10. Kendall Jenner: 156 million followers
It's 2023, and the times, they are a-changin'. One thing that hasn't changed: Instagram's status as the internet's most influential (or, at least, most influencer-filled) app. Whether they have the most compelling feeds or just the most loyal fandoms, the celebrities with the biggest Instagram followings say a lot about the current state of pop culture—you can learn a lot from a deep-dive through their feeds. Below, find out which stars have the most popular accounts of 2023 so far. And while @Instagram actually takes the top spot with the most followers on, um, Instagram, with almost 400 million followers, these celebs don't fall too far behind.
10. Kendall Jenner: 156 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 13
What she's famous for: Modeling, famous family-having, famous friend-having, tequila-making.
What she's known for on Instagram: Her glamorous life. Like those of her equally famous sisters, Kendall's feed is pure aspiration, filled with private jets, model shots, and celeb hangouts. But Kendall takes a highly curated approach to her photo sharing, showing off her eye for art and design with a chic blend of sweet throwbacks, artsy candids, tongue-in-cheek selfies, and high-fashion spon-con.
9. Justin Bieber: 168 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 11
What he's famous for: Singing, dancing, having that iconic blond flippy 'do, being a (reformed) mischievous teen, having Big Husband Energy.
What she's known for on Instagram: The Biebs is unapologetically himself on Instagram. His feed is a mix of snapshots of him recording music in the studio, glimpses into his married life with wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber, shoutouts to his native Canada, irreverent selfies, and stream of consciousness musings on spirituality. This incredibly genuine, self-confident approach to social media is hugely refreshing after the pop prince's tumultuous teen years.
8. Beyoncé: 170 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 8
What she's famous for: Reinventing music, fashion, Hollywood, girl groups, the word "beehive," pop culture. Need I go on?
What she's known for on Instagram: FASHUN. Bey is notoriously private and, unlike many celebs, her Instagram feed isn't a deep window into her personal life, but it is a pretty reliable window into her best lewks—aka every look she's ever shared.
7. Lionel Messi: 193 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 7
What he's famous for: Playing soccer, captaining both Spanish football club Barcelona and the Argentina national team, being one of the greatest players of all time.
What she's known for on Instagram: His family! Mixed in among his soccer action shots are some of the cutest, most endearing family pictures we've ever seen, making him a certified family man.
6. Kim Kardashian: 211 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 6
What she's famous for: "Being famous," taking controversial selfies, running approximately three million businesses, making reality TV more real (kinda).
What she's known for on Instagram: Yes, Kim still posts her share of headline-making, sometimes-naked selfies on Instagram—usually alongside mind-boggling non sequitur captions—but the mother of four's most standout posts these days are the intimate pictures she shares of her family.
5. Selena Gomez: 218 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 4
What she's famous for: Singing, acting, producing, speaking out about mental health, beautifying the world.
What she's known for on Instagram: #SponCon. Selena hasn't been the most active Instagrammer of late (which could have contributed to her drop from holding the top spot on this list just a few years ago), and a lot of her recent posts are #ads for brands she partners with, like Coach and Puma. To her credit, though, Selena has mastered the art of crafting ad posts that also double as posts you genuinely want to double-tap. Plus, with the launch of her Rare Beauty line, that spon-con now includes very handy tutorials for a truly great beauty brand.
4. Kylie Jenner: 222 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 5
What she's famous for: Selling lip kits, running an empire, hiding "secret" pregnancies, growing up on a little show called Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
What she's known for on Instagram: Looking luxe AF literally all of the time. Kylie's feed embodies the "Instagram" lifestyle, complete with mansions, pools, private jets, Birkins, and more Lambos than you've seen in your life. Kylie's Instagram is the escapist fantasy you need to swipe through after a drab day.
3. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: 225 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 3
What he's famous for: Acting, (formerly) wrestling, eyebrow arching, flexing his abs/pecs/all the muscles, being the most likable, down-to-earth chiseled god-like person around.
What she's known for on Instagram: Two words: Gym. Pics. The Rock is so-named for a reason—as in "muscles as hard as a" or "body that appears to be chiseled from." The actor keeps fans up to date on his workout routine, which is a huge draw, whether you're looking for fitspo or eye candy. Another major (though perhaps less celebrated) Instagram strength of Johnson's? His selfie videos, which showcase the lovable teddy bear that lives inside the suit of muscle armor.
2. Ariana Grande: 228 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 2
What she's famous for: Singing, acting, ponytail-having, whirlwind romancing.
What she's known for on Instagram: Ariana's grid has major artistic vibes, with lots of black and white and vintage-y filtered photos. She's also a master of posting promotion-y pics (think concert shots, campaign photos, and music video promos) in an organic way.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo: 272 million followers
2020 ranking: No. 1
What he's famous for: Playing soccer, winning world championships, being an international hunk.
What she's known for on Instagram: TBH, Cristiano's grid has it all—action shots, chiseled shirtless portraits, and "get you a guy who can do both" suit and tie poses: his bread and butter. His perfectly-crafted posts have paid off and his position on Instagram's most-followed list has been on the rise for years now, culminating in his ascension to the No.1 slot for two years running.
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