Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Who Takes the Top Spot?

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Karen Lin

Instagram 101 | Mar 31, 2023

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When it comes to social media, your follower count is vital. More followers can boost brand awareness, increase engagement rate, and lead to more lucrative sponsorships. Many famous people have racked up millions of followers – which is no easy feat. This is true across all platforms, from Instagram to Facebook and Twitter.

However, only one individual can be at the top of the rankings. So, who is the most followed person on Twitter? We are here with the answers. Keep reading below as we cover the person who currently clocks in with the most Twitter followers. We will also cover the other social stars which round out the top ten.

Keep in mind that social media is an ever-changing entity. While someone may hold the top title today, another person can quickly edge them out tomorrow. We recommend visiting the user’s Twitter profile to check their daily follower count.

Person holding a first-place trophy.

Who Is the Most Followed Person on TWITTER?

So, who takes the top spot when answering who is the most followed person on Twitter? None other than Barack Obama. That’s right. The former president of the United States has undoubtedly amassed quite a following. As of March 2023, he currently has 133 million followers. Pretty impressive, if you ask us.

He gained popularity during his presidential race. To this day, many fans still tune in to read his thoughts on politics and current events. In August of 2022, he hit 132,465,713 Twitter followers. This triumph officially made him the most followed person on social media. He is still holding firm to that title.

While Barack Obama is currently the most followed person on Twitter, he isn’t the only one that has made a social media name for himself. Want to find out who rounds out the top ten? We’ve got all the answers for you below. Be sure to keep scrolling.

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Top 10 Most Followed People on Twitter

As we mentioned above, Barack Obama as the most followed person on Twitter, is just the beginning. Many other popular Twitter accounts have racked up an impressive number of followers. The top ten list is diverse and engaging, from sports stars and singers to politicians and activists.

Remember that gaining this large amount of Twitter followers is a challenging feat. Many people are known for something outside social media; their name helps them build a following. Like Instagram, organic growth takes time, effort, and sometimes money.

So, who are the top 10 most-followed people on Twitter? Keep scrolling as we go through people that have racked up these impressive numbers. Keep in mind that these social stars are gaining new followers each day. This means that the list is ever-changing. Be sure to look each person up by their Twitter handle to see their current follower count.

1. Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Barack Obama

As we covered above, Barack Obama is currently the most followed person on Twitter. He operates under the Twitter handle @BarackObama. He first launched this account in early 2007 for initial use by his election campaign staff.

However, this hasn’t been his only account. He also used the handle @WhiteHouse for his presidential activities. In 2015, a new Twitter handle, @POTUS, was launched for exclusive use by the current U.S. president. Barack Obama controlled this account until his time as president officially ended in January 2017. Interestingly enough, his successor to this account also made our top ten list.

The race between first and second place is exceptionally close. As you learned above, Barack Obama currently holds 133 million followers. At any time, he can lose his top spot to the following famous name on our list. Ready to find out who that is?

Smartphone opened to the social media folder.

2. Coming in at a Close Second on TWITTER: Elon Musk

The second most followed person on Twitter is none other than Elon Musk. He clocks in with an outstanding 132.9 million followers, falling just short of first place. However, as you can see, he could reach the top spot any moment. We suggest giving him a follow to see where he stands.

Using the Twitter handle @ElonMusk, his account has been active since June 2009. He has many accolades to his name, including being the CEO of Twitter. That’s right. In 2022, Elon Musk purchased the social media platform.

While some may find his tweets controversial, it is clear that he knows how to connect with his target audience. Many people await his opinion on current events and global news. Elon Musk is also highly active on Twitter, with many replies and retweets.

3. The Third Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Justin Bieber

With an impressive 113.3 million followers, Justin Bieber is undoubtedly in our top ten list. While he isn’t the most followed person on Twitter, he’s climbing the ranks. The Canadian-born singer became a household name thanks to his YouTube videos. Like Elon Musk, Justin Bieber launched his Twitter account in 2009.

Known as one of the best-selling artists of all time, Justin Beiber has sold an impressive 150 million records worldwide. He has even won two Grammy awards for his catchy tunes. His fans (known as “beliebers”) are incredibly dedicated and loyal, tuning into social media to follow his every move.

Tweeting under the handle @JustinBieber, he keeps his fans updated on his music, his tour dates, and even his personal life. His 2018 marriage to Hailey Baldwin gained him worldwide attention and a new fan base.

4. The Most-followed Woman on TWITTER: Katy Perry

Next up is singer, songwriter, and television personality Katy Perry. With an audience size of 108.3 million followers, she claims the top spot as the most-followed woman on Twitter. That title is impressive; we know she must be very proud.

Katy Perry is well-known for her outstanding vocals. She even has 13 Grammy nominations for her catchy pop songs. She has expanded her career into a successful run as a TV personality, most notably as a judge on American Idol.

Coming in as the fourth most followed person on Twitter, Katy Perry has been active on the social media site since February 2009. She uses her Twitter handle @KatyPerry to update her fan base with all her business ventures. This includes promoting her namesake footwear brand.

Friends looking up who the most followed person on Twitter is.

5. The Fifth Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Rihanna

Close behind Katy Perry is fellow female singer/songwriter Rihanna. You can also add actress, fashion designer, and business owner to her long list of titles. With 108.2 million followers, she could move up the list any day now and isn’t far behind the most followed person on Twitter.

Like almost everyone on the top ten list, Rihanna joined the social media platform in October 2009. It’s safe to say that celebrities tend to be early adapters of up-and-coming technology. They are quick to jump on new trends.

It’s reasonable to think that her recent 2023 Superbowl LVII performance had a hand in gaining her new followers. She also used this opportunity to announce her second pregnancy to the world. Rihanna holds an active Twitter account under the handle @Rihanna and can frequently be seen retweeting posts from her makeup line, Fenty Beauty.

6. The Sixth Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Cristiano Ronaldo

If you are a sports fan, you are sure to know the next name on our list. That’s right. We are talking about Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese professional soccer player. Currently, he has an audience size of 108.1 million followers under his namesake Twitter account, @Cristiano.

While he doesn’t top the list of the most followed person on Twitter, he’s no stranger to being number one. Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the title of the most followed person on Instagram. Over on that social platform, he has amassed an impressive 567 million followers.

On his Twitter account, Cristiano Ronaldo primarily talks about his soccer career. He plays for the Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr and the Portugal national team. He reflects on recent games and shares some seriously fantastic action shots. His fans love to follow his every move.

7. The Seventh Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Taylor Swift

Moving to position number seven, let’s discuss another famous female singer/songwriter – Taylor Swift. As a nod to her favorite number, she currently holds the Twitter handle @TaylorSwift13. With a staggering 92.5 million followers on the social media platform, it’s no wonder people tune in to see what she is up to.

A fun fact about Taylor Swift is that she joined Twitter in December 2008. That officially makes her the longest-running user on our list. Among other awards, she is proud to have garnered twelve Grammy wins.

Taylor Swift uses her position as the seventh most followed person on Twitter to connect with her dedicated fanbase. Like Justin Bieber, her fans have a nickname for themselves – they are called “Swifties.” In 2023, she is kicking off her much-anticipated tour and sharing snaps of her shows.

Friends looking up who the most followed person on Twitter is.

8. The Eighth Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Narendra Modi

With 87.4 million followers, Narendra Modi is the eighth most followed person on Twitter. While some people may not be as familiar with him, it’s clear he deserves his spot on our list. Narendra Modi is currently the Prime Minister of India, a position he has held since 2014.

He uses a namesake Twitter handle, @NarendraModi, to discuss issues affecting India and campaign for his party. He has been an avid social media platform user since 2009. This makes him an early adapter, just like many on our list.

His Twitter following grew once he moved into a position of power. However, he is no stranger to online security issues. In 2021, he was the victim of online hackers, and somebody shared false tweets with the world. This led to Twitter stepping in to secure his account.

9. The Ninth Most Followed Person on TWITTER: Donald Trump

We mentioned above that another U.S. president made our list of the most followed person on Twitter. Coming in at number nine is Donald Trump. He has 87.3 million followers on social media- but hasn’t tweeted since 2021. We will explain briefly below.

Like former president Obama, Donald Trump has had control of a few Twitter accounts. This includes the past usage of the handle @POTUS during his presidency.

Currently, he owns the handle of @RealDonaldTrump. However, in 2021, Donald Trump’s Twitter account was suspended. While his account is back in good standing, he has not actively participated.

10. Rounding Out the Top Ten People on TWITTER: Lady Gaga

Finally, the tenth most followed person on Twitter is Lady Gaga. She clocks in with an impressive 84.7 million followers on the social media app. Like Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga has been an active Twitter user since 2008. Her joining month is March, which makes her the earliest adapter on our list.

Born Stefani Germanotta, she has gone professionally by the name of Lady Gaga since the early days of her career. With an impressive 13 Grammy awards under he belt, she has also added acting to her resume. As of today, she has starred in five major motion pictures.

Under her Twitter handle @LadyGaga, she shares behind-the-scenes glimpses into her monumental career. She also loves to keep fans updated with her Born This Way Foundation, a non-profit organization focusing on youth empowerment.

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