Who Is The Biggest Instagram Icon In 2021?

This domain was once home to Instagram Is, the 2013 documentary by Paul Tellefsen about the people behind the photos. Today the platform has more than a billion active users, and some accounts have audiences larger than entire countries. So who were the biggest Instagram icons in 2021?

Football's biggest name

Cristiano Ronaldo was the most-followed person on Instagram in 2021, with hundreds of millions of followers. His feed mixes training, family life, matches and a long list of sponsorships and brand collaborations. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was not far behind, with an audience in the same league, built on gym sessions, film promotion and a famously upbeat tone.

Pop stars and selfies

Musicians are well represented among the biggest accounts. Miley Cyrus, the child star turned pop artist, has a typical celebrity feed with selfies, events and photoshoots. Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez and Ariana Grande all have enormous followings too, and use the platform for announcements, behind-the-scenes clips and fan interaction.

From blogger to beauty brand

Not every icon started out famous. Beauty influencer and entrepreneur Huda Kattan began as a blogger and built an audience of tens of millions on Instagram. She creates engaging Stories with personal updates, product recommendations and daily life, and cleverly includes links that drive traffic to her blog and brand.

Khloé Kardashian and the social mavens

A social media list without a Kardashian would hardly be complete. Khloé Kardashian has well over a hundred million followers, and her sisters and half-sisters are among the most-followed people on the platform. Other names in that league include:

• Jennifer Lopez
• Taylor Swift
• Kendall Jenner

The influencer life

What makes an icon? Size is one measure, but not the only one. The biggest accounts combine talent, recognisable personalities and a steady stream of content, and many have business empires that use Instagram as a shop window. If you are interested in how influencer tiers work, from mega accounts down to nano creators, see our guide to Instagram influencers.

Whether you are into Gigi Hadid's fashion, Lady Gaga's latest lyrics or Ryan Reynolds' latest joke, there is someone for everyone on Instagram. It is just a matter of what you are interested in. Who knows, the next big name might be someone you already follow.

Follower figures change constantly; this article reflects the picture in 2021.