''Time'' 100 is a list of the top 100 most influential people, assembled by the American

news magazine A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio, or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories in greater depth than newspapers or new ...

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, politicians, and journalists, the list is now a highly publicized annual event. It is generally considered an honor to be included on the list, but ''Time'' makes it clear that entrants are recognized for changing the world, regardless of the consequences of their actions. The final list of influential individuals is exclusively chosen by ''Time'' editors, with nominations coming from the ''Time'' 100 alumni and the magazine's international writing staff. Only the winner of the Reader's Poll, conducted days before the official list is revealed, is chosen by the general public. The corresponding commemorative gala is held annually in

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, and has emerged as one of the world's most celebrated galas as well as

high High may refer to: Science and technology * Height * High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area * High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory * High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift t ...

fashion Fashion is a term used interchangeably to describe the creation of clothing, footwear, Fashion accessory, accessories, cosmetics, and jewellery of different cultural aesthetics and their mix and match into Clothing, outfits that depict distinct ...

events. In 2019, ''Time'' began publishing the ''Time'' 100 Next list, which "spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more".

Selection criteria

In 2000, ''Time'' editors identified "three rather distinct qualities" when choosing people to be listed. ''Time'' editor-at-large Michael Elliott wrote:

First there were those who came to their status by means of a very public possession of power. President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
is the pre-eminent example. Others, though they are rarely heard from in public, nonetheless have a real influence on the great events of our time. Think of
Ali Husaini Sistani Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani (; born 4 August 1930) is an Islamic scholar and the dean of the Hawza of Najaf in Iraq. A Grand Ayatollah, Sistani is considered one of the leading religious leaders of Twelver Shia Muslims. After the invasion of Ira ...
, the Grand Ayatullah of Iraq's
Shi'ites Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...
, who in effect has a veto on plans to transfer power from those who occupy his country to its people. Still others affect our lives through their moral example. Consider
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
's forgiveness of his captors and his willingness to walk away from the
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
n presidency after a single term.

For the 2007 list, managing editor

Richard Stengel Richard Allen "Rick" Stengel (born May 2, 1955) is an American editor, author, and former government official. He was ''Time'' magazine's 16th managing editor from 2006 to 2013. He was also chief executive of the National Constitution Center fro ...

clarified that the ''Time'' 100 focused on the most influential people rather than the hottest, most popular, or most powerful people. He said:

Influence is hard to measure, and what we look for is people whose ideas, whose example, whose talent, whose discoveries transform the world we live in. Influence is less about the hard power of force than the soft power of ideas and example. Yes, there are Presidents and dictators who can change the world through fiat, but we're more interested in innovators like
Monty Jones Monty Jones (5 February 1951 – 28 April 2024) was a Sierra Leonean plant breeder and politician who served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security. Jones served as the Special Adviser to the President of Sierra Leone and ...
, the
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
scientist who has developed a strain of rice that can save African agriculture. Or heroes like the great chess master
Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born Garik Kimovich Weinstein on 13 April 1963) is a Russian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion (1985–2000), political activist and writer. His peak FIDE chess Elo rating system, ra ...
, who is leading the lonely fight for greater democracy in Russia. Or
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-winning actor
George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
who has leveraged his celebrity to bring attention to the tragedy in Darfur.

History

2000s

From 2005 to 2008, ''Time'' magazine awarded one of Darko Mladenovic's Ray crystal sculptures to each ''Time'' 100 honoree. These sculptures were produced by

Swarovski Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Tyrol. It was founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal Business, which primarily produces crystal glas ...

. In 2009, the winner of the online poll was

4chan 4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher "moot" Poole in October 2003, the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from video games and television to literature, cooking, weapons, mu ...

founder

Christopher Poole Christopher Poole (born 1987 or 1988), also known online as moot, is an American Internet entrepreneur and developer. He founded the anonymous English-language imageboard 4chan in October 2003, when he was still a teenager; he served as the ...

, who received 16,794,368 votes. ''Time'' claimed that their technical team "did detect and extinguish several attempts to

hack Hack may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * Hack (Unix video game), ''Hack'' (Unix video game), a 1984 roguelike video game * .hack (video game series), ''.hack'' (video game series), a series of video games by the multimedia fran ...

the vote". However, it was shown weeks before the poll ended that the results had been heavily influenced by hackers. The first letters of the top 21 names spell out "marblecake also the game". Marblecake was an obscene 4chan

meme A meme (; ) is an idea, behavior, or style that Mimesis, spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying c ...

, and #marblecake was the name of the

Internet Relay Chat IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for Many-to-many, group communication in discussion forums, called ''#Channels, channels'', but also allows one-on-one communication via instant mess ...

channel used for communication by some of the participants in rigging the poll.

2010s

In its online presentation, ''Time'' introduced the 2010 list as follows: "In our annual ''Time'' 100 issue, we name the people who most affect our world". The overall list was organized with four main sub-lists: Leaders, Heroes, Artists, and Thinkers.

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

continued a streak that began in 2004, having been included on every ''Time'' 100 list, and was one of 31 women on the list. While 2012 saw a break in Oprah's streak, she would be a finalist four more times during the decade and returned to the list in 2018. The 2010 list included many expected names and some surprises such as

Scott Brown Scott Brown may refer to: Sportsmen *Scott Brown (American football), American college football coach of Kentucky State *Scott Brown (baseball) (born 1956), former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds *Scott Brown (footballer, born ...

, who ''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers p ...

'' described as a premature selection at that point in his career. The 2010 list included 10 Indians, but according to a local news station in India, ''Time'' faced criticism when they excluded

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

actor

Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as the "Padishah, Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has Shah Rukh K ...

from the list, even though he was supposedly "in the race". According to Rob Cain of ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

'', "Khan is the biggest and most revered figure

n India N, or n, is the fourteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

, and Khan's fan following is one of the largest in Bollywood. The announcement of the list was celebrated by a

black tie Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...

gala at the

Time Warner Center Deutsche Bank Center (also known as One Columbus Circle and formerly Time Warner Center) is a mixed-use building on Columbus Circle in Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building occupies the western side of Columbus Circle and strad ...

in New York City on May 4, 2010. ''Time'' readers contributed to the selection through an online vote of over 200 finalists. ''Time'' introduced the 2011 list as follows: "Meet the most influential people in the world. They are artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state, and captains of industry. Their ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even revolution. Welcome to this year's ''Time'' 100." The announcement was celebrated with a black tie event in New York City on April 26, 2011. The honorees were joined by A-list celebrities at the

Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center is an organization based in New York City. Part of Lincoln Center, the organization was founded in 1987 and opened at Time Warner Center (now Deutsche Bank Center) in October 2004. The organization seeks to “represent th ...

for the event. ''Time'' readers contributed to the selection through an online vote of over 200 finalists. The list included familiar leaders, particularly

U.S. president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

and

German chancellor The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the head of the federal government of Germany. The chancellor is the chief executive of the Federal Cabinet and heads the executive branch. Th ...

Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel (; ; born 17 July 1954) is a German retired politician who served as Chancellor of Germany from 2005 to 2021. She is the only woman to have held the office. She was Leader of the Opposition from 2002 to 2005 and Leade ...

, as well as "newcomers" to the global press. The list included numerous figures representing the

Arab Spring The Arab Spring () was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings, and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began Tunisian revolution, in Tunisia ...

in the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, including rebels, political leaders, and news correspondents. Media figures unrelated to the Arab Spring were also listed. Additionally,

Prince William William, Prince of Wales (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982), is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales. William was born during the reign of his p ...

and

Kate Middleton Catherine, Princess of Wales (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982), is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne. Born in Reading, Catherine grew u ...

were part of the list during the week before their wedding. The list also included Katsunobu Sakurai, the mayor of

Minamisōma is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 53,462 in 26,355 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Minamisōma is located in northea ...

, Fukushima, which was the city most affected by the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46:24 UTC), a 9.0–9.1 Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approx ...

. Revealed on April 24, 2014, the 2014 list featured

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...

on the U.S. cover and

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the ...

Jason Collins Jason Paul Collins (born December 2, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player who was a center for 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal, where he wa ...

, and

Mary Barra Mary Teresa Barra (née Makela; born December 24, 1961) is an American businesswoman who has been the chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of General Motors since January 15, 2014. She is the first female CEO of a 'Big Three' automaker. In De ...

on international covers. The list included 41 women, the most in the list's history. The gala was held on April 29, 2014, in New York City. ''Time'' managing editor Nancy Gibbs commented: At age 14, Spanish-British born actress

Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi ( Brown; born 19 February 2004), known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the Netflix science fiction ser ...

became the youngest person to be listed on the 2018 list, when ''

Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...

'' was in its third season. The 2018 list also included two

Israelis Israelis (; ) are the Israeli citizenship law, citizens and nationals of the Israel, State of Israel. The country's populace is composed primarily of Israeli Jews, Jews and Arab citizens of Israel, Arabs, who respectively account for 75 percen ...

: entrepreneur and

WeWork WeWork Inc., headquartered in New York City, is a provider of coworking spaces, including physical and virtual shared spaces, in approximately 600 buildings in 125 cities. WeWork was founded in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey. Ove ...

founder

Adam Neumann Adam Neumann (; born April 25, 1979) is an Israeli-American billionaire businessman and investor. In 2010, he co-founded WeWork with Miguel McKelvey, where he was CEO from 2010 to 2019. In 2019, he co-founded a family office dubbed 166 2nd Fi ...

; and actress and model

Gal Gadot Gal Gadot (; born 30 April 1985) is an Israeli actress. She gained recognition for portraying Wonder Woman in the DC Extended Universe films (2016–2023). In 2018, Gadot was named one of ''Time''s 100 most influential people and ranked by ''F ...

. In the 2019 list, ''Time'' chose authors to write the honorees' blurbs. Some of the pairings include

writing about

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on a part-time basis. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional w ...

Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( , ; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian singer. He gained a following in 2013 when he posted song covers on the video-sharing platform Vine (software), Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manage ...

writing about

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...

Shonda Rhimes Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television producer and screenwriter, and founder of the production company Shondaland. Inducted into the Television Hall of Fame and NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame, Rhimes became known ...

writing about

Sandra Oh Sandra Miju Oh (born July 20, 1971) is a Canadian and American actress. She is known for her starring roles as Rita Wu in ''Arliss (TV series), Arliss'' (1996–2002), Cristina Yang in ''Grey's Anatomy'' (2005–14), and Eve Polastri in ''Kill ...

Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay (; born August 24, 1972) is an American filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer. She is a recipient of two Primetime Emmy Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, NAACP Image Awards, a British Academy Film Awards, ...

writing about

Gayle King Gayle King (born December 28, 1954) is an American television personality, author and broadcast journalist for CBS News, co-hosting its flagship morning program, ''CBS Mornings'', and before that its predecessor '' CBS This Morning''. She is ...

, and

writing about

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( Robinson; born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United Stat ...

2020s

The 2020 list included Indian actor

Ayushmann Khurrana Ayushmann Khurrana (born Nishant Khurrana; 14 September 1984) is an Indian actor and singer who works in Hindi films. Known for his portrayals of ordinary men often battling social norms, he is the recipient of several awards, including a Na ...

, rapper

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Megan initially gained recognition when videos of her freestyling began to circulate widely on social me ...

, comedian

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Phoebe Mary Waller-Bridge (born 14 July 1985) is an English actress, screenwriter and producer. As the creator, writer, and lead star of the comedy series '' Fleabag'' (2016–2019), she won various accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Aw ...

, tennis champion

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She has been ranked as the List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association, WTA for 25 weeks, the first Asian player to hold the ...

(her second time being included), F1 driver

Lewis Hamilton Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver who competes in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles—tied with M ...

, attorney

Nury Turkel Nury Turkel is an American attorney, author, public official, and foreign policy expert based in Washington, D.C. He is a former chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, and former president of the Uyghur Americ ...

American football American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...

player

Patrick Mahomes Patrick Lavon Mahomes II ( ; born September 17, 1995) is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game app ...

, and

environmental justice Environmental justice is a social movement that addresses injustice that occurs when poor or marginalized communities are harmed by hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses from which they do not benefit. The movement has gene ...

advocate Cecilia Martinez. On September 15, ''Time'' revealed the 2021 list, distributed into the categories ''Icons'', ''Pioneers'', ''Titans'', ''Artists'', ''Leaders'' and ''Innovators''. Each category has a highlighted section of personalities being featured on the ''Time'' magazine cover, naming

Prince Harry Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, (Henry Charles Albert David; born 15 September 1984) is a member of the British royal family. As the younger son of King Charles III and Diana, Princess of Wales, he is fifth in the line of succession to ...

and

Meghan Markle Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle, August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family, media personality, entrepreneur, and former actress. She is married to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son ...

as ''Icons'',

Billie Eilish Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single "Ocean Eyes (song), Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her broth ...

as ''Pioneer'',

Simone Biles Simone Arianne Biles Owens ( Biles; born March 14, 1997) is an American Artistic gymnastics, artistic gymnast. Her 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals make her the most decorated gymnast in history. She is widely regarded as one ...

as ''Titan'',

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Primarily known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Ac ...

as ''Artist'',

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (; born 13 June 1954) is a Nigerian economist, who has been serving as the Director-General of the World Trade Organization since March 2021. She is the first woman and first African to lead the World Trade Organization as d ...

as ''Leader'' and

Jensen Huang Jen-Hsun "Jensen" Huang ( zh, t=黃仁勳, poj=N̂g Jîn-hun, hp=Huáng Rénxūn; born February 17, 1963) is a Taiwanese and American businessman, electrical engineer, and philanthropist who is the president, co-founder, and chief executive of ...

as ''Innovator''. Furthermore, ''Time'' held a readers poll prior to the reveal of the editors list, asking whether certain personalities should be included in that year's annual list. Nearly 1.8 million votes were cast, with

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the "Princess of Pop", she has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. Cultural impact of Brit ...

claiming the top spot while also being featured as an ''Icon''. Editor-in-chief

Edward Felsenthal Edward Felsenthal (born September 3, 1966) is an American journalist. He is a former editor-in-chief of ''Time'', a biweekly news magazine. Early life Felsenthal was born into a Jewish family on September 3, 1966, in Memphis, Tennessee, where ...

commented on the current working circumstances at ''Time'' and the effects of the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

on the annual gala: The 2024 list included

Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( ; born22 August 1995) is an English and Albanian singer, songwriter and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Dua Lipa, Her accolades include seven Brit Awards and three Grammy Awards. Lipa worked as a model before v ...

Dev Patel Dev Patel (; born 23 April 1990) is an English actor and filmmaker. List of awards and nominations received by Dev Patel, His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and two Golden Globe A ...

21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is an American-British rapper. Born in London and raised in Atlanta, he began his recording career in 2013 and released three independent mixtapes to regiona ...

Jenny Holzer Jenny Holzer (born July 29, 1950) is an American neo-conceptual artist, based in Hoosick, New York. Her work focuses on the delivery of words and ideas in public spaces and includes large-scale installations, advertising billboards, projectio ...

, and

Lauren Blauvelt Lauren Blauvelt (born in Marietta, Ohio) is an American abortion rights activist and one of the main organizers working to get Ohio Issue 1, the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative on the ballot and then passed, ens ...

. The 2025 list included

Ahmed al-Sharaa Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa (born 29 October 1982) also known by his ''nom de guerre'' Abu Mohammad al-Julani, is a Syrian politician and former rebel commander serving as the president of Syria since January 2025. He previously served as the coun ...

, Yoshiki,

Serena Williams Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American former professional tennis player. She was ranked as the List of WTA number 1 ranked singles tennis players, world No. 1 in women's singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WT ...

Mark Zuckerberg Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (; born May 14, 1984) is an American businessman who co-founded the social media service Facebook and its parent company Meta Platforms, of which he is the chairman, chief executive officer, and controlling sharehold ...

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman. He is known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has been considered the wealthiest person in th ...

, and

Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...

Multiple appearances

Each category is given equal weight every year, but some people are more likely to make repeat appearances over time. The following list includes individuals who have appeared at least three times. The order is based on the number of times each person has been listed in ''Time'' 100. Those who are tied are listed alphabetically. Some individuals, such as

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

, have also been listed in the one-off ''Time'' list of " The Most Important People of the 20th Century". They are listed in bold.

Listed five times or more

File:Xi Jinping 2019.jpg,

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping, pronounced (born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has been the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Chairman of the Central Military Commission (China), chairman of the Central Military Commission ...

Listed thirteen times: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2009
(Finalist in 2023) File:President Barack Obama (cropped) 3.jpg,

Listed eleven times: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005
(Finalist in 2018) File:Pre Inaugural Reception (52639556983) (cropped).jpg,

Listed eleven times: 2022, 2018, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2012) File:Hillary Rodham Clinton-cropped.jpg,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

Listed ten times: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2004
(Finalist in 2013 and 2010) File:Angela Merkel. Tallinn Digital Summit.jpg,

Listed nine times: 2020, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2010, and 2008) File:Kim Jong-un April 2019 (cropped).jpg,

Kim Jong Un Kim Jong Un (born 8 January 1983 or 1984) is a North Korean politician and dictator who has served as supreme leader of North Korea since 2011 and general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is the third son of Kim ...

Listed eight times: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019) File:Vladimir Putin (2020-02-20).jpg,

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

Listed seven times: 2022, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2008, and 2004
(Finalist in 2023, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2012, 2011, 2009, and 2007) File:Donald Trump official portrait (cropped).jpg,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

Listed seven times: 2025, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016
(Finalist in 2023 and 2022) File:Joe Biden presidential portrait (cropped).jpg,

Joe Biden Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. (born November 20, 1942) is an American politician who was the 46th president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 47th vice p ...

Listed six times: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2013, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016) File:Pope Francis Korea Haemi Castle 19 (cropped).jpg,

Pope Francis Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio; 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 13 March 2013 until Death and funeral of Pope Francis, his death in 2025. He was the fi ...

Listed six times: 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2018) File:SpaceX CEO Elon Musk visits N&NC and AFSPC (190416-F-ZZ999-006) (cropped).jpg,

Listed six times: 2025, 2023, 2021, 2018, 2013, and 2010
(Finalist in 2022, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, and 2015) File:Jeff Bezos at Amazon Spheres Grand Opening in Seattle - 2018 (39074799225) (cropped).jpg,

Jeff Bezos Jeffrey Preston Bezos ( ;; and Robinson (2010), p. 7. ; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman best known as the founder, executive chairman, and former president and CEO of Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce and clou ...

Listed five times: 2018, 2017, 2014, 2009, and 2008
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2013, and 2012) File:Visit of Tim Cook to the European Commission - P061904-946789.jpg,

Tim Cook Timothy Donald Cook (born November 1, 1960) is an American business executive who is the current chief executive officer of Apple Inc. Cook had previously been the company's chief operating officer under its co-founder Steve Jobs. Cook joined ...

Listed five times: 2022, 2021, 2016, 2015, and 2012
(Finalist in 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014) File:Steve Jobs Headshot 2010-CROP2.jpg,

Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology company Apple Inc. Jobs was also the founder of NeXT and chairman and majority shareholder o ...

Listed five times: 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2011 and 2009) File:Lagarde, Christine (official portrait 2011).jpg,

Christine Lagarde Christine Madeleine Odette Lagarde (; , ; born 1 January 1956) is a French politician and lawyer who has been the President of the European Central Bank since 2019. She previously served as the 11th Managing Director of the International Monetar ...

Listed five times: 2022, 2016, 2012, 2010, and 2009
(Finalist in 2014) File:Shri Narendra Modi.jpg,

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician who has served as the Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India since 2014. Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Par ...

Listed five times: 2021, 2020, 2017, 2015, and 2014
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2012) File:Remise du Prix Sakharov à Aung San Suu Kyi Strasbourg 22 octobre 2013-18.jpg,

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and political activist. She was awarded the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. She served as State Counsellor of Myanmar and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Myanmar), Ministe ...

Listed five times: 2016, 2013, 2011, 2008, and 2004
(Finalist in 2012 and 2009) File:Official photo of Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2019.jpg,

Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi ( ; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who was the List of Speakers of the United States House of Representatives, 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011 an ...

Listed five times: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2010, and 2007
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2013, 2009, and 2008) File:Mark Zuckerberg F8 2019 Keynote (32830578717) (cropped).jpg,

Listed five times: 2025, 2019, 2016, 2011, and 2008
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2012, and 2009)

Listed four times

File:George-W-Bush.jpeg,

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

2008, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2009 and 2007) File:Bill Clinton.jpg,

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...

2010, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015, 2013, and 2007) File:George Clooney 2016.jpg,

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...

2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2012, 2011, and 2010) File:The Global Financial Context James Dimon (cropped).jpg,

Jamie Dimon James Dimon ( ; born March 13, 1956) is an American businessman who has been the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of JPMorgan Chase since 2006. Dimon began his career as a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group. After earnin ...

2011, 2009, 2008, and 2006
(Finalist in 2015 and 2012) File:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 2018 (cropped).jpg,

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician who is the 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister of Turkey, prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Jus ...

2017, 2016, 2010, and 2004
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2015, 2014, and 2012) File:Bill Gates 2018.jpg,

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American businessman and philanthropist. A pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, he co-founded the software company Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend ...

2006, 2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2010, and 2008) File:Hu Jintao at White House 2011.jpg,

Hu Jintao Hu Jintao (born 21 December 1942) is a Chinese retired politician who served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012, the president of China from 2003 to 2013, and chairman of the Central Military Comm ...

2008, 2007, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2011 and 2009) File:Lebron wizards 2017 (cropped).jpg,

LeBron James LeBron Raymone James Sr. ( ; born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "King James", he is the NBA's all-time leading scorer and ...

2019, 2017, 2013, and 2005
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2018, and 2015) File:Benjamin Netanyahu 2018.jpg,

Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin Netanyahu (born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who has served as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office from 1996 to 1999 and from 2009 to 2021. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime min ...

2019, 2015, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2023, 2020, 2017, 2013, 2010, and 2009) File:Michelle Obama 2013 official portrait.jpg,

2019, 2013, 2011, and 2009
(Finalist in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, and 2010) File:Condoleezza Rice cropped.jpg,

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza "Condi" Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist serving since 2020 as the 8th director of Stanford University's Hoover Institution. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served ...

2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2008) File:Elizabeth Warren--Official 113th Congressional Portrait--.jpg,

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren (née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A mem ...

2017, 2015, 2010, and 2009
(Finalist in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013, and 2011) File:Secretary Janet Yellen portrait (cropped).jpg,

Janet Yellen Janet Louise Yellen (born August 13, 1946) is an American economist who served as the 78th United States secretary of the treasury from 2021 to 2025. She also served as chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018. She was the first woman to h ...

2023, 2017, 2015, and 2014
(Finalist in 2016)

Listed three times

File:Adele 2016.jpg,

Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (; born 5 May 1988) is an English singer-songwriter. Regarded as a British cultural icon, icon, she is known for her mezzo-soprano vocals and sentimental songwriting. List of awards and nominations received by Adele, ...

2022, 2016, and 2012
(Finalist in 2023) File:Benedict XVI Blessing-2.jpg,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope BenedictXVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as p ...

2007, 2006, and 2005
(Finalist in 2013, 2009, and 2008) File:Beyoncé at The Lion King European Premiere 2019.png,

2023, 2014, and 2013
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011, and 2010) File:Simone Biles National Team 2024.jpg,

2025, 2021, and 2017
(Finalist in 2019) File:Warren Buffett KU Visit.jpg,

Warren Buffett Warren Edward Buffett ( ; born August 30, 1930) is an American investor and philanthropist who currently serves as the chairman and CEO of the conglomerate holding company Berkshire Hathaway. As a result of his investment success, Buffett is ...

2012, 2007, and 2004
(Finalist in 2016, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008) File:Princess of Wales in 2023 (cropped)03.JPG,

Catherine, Princess of Wales Catherine, Princess of Wales (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982), is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne. Born in Reading, Catherine grew ...

2013, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2018) File:Dalai Lama in 2012 02.jpg, The

14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama (born 6 July 1935; full spiritual name: Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, shortened as Tenzin Gyatso; ) is the incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism. He served a ...

, Tenzin Gyatso
2008, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015 and 2009) File:Mario Draghi in 2021 crop.jpg,

Mario Draghi Mario Draghi (; born 3 September 1947) is an Italian politician, economist, academic, banker, statesman, and civil servant, who served as the prime minister of Italy from 13 February 2021 to 22 October 2022. Prior to his appointment as prime mi ...

2021, 2013, and 2012 File:Kamala Harris Vice Presidential Portrait (cropped).jpg,

Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( ; born October 20, 1964) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is the first female, first African American, and ...

2021, 2020, and 2013
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2019, 2017, 2012, and 2011) File:BobIgerHWOFJune2013.jpg,

Bob Iger Robert Alan Iger (; born February 10, 1951) is an American media executive who is chief executive officer (CEO) of the Walt Disney Company. He previously was the president of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) between 1994 and 1995 and p ...

2023, 2019, and 2015
(Finalist in 2018) File:John Kerry official Secretary of State portrait.jpg,

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

2016, 2014, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015 and 2013) File:Charles Koch portrait (cropped).jpg,

Charles Koch Charles de Ganahl Koch ( ; born November 1, 1935) is an American billionaire businessman and engineer. As of May 2025, he is ranked as the 22nd richest man in the world on the '' Bloomberg Billionaires Index'', with an estimated net worth of US ...

2015, 2014, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016 and 2012)
(shared with brother David at all times) File:David Koch by Gage Skidmore.jpg, David Koch
2015, 2014, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016 and 2012)
(shared with brother Charles at all times) File:Foto oficial de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (estreita).jpg,

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (; born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), known Mononym, mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist and former metalworker who has served as the 39th president of Brazil since 2023. A mem ...

2023, 2010, and 2004 File:Pony Ma 2011.jpg,

Ma Huateng Ma Huateng (, born October 29, 1971) is a Chinese businessman, investor and philanthropist who is the co-founder, chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO) of Tencent, one of the most valuable companies in East Asia, one of the largest int ...

2018, 2014, and 2007
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, and 2019) File:Patrick Mahomes (51615475056).jpg,

2024, 2023, 2020
(Finalist in 2019) File:Nelson Mandela-2008 (edit).jpg,

2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2008 and 2007) File:Mitch McConnell 2016 official photo (1).jpg,

Mitch McConnell Addison Mitchell McConnell III (; born February 20, 1942) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Kentucky, a seat he has held since 1985. McConnell is in his seventh Senate term and is the long ...

2023, 2019, and 2015
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, and 2014) File:Lionel Messi WC2022.jpg,

Lionel Messi Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi (; born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional Association football, footballer who plays as a forward (association football), forward for and Captain (association football), captains both Major League Soccer ...

2023, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, and 2016) File:Lorne Michaels 2021 Kennedy Center Honors (cropped).jpg,

Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian and American television writer and film producer. He created and produced ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and produced the ''Late Night (franchise) ...

2025, 2015, and 2008 File:Rupert Murdoch - Flickr - Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer.jpg,

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian - American retired business magnate, investor, and media mogul. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of List of assets owned by News Corp, local, national, a ...

2008, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2012, 2010, and 2009) File:MS-Exec-Nadella-Satya-2017-08-31-22 (cropped).jpg,

Satya Nadella Satya Narayana Nadella (; born 19 August 1967) is an Indian-born American business executive who is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Microsoft, succeeding Steve Ballmer in 2014 as CEO and John W. Thompson in 2021 as chairman. B ...

2024, 2018, and 2015
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, and 2014) File:Naomi Osaka 2017 Wimbledon.jpg,

2021, 2020, and 2019 File:Larry Page in the European Parliament, 17.06.2009 (cropped).jpg,

Larry Page Lawrence Edward Page (born March 26, 1973) is an American businessman, computer engineer and computer scientist best known for co-founding Google with Sergey Brin. Page was chief executive officer of Google from 1997 until August 2001 when ...

2011, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2014, 2012, and 2008) File:Brad Pitt 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg,

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...

2009, 2008, and 2007
(Finalist in 2012 and 2011) File:Ren Zhengfei (2016).jpg,

Ren Zhengfei Ren Zhengfei (; born 25 October 1944) is a Chinese entrepreneur and engineer who is the founder and CEO of Huawei Technologies, which is located in Shenzhen, China, and is the world's largest manufacturer of telecommunications equipment and se ...

2019, 2013, and 2005 File:Shonda Rhimes at the 75th Annual Peabody Awards (cropped).jpg,

2021, 2013, and 2007
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2016, and 2015) File:Official roberts CJ.jpg,

John Roberts John Glover Roberts Jr. (born January 27, 1955) is an American jurist serving since 2005 as the 17th chief justice of the United States. He has been described as having a Moderate conservatism, moderate conservative judicial philosophy, thoug ...

2020, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2015, 2013, 2012, and 2008) File:Moqtada al-Sader in tehran 2019 (cropped) (cropped).jpg,

Muqtada al-Sadr Muqtada al-Sadr (; born 4 August 1974) is an Iraqi Shia Muslim cleric, politician and militia leader. He inherited the leadership of the Sadrist Movement from his father, and founded the now dissolved Mahdi Army militia in 2003 that resisted ...

2011, 2008, and 2006
(Finalist in 2009 and 2007) File:Taylor Swift at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards (3).png,

2019, 2015, and 2010
(Finalist in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2016, 2014, and 2009) File:Serena Williams at 2013 US Open.jpg,

2025, 2014, and 2010
(Finalist in 2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, and 2013) File:Tiger Woods in May 2019.jpg,

Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...

2019, 2009, and 2004
(Finalist in 2010, 2008, and 2007) File:Shinzō Abe and Malala Yousafzai (1) Cropped.jpg,

Malala Yousafzai Malala Yousafzai (; , pronunciation: ; born 12 July 1997) is a Pakistani female education activist, film and television producer, and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate at the age of 17. She is the youngest Nobel Prize laureate in history, ...

2015, 2014, and 2013

Controversies

Exclusions

The exclusion of then-

British prime minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet, and selects its ministers. Modern pri ...

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He was Leader ...

from the 2004 list caused mild controversy. ''Time'' editor-at-large Michael J. Elliott defended the decision to consistently exclude Blair, saying that "

Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder (; born 7 April 1944) is a German former politician and Lobbying, lobbyist who served as Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. From 1999 to 2004, he was also the Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (S ...

and

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...

are not there either. This is a worldwide list. There are no Western European political leaders on it because they are not that powerful or influential at this time." The exclusion of then-

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

in 2007 generated similar controversy. Former Senator

Rick Santorum Richard John Santorum Sr. ( ; born May 10, 1958) is an American politician, attorney, author, and political commentator who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1995 to 2007. He was the Senate's Chairman of the United Sta ...

(R–PA) said on

Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...

The fact of the matter is, the president of the United States, I don't care who's in that office, is the most powerful man on the face of the Earth and has more influence over various aspects of lives, not just in this country, but around the world. And for ''Time'' magazine to dismiss that just shows you how biased and, I would argue, hateful they are.

Adi Ignatius Adi Ignatius (born 1958) is editor-in-chief of ''Harvard Business Review''. He joined the magazine in January 2009. Biography Previously, he was deputy managing editor for ''Time (magazine), Time'', where he was responsible for many of its speci ...

, ''Time''s deputy managing editor who oversaw the list at the time, explained that "any U.S. president has a certain built-in influence ... Bush had actually squandered some of that built-in influence. His position on

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

has cost him support in his own party. ... To a certain point, he sort of reached a lame-duck status".

Inclusions

The list has also generated controversy over inclusions. In 2005, conservative commentator

Ann Coulter Ann Hart Coulter (; born December 8, 1961) is an American conservative media pundit, author, syndicated columnist, and lawyer. She became known as a media pundit in the late 1990s, appearing in print and on cable news as an outspoken critic ...

was listed, which led ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon A beauty salon or beauty parlor is an establishment that provides Cosmetics, cosmetic treatments for people. Other variations of this type of business include hair salons, spas, day spas, ...

'' to observe:

When ''Time'' magazine named Ann Coulter among its 100 "most influential people" last week, alongside such heavyweights as
Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon ( ; also known by his diminutive Arik, ; 26 February 192811 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestin ...
,
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
,
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
, and the
Dalai Lama The Dalai Lama (, ; ) is the head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The term is part of the full title "Holiness Knowing Everything Vajradhara Dalai Lama" (圣识一切瓦齐尔达喇达赖喇嘛) given by Altan Khan, the first Shu ...
, the choice produced guffaws online. Plugging the issue on Fox News last week, ''Time'' executive editor Priscilla Painton insisted it was Coulter's use of "humor" that made her so influential, stopping just short of suggesting that Coulter is the conservative
Jon Stewart Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz, November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host. The long-running host of ''The Daily Show'' on Comedy Central from 1999 to 20 ...
. But even Fox's Bill O'Reilly wasn't buying it. He pressed Painton: "Do you think people, Americans, listen to Ann Coulter? Do you think she has influence in public opinion?"

''Time'' defended Coulter as a best-selling author whose controversial commentary strongly affected political debates in the United States. Coulter did not, however, make additional appearances on the list.

Mistakes

In February 2016, ''Time'' included the male British author

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

on its "100 Most Read Female Writers in College Classes" list, generating media attention and concerns regarding

fact-checking Fact-checking is the process of verifying the factual accuracy of questioned reporting and statements. Fact-checking can be conducted before or after the text or content is published or otherwise disseminated. Internal fact-checking is such che ...

at the magazine. ''Time'' later issued a retraction. In a

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

interview with

Justin Webb Justin Oliver Webb (born Justin Oliver Prouse; born 3 January 1961) is a British journalist who has worked for the BBC since 1984. He is a former BBC North America Editor and the main co-presenter of BBC One's '' Breakfast News'' programme. Sin ...

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

professor Valentine Cunningham said the mistake was "a piece of profound ignorance on the part of ''Time'' magazine".

Other ''Time'' lists

Next Generation Leaders

Since 2014, in partnership with

Rolex Rolex () is a Swiss watch brand and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by German businessman Hans Wilsdorf and his eventual brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex ...

, ''Time'' has published a class of young pioneers "in politics, business, culture, science and sports" who are reshaping the world around them. It is, per the magazine's editor-in-chief

, "an opportunity to elevate" the trailblazers "who are building a better future". Included in the 2022 list was Lina Abu Akleh, a human rights advocate who is the niece of

Shireen Abu Akleh Shireen Abu Akleh (; April 3, 1971 – May 11, 2022) was a prominent Palestinian-American journalist who worked as a reporter for 25 years for Al Jazeera Media Network, Al Jazeera, before she was Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, killed by Israeli ...

, a journalist likely killed by Israeli soldiers.

The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet

From 2015 to 2019, ''Time'' also published a list titled "The 25 Most Influential People on the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...

", which featured people whose influence and dominance may have changed Internet culture; who have support, position, and prominence in various sections of

social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...

; or who use and/or rely on the Internet as a platform for change. People who have been listed range from political figures, such as

and

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (born October 13, 1989), also known as AOC, is an American politician and activist who has served since 2019 as the United States House of Representatives, US representative for New York's 14th congressional distric ...

, to teenage

YouTuber A YouTuber is a content creator and social media influencer who uploads or creates videos on the online video-sharing website YouTube, typically posting to their personal YouTube channel. The term was first used in the English language in 2006 ...

s, such as

JoJo Siwa Joelle Joanie "JoJo" Siwa ( ; born May 19, 2003) is an American singer, dancer, actress, and media personality. From 2015 to 2016, she appeared as a dancer on two seasons of the reality television show '' Dance Moms'' alongside her mother, Jess ...

and

Emma Chamberlain Emma Frances Chamberlain (born May 22, 2001) is an American social media personality, influencer, podcaster, businesswoman and model. She won the 2018 Streamy Award for Breakout Creator. In 2019, ''Time'' magazine included her on its ''Time'' ...

. Others who have been listed include

Lil Nas X Montero Lamar Hill (born April 9, 1999), better known by his stage name Lil Nas X ( ), is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his 2018 country rap single "Old Town Road," the longest-running nu ...

, whose debut hit broke the record for most weeks spent atop the ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...

after being created and distributed on the Internet, and actress and presenter

Jameela Jamil Jameela Alia Jamil (born 25 February 1986) is an English actress, activist and presenter. She began her career on Channel 4, where she hosted a pop culture series in the ''T4 (Channel 4), T4'' strand from 2009 until 2012. She then became the ra ...

, who is known widely beyond her profession for her

online activism Internet activism involves the use of electronic-communication technologies such as social media, e-mail, and podcasts for various forms of activism to enable faster and more effective communication by citizen social movement , movements, the deliv ...

''Time'' 100 Next list

In 2019, ''Time'' began publishing the ''Time'' 100 Next list, which "spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more". It is considered an expansion of the current ''Time'' 100 list. Although the list has no explicit age cap, it is more focused on up-and-coming figures and "rising stars". The Next list features profiles written by established ''Time'' 100 alumni.

''Time'' 100 Women of the Year

In 2019, ''Time'' created 89 new covers to celebrate women of the year starting from 1920.

''Time'' 100 Most Influential Companies

In 2021, ''Time'' solicited company nominations from industry and journalistic sources, which were then evaluated on relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition and success. The top 100 were compiled into the ''Time''100 Most Influential Companies list, which included well-known companies such as GM, Tesla, Volkswagen Group, Facebook, Google, Moderna, UPS, Netflix, and Zoom. Along with the list, ''Time'' launched ''Time Business''.

''Time'' 100 Climate

In 2023, ''Time'' launched the ''Time'' Climate 100 list, which ranked the most influential climate action leaders based on recent and measurable achievements. Its first edition included public figures such as American singer

, British

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

band

Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer and percussionist Will Champion, and manager Phil Harvey (band m ...

and Brazilian politician

Marina Silva Maria Osmarina Marina da Silva Vaz de Lima (born Maria Osmarina da Silva; 8 February 1958), known as Marina Silva, is a Brazilian politician and environmentalist, currently serving as Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, a position ...

''Time'' 100 AI

In 2023, ''Time'' launched the ''Time'' AI 100 list, featuring the 100 most influential people in

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...

. The first edition included CEOs of AI companies such as

Sam Altman Samuel Harris Altman (born April 22, 1985) is an American technology entrepreneur, investor, and the chief executive officer of OpenAI since 2019 (he was Removal of Sam Altman from OpenAI, briefly dismissed and reinstated in November 2023). He ...

and

Dario Amodei Dario Amodei (born 1983) is an American artificial intelligence researcher and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of Anthropic, the company behind the large language model series Claude. He was previously the vice president of research ...

, neural network pioneer

Geoffrey Hinton Geoffrey Everest Hinton (born 1947) is a British-Canadian computer scientist, cognitive scientist, and cognitive psychologist known for his work on artificial neural networks, which earned him the title "the Godfather of AI". Hinton is Univer ...

, and ''

Black Mirror ''Black Mirror'' is a British anthology series, anthology television series created by Charlie Brooker. Most episodes are set in near-future dystopias containing Science fiction, sci-fi technology—a type of speculative fiction. The series i ...

'' creator

Charlie Brooker Charlton ‘Charlie’ Brooker (born 3 March 1971) is an English screenwriter, producer, presenter, author, cartoonist, and social critic. He first became known for creating and presenting satirical television shows that featured biting criticis ...

, amongst others.

''Time'' 100 Health

In 2024, ''Time'' launched the ''Time'' Health 100 list, which recognizes the 100 most influential people in health. The list included French President Emmanuel Macron, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and several other luminaries.

''Time'' 100 Philanthropy

In 2025, ''Time'' launched the ''Time'' Philanthropy 100 list, which recognizes the 100 most influential people in the field of philanthropy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Time 100 Top people lists

Selection criteria

History

2000s

2010s

2020s

Multiple appearances

Listed five times or more

Listed four times

Listed three times

Controversies

Exclusions

Inclusions

Mistakes

Other ''Time'' lists

Next Generation Leaders

The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet

''Time'' 100 Next list

''Time'' 100 Women of the Year

''Time'' 100 Most Influential Companies

''Time'' 100 Climate

''Time'' 100 AI

''Time'' 100 Health

''Time'' 100 Philanthropy

See also

References