Remember When Selena Gomez Ruled Instagram? Here’s Who Runs Social Media Now

14 hours ago 1

A decade ago, Selena Gomez was the undisputed queen of Instagram with 103 million followers.

Katy Perry ruled Twitter with 94.5 million. TikTok didn’t exist in the United States yet. And the idea that a soccer player or a platform owner could dominate these rankings would have seemed far-fetched.

Fast-forward to 2026, and the list of the most followed people on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok tells a wildly different story about who commands attention online — and what kind of fame actually lasts.

Follower counts have become one of the clearest, most public scorecards for celebrity relevance. They rise and fall with album drops, controversies, viral moments and long stretches of silence.