Top 5 Most Followed People On Instagram: Celebrities That Have More Followers Than Countries Have Citizens

Instagram has come a long way since its launch in 2010. Originally used as a casual social media platform, Instagram has evolved into one of the most popular apps in the world. With over 1 billion users worldwide, Instagram is a stage for content creators to expand their brand, create careers, and optimize their massive followings. Instagram has forged the way for a new generation of celebrities. 

Some of the biggest stars in the world have amassed millions and millions of followers over the years. However, only 4 of these stars have surpassed a toll of 400 million followers. 

Here’s a list of the top 5 people with the most followers online.  

1. Instagram- 625 million followers

At number one, is of course the official Instagram account, @instagram. It leads the list with 625 million followers, around 7,400 posts, and a “following” index of 51 people, including celebs like Storm Reid and Big Latto.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo- 569 million followers

Ronaldo holds second place with over 550 million followers. His account features many advertisements and well-marketed soccer content. 

3. Lionel Messi- 449 million followers

Messi, another professional soccer player, is ranked 3rd on the list. He is pretty active on his account, posting soccer content around twice a week. 

4. Selena Gomez – 406 million followers

Former Disney star, current pop star and actress, Selena Gomez, comes in fourth place after having been one of the most followed celebrities at that point in time. Recently, with speculations of drama between her and Hailey Beiber, Gomez has gained an extra 4 million followers over the past few months. 

5. Kylie Jenner- 384 million followers

Jenner surpassed all of her superstar family with a count of almost 400 million Instagram followers. Jenner’s account features a mixture of personal and professional posts which many people have used to start trends and take inspiration from. 

This list does prompt the question of why the black people who created Instagram culture, are not included. Many may find this surprising, however, I find it predictable. Creatives such as Rihanna, Beyonce, and Zendaya have done more than enough to earn a spot on this list. And yet they still fall behind celebrities like Kylie Jenner who infamously gained popularity by appropriating black culture. Just some food for thought. 

Who do you think will be next to rise in the rankings?