The pop superstar has been selected as the latest honouree in recognition of her musical and charitable endeavours and she will receive the prize at a ceremony in her native New York on 11 December (15).

"Billboard's Woman of the Year has always represented the finest in music, and the anointing of a key influential figure who drove the conversation for that year," says awards boss Janice Min. "No one embodies that more than Lady GaGa in 2015. From her show-stopping performance at the Oscars, to her co-headlining tour, to her philanthropic outreach and foundation promoting youth wellbeing and empowerment, to her new role as TV star (on American Horror Story: Hotel), there is no woman dominating popular culture tastes and its evolution as much as she is today. What a force."

Celebrating the news on Twitter.com, Gaga writes, "I can't believe @billboard named me Woman of the year thank you so much I am so so so so grateful."

Gaga follows in the footsteps of Taylor Swift, who was honoured as Billboard's Woman of the Year in 2014.