Thanks to social media, we’ve got front-row seats to the dazzling lives of the elite — soaking up the glamour, decoding the secrets, capturing their triumphs, and getting caught up in their scandals. The question of “Who is the most famous person in the world?“ has most likely crossed your mind more than once.

In this article, we delve into the irresistible appeal of fame, determine today’s modern popularity metrics, explore the stardom of 15 of today’s most famous people worldwide, and determine how they measure up as they continue to polish the sheen on their stars.

Table of ContentsHow Fame Has Become an Achievable DreamWhy Visibility Matters More Than TalentWhat Defines Fame TodayWho Is the Most Famous Person in the World Right Now?Cristiano RonaldoLionel MessiSelena GomezJustin BieberTaylor SwiftAriana GrandeElon MuskMark ZuckerbergJeff BezosDwayne JohnsonKylie JennerJennifer LopezBeyonceBarack ObamaJeon Jungkook

How Fame Has Become an Achievable Dream

In the recent decade, the obsession withcelebrity— or becoming a celebrity — has grown more intense, says writer Emma Rosenblum in a feature for Teen Vogue (1).

“Twenty years ago, stars were a much more rarefied bunch,” then came the time of the socialites that made instant celebrities out of the alta-rich of society, suggests Rosenblum.

Tabloids soon supported this wave, showing celebrities in their “regular lives” — doing groceries, grabbing coffee, going out on the street, and hitting the gym. This made stardom and influencer status seem all the more achievable.

According to Rosenblum, this gave birth to the concept of “stars are just like us,” and started an entirely new way of thinking about fame: If stars are just like us, why can’t we all be stars?

Then came the social media era. According to Alfie Kohn, thanks to mainly the digitized era, the possibility of fame seems tantalizingly within reach to more folks today than ever (2). The younger generation clings to this concept even more.

Kids no longer want to be lawyers, doctors, or astronauts. Instead, “They just want to be famous,” says Kohn. They also see famous people as their role models.

Why Visibility Matters More Than Talent

It is why many people, including children, scramble for visibility on YouTube or try to raise their social following on other platforms, even if they haven’t done anything notable.

What Defines Fame Today

The true celebrities of this era are those who hold sway. They may have substantial social followings but often pair it with corresponding skill, knowledge, or even controversy to shape public opinion.

What is so convenient with today’s social media platforms, like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, is that an individual’s reach and engagement metrics provide a real-time gauge of their current influence and impact.

Plus, recognition media coverage, awards, and endorsement deals help reinforce celebrity status further, making fame in 2024 both measurable and highly sought-after.

Who Is the Most Famous Person in the World Right Now?

In no particular order, we have listed some of the brightest stars in the world today — 15 global icons, from sports and music to politics and business. Vote on your favorites, and if you think we’ve overlooked someone significant, feel free to leave a comment below.

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Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing a red Portugal jersey with number 7, celebrates with clenched fists.

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Lionel Messi, wearing an Argentina jersey with the number 10 and a captain’s armband, smiles during a football match, looking over his shoulder.

Hollywood is the prime stage for cultivating fame, and Selena Gomez has shown that this is her playground. The American actress-singer successfully transcended from her teeny-bopper Disney days to a full-blown pop queen, diving into music and film with such unbridled enthusiasm.For a time, Gomez became the most followed celebrity of all time. Today, she still holds the top spot, following only Cristiano Ronaldo.According to the Exploding Topics report, Gomez has a cumulative reach of 689.1 million social media platform followers, with 58.2 million on TikTok, 424.3 million on Instagram, 65.8 million on X, 18.2 million on Threads, 88 million on Facebook, and 34.8 million on YouTube.Today, Gomez has expanded her reach even more with her beauty line. According to Bloomberg, her makeup enterprise Rare Beauty has made Gomez one of the country’s youngest women with a 10-figure fortune (9).

Selena Gomez, wearing a black dress with a gold keyhole emblem, smiles softly while standing outdoors with her long dark hair down.

Justin Bieber is regarded as one of the most innovative performers of this generation, and his talent has pushed him from small-town Ontario stages onto pop centerstage.Like many youngsters who dream of fame, Bieber was discovered on YouTube in 2007. Bieber’s extensive catalog of chart-topping hits inevitably earned him his following of 592.6 combined social media followers, including 27.6 million on TikTok, 294 million on Instagram, 110 million on X, 91 million on Facebook, and 73.6 million on YouTube.Beliebers have been following his career from the Strat and have supported his rise to fame. Despite his colorful and rather complicated life, which included very public love dramas and substance abuse, the singer-songwriter has been recognized because of his raw talent (US Weekly) (10).This is evident across the 18 AMA awards, 23 ASCAP awards, 26 Billboard awards, and 33 Guinness World Records, among other significant nominations and recognitions.

Justin Bieber, wearing a blue Toronto Maple Leafs jersey and a backwards black cap, leans forward and smiles during a hockey event.

There is always much interest in what Taylor Swift is up to, who she references in her songs, what she’s wearing, and even who she’s currently dating.Since starting to perform in 2006, the pop superstar has distanced herself from her country roots. Swift has received multiple recognitions for her talent throughout her career, including 14 Grammys, 40 AMAs, 39 Billboard Music Awards, and 23 VMAs (Techreport, 2024) (11).Last but certainly not least of her impressive achievement list is her recent record-breaking Eras Tour, which made $1.4 billion in revenue, became the highest-grossing tour in history, and earned her a Guinness World Record.On socials, the singer-songwriter has a cumulative following of 552 million followers — 32.8 million on TikTok, 284 million on Instagram, 95.2 million on X, 80 million on Facebook, and 60 million on YouTube.

Taylor Swift, wearing a glittering dress, smiles while holding a silver award statue on stage during an award ceremony with a microphone nearby.

Ariana Grande, wearing an elegant white gown with feathered eye accents, looks to the side at a formal event with a blurred green background.

Elon Musk is known for promoting the interests of science and technology and thrusting them into the limelight. Investopedia lists Musk as one of history’s most successful entrepreneurs (13).His popularity grew exponentially when he became the CEO of electric automobile maker Tesla and the private space company SpaceX. Known for ideas that push the envelope with insights that often draw controversy, Musk drew a following of curious minds, some believing in his genius, others judging his frequently controversial behavior.Musk was an early investor in several tech companies, like PayPal, whose sales made him millions. In 2022, he completed a deal to take over social platform X (formerly Twitter) and became one of the wealthiest people in the world.Musk owns the top spot on X with his 199.1 million followers. Today, his influence spreads far and wide. The Wall Street Journal notes that Musk’s control over critical technologies makes him a player world leaders constantly watch on the global stage (14).

Elon Musk, wearing a black jacket and a graphic t-shirt, walks outdoors next to a vehicle with security personnel nearby, smiling slightly.

Mark Zuckerberg, wearing a black shirt with large text and a watch, gestures while speaking on stage during a presentation, smiling slightly.

Jeff Bezos, wearing a black shirt, looks to the side while seated at an event, with a focused expression and dim lighting in the background.

Dwayne Johnson, known as “The Rock,” is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. And while his acting career provides proof of his prominence, his influence far extends to other aspects as well.The Rock has become a formidable force as a box-office superstar, budding Hollywood mogul, entrepreneur, WWE wrestler, athlete, and an all-around beacon of positivity.In an Instagram video on his feed with 395 million followers, the wrestler-turned-actor addressed whether there are drawbacks to fame; he said: “There are no drawbacks” — aside from the inability to make random grocery or mall trips. He adds in the caption that ”the greatest benefit of fame is impacting people’s lives in a positive way” (20).

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, wearing a white tank top, smiles while speaking on stage, showing his muscular arms and tattoos against a blue background.

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Kylie Jenner walks down the runway in a black, strapless gown with matching long gloves during a fashion show, with a focused expression.

Jennifer Lopez, wearing a sheer beige outfit and statement earrings, poses elegantly at an event in front of a Four Seasons Hotel backdrop.

Beyoncé, wearing a black leather outfit and wide-brimmed hat, smiles while accepting an award on stage, holding a trophy in her hand.

Barack Obama, wearing a light blue shirt, gestures with his hands while speaking at a podium during an event, with a thoughtful expression.

Jungkook rose to fame as a member and vocalist for the K-pop sensation BTS. The multifaceted billionaire boasts a long list of talents as a gifted singer, rapper, songwriter, director, record producer, and art enthusiast.Aside from the millions of fans of BTS, Jungkook also amassed a following of 9.4 million on his official Instagram page. While that count is not as big as the Hollywood numbers, Jungkook has been able to break many firsts for K-pop.As a breakthrough solo artist, he collaborated with Western artists and made hits that landed on the top charts. This included hits like “Left and Right” with Charlie Puth and “Seven” in partnership with Latto. The latter debuted at no. 1 on the Billboard, Global 200, and US charts and became the first song on Spotify to surpass the 1 billion mark.Later, his song “Dreamers” became the official song of FIFA 2022. By January 2023, he became the first Asian act to have a live performance surpassing 100M views on YouTube.Although part of the global sensation BTS, Jungkook recently admitted that he still gets nervous, especially as a solo artist (Rolling Stone, 2024) (28).

Jungkook, wearing a black shirt with rolled-up sleeves, holds a microphone and gestures during a performance, with his tattooed arm visible.

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