025 full of momentum and confidence.

For the past few years, the universal take on Reid was that, if she ever fully committed herself to the industry, she would be one of the top stars in the game. Well, Reid did exactly that in 2024, and her ascension was dramatic. Reid shot approximately 40 studio scenes over the last 12 months and played a prominent role in the feature movie “Project X” for Digital Playground. Even though it inexplicably didn't garner any award nominations, Reid's lesbian hookup with Alina Lopez for Slayed was one of the best Girl-Girl scenes of the yea. Still, the majority of Reid’s best work in 2024 came from Brazzers, as it’s clear the mammoth studio sees a massive upside in the Riley Reid protege. Some of the best reels in porn history were filmed this year for Brazzers and showcased Reid in boxing attire. Still, for Reid, the highlight of 2024 came on Nov. 19, when XBIZ announced that she was one of the 15 finalists for the organization’s coveted Female Performer of the Year award. Reid didn’t make the cut in the same category for AVN, which was somewhat surprising considering she was nominated in multiple other categories, including Best Double Penetration scene, Best Blowbang and Best Solo/Tease. The feeling here is that Reid was one of the Top 10 performers in the industry in 2024.

No Best New Starlet nominee has a better resume than Ritchie, the England native who has been the industry's hardest-working performer for the past 18 months. Ritchie has appeared in nearly 200 studio scenes during that span and worked for virtually every major company. Brazzers is particularly high on Ritchie, choosing to include her in its 20th Anniversary orgy last summer even though she’d only been in the industry a year. A professional dominatrix before entering porn, Ritchie has appeared in features for Dorcel, Adult Time and others. Her background in dance makes her comfortable on stage. “She’s the perfect fit for this industry,” Mark Spiegler, who is Ritchie’s agent, says. “We want perverts. We want people doing this not just because of the money, but because they like it. And it’s obvious Gal genuinely loves this job.”

A Best New Starlet nominee in 2024, Rose has the largest X account of anyone on this list with 954,000-plus followers. Her popularity is soaring, so it’s hardly a surprise that Brazzers has asked Rose to sign exclusively at its booth during both the X3 and AVN Expos next month. Speaking of award shows, Adult Time’s “All or Nothing: A Hailey Rose Showcase” is nominated for a trophy along with blowjob scene featuring Rose, Hollywood Cash and Jonni Darkko. Rose recently surpassed the 100-scene plateau for studio shoots, but Rose’s popularity is quickly nearing a level where she can be picky and more selective about which bookings she takes moving forward. And which ones she doesn’t.

Luckily, PornCrush was able to corral Ryder back in March for a Crush of the Month interview and photoshoot. If we’d have waited much longer, Ryder might not have had time to accommodate the request. With at least 80 studio shoots, Ryder was in constant demand in 2024, and for good reason. Along with boasting one of the industry’s best backsides, Ryder is such a good performer that male colleagues often have to fend off the dreaded pre-pop. Ryder is one of only two 2024 AVN Best New Starlet nominees to be nominated for Female Performer of the Year in 2025. Even though she may be considered a long shot to win—mostly because a sophomore has never captured the trophy—Ryder certainly has an award-worthy resume. Her gangbang for Ricky’s Room was a sight to behold and garnered a nomination in that category. She also earned nominations for Best Oral Sex Scene, Best Foursome/Orgy Scene and Best Three-way Sex Scene. And “Willow’s Room” is a finalist for Best Showcase. That’s quite a year for the Tennessee native, who is a good bet to win POY at some point in her career if she maintains this pace. Also, we haven’t even mentioned Ryder’s victory in the Twerk Contest at the Second Annual PornCrush Pool Party, when Ryder edged out Gia Derza, Ameena Green and a host of other top tier booty bouncers. It was truly one of the most iconic moments in the industry's history, and anything else Ryder accomplishes will pale compared to that night. *I hope everyone detects the sarcasm here, although that WAS a pretty epic contest!

With cascading black hair that dangles past her waistline, Wilde is quite the head-turner. And her trademark glasses give off the “girl behind the counter at McDonalds” vibes, which is fitting, because Wilde actually was a McDonald’s employee back in the day, and she made a name for herself by filming herself blowing her manager during breaks and then posting the footage on PornHub. Wilde transitioned into studio porn in January of 2023 and has shot well over 150 scenes. Although she doesn’t do anal, Wilde is comfortable in just about any other genre. She did blowbangs and gangbangs in 2024 as well as a slew of boy-girl scenes and threesomes. But Wilde’s most positive feedback stems from her work in Virtual Reality (VR) content, as she’s great at engaging with the camera. Wilde earned a nomination for “Best VR Group Sex Scene” for her work alongside Agatha Vega and John Strong. But her biggest accomplishment to date is being included on the list of Best New Starlet nominees. Wilde was at the AVN Nominations Party in Hollywood last month, and she said hearing her name announced with the other big-name finalists caused her to break into tears of joy.