''Time'' 100 (often stylized as ''TIME'' 100) is an annual listicle of the 100 most influential people in

the world In its most general sense, the term "world" refers to the totality of entities, to the whole of reality or to everything that is. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the worl ...

, assembled by the American

news magazine A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories, in greater depth than do newspapers or new ...

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

''. First published in 1999 as the result of a debate among American academics, politicians, and journalists, the list is now a highly publicized annual event. Appearing on the list is often seen as an honor, and ''Time'' makes it clear that entrants are recognized for changing the world, regardless of the consequences of their actions. The final list of influential individuals is exclusively chosen by ''Time'' editors, with nominations coming from the ''Time'' 100 alumni and the magazine's international writing staff. Only the winner of the Reader's Poll, conducted days before the official list is revealed, is chosen by the general public. The corresponding commemorative gala is held annually in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

. In 2019, Time began publishing the ''Time'' 100 Next list, which "spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more."

Selection criteria

In 2004, ''Time'' editors identified "three rather distinct qualities" when choosing people to be listed. ''Time'' editor-at-large Michael Elliott wrote:

First, there were those who came to their status by means of a very public possession of power; President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
is the pre-eminent example. Others, though rarely heard from in public, nonetheless have a real influence on the great events of our time. Think of
Ali Husaini Sistani Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani ( ar, علي الحسيني السيستاني; fa, , Ali-ye Hoseyni-ye Sistāni; born 4 August 1930), commonly known as Ayatollah Sistani, is an Iranian–Iraqi Twelver Shia Ayatollah and marja'. He has been described ...
, the
Grand Ayatullah Marji ( ar, مرجع, transliteration: ''marjiʿ''; plural: ''marājiʿ''), literally meaning "source to follow" or "religious reference", is a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia authority, a Grand Ayatollah with the authority giv ...
of Iraq's Shi'ites. Still others affect our lives through their moral example. Consider
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
's forgiveness of his captors and his willingness to walk away from the South African presidency after a single term.

For the 2007 list, managing editor Richard Stengel clarified that the ''Time'' 100 focused on the most influential people rather than the hottest, most popular, or most powerful people. He said:

Influence is hard to measure, and what we look for is people whose ideas, whose example, whose talent, whose discoveries transform the world we live in. Influence is less about the hard power of force than the soft power of ideas and example. Yes, there are Presidents and dictators who can change the world through fiat, but we're more interested in innovators like Monty Jones, the
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
scientist who has developed a strain of rice that can save African agriculture. Or heroes like the great chess master Garry Kasparov, who is leading the lonely fight for greater democracy in Russia. Or
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-winning actor
George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...
who has leveraged his celebrity to bring attention to the tragedy in Darfur.

History

2000s

From 2005 to 2008, ''Time'' magazine awarded one of Darko Mladenovic's Ray crystal sculptures to each ''Time'' 100 honoree. These sculptures were produced by

Swarovski Swarovski (, ) is an Austrian producer of glass based in Wattens, Austria, and has existed as a family-owned business since its founding in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski. The company is split into three major industry areas: the Swarovski Crystal ...

. In 2009, the winner of the online poll was

4chan 4chan is an anonymous English-language imageboard website. Launched by Christopher "moot" Poole in October 2003, the site hosts boards dedicated to a wide variety of topics, from anime and manga to video games, cooking, weapons, television, ...

founder

Christopher Poole Christopher Poole (born ), also known online as moot, is an American internet entrepreneur and developer. Poole is known for founding the anonymous English-language imageboard 4chan in October 2003, when he was a still a teenager; he served as ...

, who received 16,794,368 votes. ''

'' claimed that their technical team "did detect and extinguish several attempts to

hack Hack may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games * ''Hack'' (Unix video game), a 1984 roguelike video game * ''.hack'' (video game series), a series of video games by the multimedia franchise ''.hack'' Music * ''Hack'' (album), a 199 ...

the vote". However, it was shown weeks before the poll ended that the results had been heavily influenced by hackers. The first letters of the top 21 names spell out "marblecake also the game". Marblecake was an obscene 4chan

meme A meme ( ) is an idea, behavior, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural i ...

, and #marblecake was the name of the

Internet Relay Chat Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called ''channels'', but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages as well as chat and ...

channel used for communication by some of the participants in rigging the poll.

2010s

In its online presentation, ''Time'' introduced the 2010 list as follows: "In our annual ''Time'' 100 issue, we name the people who most affect our world". The overall list was organized with four main sub-lists: Leaders, Heroes, Artists, and Thinkers.

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954), or simply Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'', br ...

continued a streak that began in 2004, having been included on every ''Time'' 100 list, and was one of 31 women on the list. While 2012 saw a break in Oprah's streak, she would be a finalist four more times during the decade and returned to the list in 2018.The 2010 list included many expected names and some surprises such as

Scott Brown Scott Brown may refer to: Sportsmen *Scott Brown (American football), American college football coach of Kentucky State * Scott Brown (baseball) (born 1956), former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds *Scott Brown (footballer, bor ...

, who ''

HuffPost ''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...

'' described as a premature selection at that point in his career. The 2010 list included 10 Indians, but according to a local news station in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, ''Time'' faced criticism when they excluded

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

actor

Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...

from the list, even though he was supposedly "in the race". According to Rob Cain of ''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

'', "Khan is the biggest and most revered figure

n India N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

, and Khan's fan following is one of the largest in Bollywood. The announcement of the list was celebrated by a

black tie Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element fo ...

gala at the Time Warner Center in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

on May 4, 2010. ''Time'' readers contributed to the selection through an online vote of over 200 finalists. ''Time'' introduced the 2011 list as follows: "Meet the most influential people in the world. They are artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state, and captains of industry. Their ideas spark dialogue and dissent and sometimes even revolution. Welcome to this year's ''Time'' 100." The announcement was celebrated with a black tie event in New York City on April 26, 2011. The honorees were joined by A-list celebrities at the

Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz at Lincoln Center is part of Lincoln Center in New York City. The organization was founded in 1987 and opened at Time Warner Center in October 2004. Wynton Marsalis is the artistic director and the leader of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orches ...

for the event. ''Time'' readers contributed to the selection through an online vote of over 200 finalists. The list included familiar leaders including

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

and

Chancellor of Germany The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,; often shortened to ''Bundeskanzler''/''Bundeskanzlerin'', / is the head of the federal government of Germany and the commander in chief of the Ge ...

Angela Merkel, as well as "newcomers" to the global press. The list included numerous figures representing the

Arab Spring The Arab Spring ( ar, الربيع العربي) was a series of Nonviolent resistance, anti-government protests, Rebellion, uprisings and Insurgency, armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in T ...

in the

Middle East The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...

, including rebels, political leaders, and news correspondents. Media figures unrelated to the Arab Spring were also listed. Additionally,

Prince William William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales. Born in London, William was educat ...

and

Kate Middleton Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...

were part of the list during the week before their wedding. The list also included Katsunobu Sakurai, the mayor of Minamisōma,

Fukushima may refer to: Japan * Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture ** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan ***Fukushima University, national university in Japan *** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...

, which was the city most affected by the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six minutes ...

. Revealed on April 24, 2014, the 2014 list featured

Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

on the U.S. cover and

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

, Jason Collins, and

Mary Barra Mary Teresa Barra (née Makela; born December 24, 1961) is an American businesswoman who has been the chair and chief executive officer (CEO) of General Motors since January 15, 2014. She is the first female CEO of a 'Big Three' automaker. In De ...

on international covers. The list included 41 women, the most in the list's history. The gala was held on April 29, 2014, in New York City. ''Time'' managing editor

Nancy Gibbs Nancy Reid Gibbs (born January 25, 1960) is an American essayist, speaker, and presidential historian. She is the former Managing Editor for ''TIME'' magazine, an author, and commentator on politics and values in the United States. She is the co- ...

commented: At age 14, Spanish-British born actress Millie Bobby Brown became the youngest person to be listed on the 2018 list, when ''

Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by the Duffer Brothers, who also serve as showrunners and are executive producers along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen. Produced by Monkey Massacre Prod ...

'' was in its third season. In the 2019 list, ''Time'' chose authors to write the honorees' blurbs. Some of the pairings include Gal Gadot writing about

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the developm ...

, Shawn Mendes writing about

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

, Shonda Rhimes writing about Sandra Oh, Ava DuVernay writing about Gayle King, and

writing about

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...

2020s

The 2020 list included

Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, rapper

Megan Thee Stallion Megan Jovon Ruth Pete (born February 15, 1995), known professionally as Megan Thee Stallion (pronounced "Megan the Stallion"), is an American rapper and songwriter. Originally from Houston, Texas, she first garnered attention when videos of her ...

, comedian Phoebe Waller-Bridge, tennis champion

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese professional tennis player. She has been ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles. Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam singles champio ...

(her second time being included), Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, attorney

Nury Turkel Nury Ablikim Turkel (; ; born 1970) is a Uyghur American attorney, public official and human rights advocate based in Washington, D.C. He is currently the Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. Turkel was born ...

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

player

Patrick Mahomes Patrick Lavon Mahomes II (born September 17, 1995) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). The son of former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher Pat Mahomes, he initially played co ...

, and

environmental justice Environmental justice is a social movement to address the unfair exposure of poor and marginalized communities to harms from hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses.Schlosberg, David. (2007) ''Defining Environmental Justic ...

advocate Cecilia Martinez. On September 15, ''Time'' revealed the 2021 list, distributed into the categories ''Icons'', ''Pioneers'', ''Titans'', ''Artists'', ''Leaders'' and ''Innovators''. Each category has a highlighted section of personalities being featured on the ''Time'' magazine cover, naming Prince Harry and

Meghan Markle Meghan, Duchess of Sussex (; born Rachel Meghan Markle; August 4, 1981) is an American member of the British royal family and former actress. She is the wife of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the younger son of King Charles III. Meghan was ...

as ''Icons'', Billie Eilish as ''Pioneer'', Simone Biles as ''Titan'',

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

as ''Artist'', Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as ''Leader'' and Jensen Huang as ''Innovator''. Furthermore, ''Time'' held a readers poll prior to the reveal of the editors list, asking whether certain personalities should be included in this year's annual list. Nearly 1.8 million votes were cast, with

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...

claiming the top spot, while also being featured as an ''Icon''. Editor-in-chief

Edward Felsenthal Edward Felsenthal (born September 3, 1966) is an American journalist. He is the editor-in-chief of ''Time'', a fortnightly news magazine. Early life Felsenthal was born into a Jewish family on September 3, 1966, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he ...

commented on the current working circumstances at ''Time'' and the effects of the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

on their annual gala:

Multiple appearances

Each category is given equal weight every year, but some people are more likely to make repeat appearances over time. The following list includes individuals who have appeared at least three times. The order is based on the number of times each person has been listed in ''Time'' 100. Those who are tied are listed alphabetically. Some individuals, such as Nelson Mandela, have also been listed in the one-off ''Time'''s list of " The Most Important People of the 20th Century". They are listed in bold.

Listed five times or more

File:Xi Jinping 2019.jpg,

Xi Jinping Xi Jinping ( ; ; ; born 15 June 1953) is a Chinese politician who has served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), and thus as the paramount leader of China, s ...

Listed thirteen times: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, and 2009 File:President Barack Obama (cropped) 3.jpg,

Listed eleven times: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2005
(Finalist in 2018) File:Oprah in 2014.jpg,

Listed eleven times: 2022, 2018, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2012) File:Hillary Rodham Clinton-cropped.jpg,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

Listed ten times: 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, and 2004
(Finalist in 2013 and 2010) File:Angela Merkel. Tallinn Digital Summit.jpg, Angela Merkel
Listed nine times: 2020, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2010, and 2008) File:Kim Jong-un April 2019 (cropped).jpg,

Kim Jong-un Kim Jong-un (; , ; born 8 January 1982) is a North Korean politician who has been Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012. He is a son of Kim Jong-il, who was North Korea's sec ...

Listed eight times: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019) File:Vladimir Putin (2020-02-20).jpg,

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

Listed seven times: 2022, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2008, and 2004
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2012, 2011, 2009, and 2007) File:Pope Francis Korea Haemi Castle 19 (cropped).jpg,

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

Listed six times: 2019, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2018) File:Donald Trump official portrait (cropped).jpg,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

Listed six times: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016
(Finalist in 2022) File:Jeff Bezos at Amazon Spheres Grand Opening in Seattle - 2018 (39074799225) (cropped).jpg,

Jeff Bezos Jeffrey Preston Bezos ( ;; and Robinson (2010), p. 7. ''né'' Jorgensen; born January 12, 1964) is an American entrepreneur, media proprietor, investor, and commercial astronaut. He is the founder, executive chairman, and former preside ...

Listed five times: 2018, 2017, 2014, 2009, and 2008
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2013, and 2012) File:Joe Biden presidential portrait (cropped).jpg, Joe Biden
Listed five times: 2022, 2021, 2020, 2013, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016) File:Tim Cook 2009 cropped.jpg, Tim Cook
Listed five times: 2022, 2021, 2016, 2015, and 2012
(Finalist in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2014) File:Steve Jobs Headshot 2010-CROP2.jpg,

Steve Jobs Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American entrepreneur, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. He was the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Apple; the chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar; a ...

Listed five times: 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2011 and 2009) File:Lagarde, Christine (official portrait 2011).jpg, Christine Lagarde
Listed five times: 2022, 2016, 2012, 2010, and 2009
(Finalist in 2014) File:Shri Narendra Modi.jpg,

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi (; born 17 September 1950) is an Indian politician serving as the 14th and current Prime Minister of India since 2014. Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament from ...

Listed five times: 2021, 2020, 2017, 2015, and 2014
(Finalist in 2022, 2019, 2018, 2016, and 2012) File:Remise du Prix Sakharov à Aung San Suu Kyi Strasbourg 22 octobre 2013-18.jpg,

Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from ...

Listed five times: 2016, 2013, 2011, 2008, and 2004
(Finalist in 2012 and 2009) File:Official photo of Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2019.jpg,

Nancy Pelosi Nancy Patricia Pelosi (; ; born March 26, 1940) is an American politician who has served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2019 and previously from 2007 to 2011. She has represented in the United States House of ...

Listed five times: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2010, and 2007
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2013, 2009, and 2008)
Listed five times: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016

Listed four times

File:George-W-Bush.jpeg,

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

2008, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2009 and 2007) File:Bill Clinton.jpg,

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

2010, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015, 2013, and 2007) File:George Clooney 2016.jpg,

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...

2009, 2008, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2012, 2011, and 2010) File:The Global Financial Context James Dimon (cropped).jpg,

Jamie Dimon James Dimon (; born March 13, 1956) is an American billionaire businessman and banker who has been the chairman and chief executive officer of JPMorgan Chase – the largest of the big four American banks – since 2005. Dimon was previously on ...

2011, 2009, 2008, and 2006
(Finalist in 2015 and 2012) File:Recep Tayyip Erdoğan 2018 (cropped).jpg,

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (born 26 February 1954) is a Turkish politician serving as the List of presidents of Turkey, 12th and current president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as prime minister of Turkey from 2003 to 2014 and as Lis ...

2017, 2016, 2010, and 2004
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2019, 2015, 2014, and 2012) File:Bill Gates 2018.jpg,

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...

2006, 2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2010, and 2008) File:Hu Jintao at White House 2011.jpg,

Hu Jintao Hu Jintao (born 21 December 1942) is a Chinese politician who served as the 16–17th general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012, the 6th president of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 2003 to 2013, an ...

2008, 2007, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2011 and 2009) File:Lebron wizards 2017 (cropped).jpg, LeBron James
2019, 2017, 2013, and 2005
(Finalist in 2021, 2020, 2018, and 2015) File:SpaceX CEO Elon Musk visits N&NC and AFSPC (190416-F-ZZ999-006) (cropped).jpg,

Elon Musk Elon Reeve Musk ( ; born June 28, 1971) is a business magnate and investor. He is the founder, CEO and chief engineer of SpaceX; angel investor, CEO and product architect of Tesla, Inc.; owner and CEO of Twitter, Inc.; founder of The Bori ...

2021, 2018, 2013, and 2010
(Finalist in 2022, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2016, and 2015) File:Benjamin Netanyahu 2018.jpg,

Benjamin Netanyahu Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu (; ; born 21 October 1949) is an Israeli politician who served as the ninth prime minister of Israel from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. He is currently serving as Leader of the Opposition and Chairman of ...

2019, 2015, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2020, 2017, 2013, 2010, and 2009) File:Michelle Obama 2013 official portrait.jpg,

2019, 2013, 2011, and 2009
(Finalist in 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, and 2010) File:Condoleezza Rice cropped.jpg,

Condoleezza Rice Condoleezza Rice ( ; born November 14, 1954) is an American diplomat and political scientist who is the current director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served as the 66th Uni ...

2007, 2006, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2008) File:Elizabeth Warren--Official 113th Congressional Portrait--.jpg,

Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth Ann Warren ( née Herring; born June 22, 1949) is an American politician and former law professor who is the senior United States senator from Massachusetts, serving since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party and regarded as a ...

2017, 2015, 2010, and 2009
(Finalist in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013, and 2011) File:Mark Zuckerberg F8 2019 Keynote (32830578717) (cropped).jpg,

Mark Zuckerberg Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (; born ) is an American business magnate, internet entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is known for co-founding the social media website Facebook and its parent company Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.), o ...

2019, 2016, 2011, and 2008
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2012, and 2009)

Listed three times

File:Adele for Vogue in 2021.png, Adele
2022, 2016, and 2012 File:Benedict XVI Blessing-2.jpg,

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

2007, 2006, and 2005
(Finalist in 2013, 2009, and 2008) File:Warren Buffett KU Visit.jpg,

Warren Buffett Warren Edward Buffett ( ; born August 30, 1930) is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is one of the most successful investors in the world and has a net w ...

2012, 2007, and 2004
(Finalist in 2016, 2013, 2011, 2010, 2009, and 2008) File:Duchess Kate of Cambridge visits Sweden (2018).jpg,

Catherine, Princess of Wales Catherine, Princess of Wales, (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to William, Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the British throne, making Catherine the likely next ...

2013, 2012, and 2011
(Finalist in 2018) File:Dalai Lama in 2012 02.jpg, The

14th Dalai Lama The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual name Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso, known as Tenzin Gyatso (Tibetan: བསྟན་འཛིན་རྒྱ་མཚོ་, Wylie: ''bsTan-'dzin rgya-mtsho''); né Lhamo Thondup), known as ...

, Tenzin Gyatso
2008, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015 and 2009) File:Mario Draghi 2021 cropped.jpg, Mario Draghi
2021, 2013 and 2012 File:Kamala Harris Vice Presidential Portrait (cropped).jpg, Kamala Harris
2021, 2020, and 2013
(Finalist in 2022, 2019, 2017, 2012, and 2011) File:John Kerry official Secretary of State portrait.jpg,

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

2016, 2014, and 2004
(Finalist in 2015 and 2013) File:Charles Koch portrait (cropped).jpg, Charles Koch
2015, 2014, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016 and 2012)
(shared with brother David at all times) File:David Koch by Gage Skidmore.jpg,

David Koch David Hamilton Koch ( ; May 3, 1940 – August 23, 2019) was an American businessman, political activist, philanthropist, and chemical engineer. In 1970, he joined the family business: Koch Industries, the second largest privately held c ...

2015, 2014, and 2011
(Finalist in 2016 and 2012)
(shared with brother Charles at all times) File:Pony Ma 2011.jpg,

Ma Huateng Ma Huateng (, born on October 29, 1971), also known as Pony Ma, is a Chinese billionaire business magnate. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent, one of the most valuable companies in Asia, one of the largest intern ...

2018, 2014, and 2007
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, and 2019) File:Nelson Mandela-2008 (edit).jpg,

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

2005, 2004, and the 20th century
(Finalist in 2008 and 2007) File:Rupert Murdoch - Flickr - Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer.jpg,

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

2008, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2012, 2010, and 2009) File:Naomi Osaka 2017 Wimbledon.jpg,

2021, 2020, and 2019 File:Larry Page in the European Parliament, 17.06.2009 (cropped).jpg, Larry Page
2011, 2005, and 2004
(Finalist in 2014, 2012, and 2008) File:Brad Pitt 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg,

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. ...

2009, 2008, and 2007
(Finalist in 2012 and 2011) File:Ren Zhengfei 2014.jpg, Ren Zhengfei
2019, 2013, and 2005 File:Shonda Rhimes at the 75th Annual Peabody Awards (cropped).jpg, Shonda Rhimes
2021, 2013 & 2007
(Finalist in 2022, 2016, and 2015) File:Official roberts CJ.jpg, John Roberts
2020, 2007, and 2006
(Finalist in 2015, 2013, 2012, and 2008) File:Moqtada Sadr.jpg, Muqtada al-Sadr
2011, 2008, and 2006
(Finalist in 2009 and 2007) File:Taylor Swift 3, 2011.jpg,

2019, 2015, and 2010
(Finalist in 2022, 2021, 2020, 2016, 2014, and 2009) File:Tiger Woods in May 2019.jpg,

Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, ranks second in men's major championships, and holds numerous golf records. * * * Woods is widely regarded as ...

2019, 2009, and 2004
(Finalist in 2010, 2008, and 2007) File:Janet Yellen official Federal Reserve portrait.jpg,

Janet Yellen Janet Louise Yellen (born August 13, 1946) is an American economist serving as the 78th United States secretary of the treasury since January 26, 2021. She previously served as the 15th chair of the Federal Reserve from 2014 to 2018. Yellen is t ...

2017, 2015, and 2014
(Finalist in 2016) File:Shinzō Abe and Malala Yousafzai (1) Cropped.jpg, Malala Yousafzai
2015, 2014, and 2013.

Controversies

Controversies over exclusions

The exclusion of then-British Prime Minister

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

from the 2004 list caused mild controversy. ''Time'' editor-at-large Michael J. Elliott defended the decision to consistently exclude Blair, saying that "

Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Fritz Kurt "Gerd" Schröder (; born 7 April 1944) is a German lobbyist and former politician, who served as the chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. From 1999 to 2004, he was also the Leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany ...

and

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988, as well as Ma ...

are not there either. This is a worldwide list. There are no Western European political leaders on it because they are not that powerful or influential at this time." Although George W. Bush has been on the list several times, controversy emerged when he was dropped from the list in 2007 in part because of the Democratic victory in the 2006 congressional election. Former Senator Rick Santorum (R–PA) said on

Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...

The fact of the matter is, the president of the United States, I don't care who's in that office, is the most powerful man on the face of the Earth and has more influence over various aspects of lives, not just in this country, but around the world. And for ''Time'' magazine to dismiss that just shows you how biased and, I would argue, hateful they are.

Adi Ignatius, ''Time''s deputy managing editor who oversaw the list at the time, explained that "any U.S. president has a certain built-in influence ... Bush had actually squandered some of that built-in influence. His position on

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

has cost him support in his own party. ... To a certain point, he sort of reached a lame-duck status".

Controversies over inclusions

The list has also generated controversy over inclusions. In 2005, conservative commentator Ann Coulter was listed, which led ''

Salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

'' to observe:

When ''Time'' magazine named Ann Coulter among its 100 "most influential people" last week, alongside such heavyweights as
Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon (; ; ; also known by his diminutive Arik, , born Ariel Scheinermann, ; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. S ...
,
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
,
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...
,
Kim Jong-il Kim Jong-il (; ; ; born Yuri Irsenovich Kim;, 16 February 1941 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second supreme leader of North Korea from 1994 to 2011. He led North Korea from the 1994 death of his father Kim ...
, and the
Dalai Lama Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current Dal ...
, the choice produced guffaws online. Plugging the issue on Fox News last week, ''Time'' executive editor ''Priscilla Painton'' insisted it was Coulter's use of "humor" that made her so influential, stopping just short of suggesting that Coulter is the conservative
Jon Stewart Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz; November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, political commentator, and television host. He hosted ''The Daily Show'', a satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 1999 to 2015 and now hosts ''Th ...
. But even Fox's Bill O'Reilly wasn't buying it. He pressed Painton: "Do you think people, Americans, listen to Ann Coulter? Do you think she has influence in public opinion?"

''Time'' defended Coulter as a best-selling author whose controversial commentary strongly affected political debates in the United States. Coulter did not, however, make additional appearances on the list.

Mistakes

In February 2016, ''Time'' included the male British author Evelyn Waugh on its "100 Most Read Female Writers in College Classes" list, generating media attention and concerns regarding

fact-checking Fact-checking is the process of verifying factual information, in order to promote the veracity and correctness of reporting. Fact-checking can be conducted before (''ante hoc'') or after (''post hoc'') the text is published or otherwise dissem ...

at the magazine. ''Time'' later issued a retraction. In a

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

interview with

Justin Webb Justin Oliver Webb (born Justin Oliver Prouse, 3 January 1961 in Portsmouth, Hampshire) is a British journalist who has worked for the BBC since 1984. He is a former BBC North America Editor and the main co-presenter of BBC One's '' Breakfast ...

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

professor

Valentine Cunningham Valentine David Cunningham, OBE, MA, DPhil (Oxon), (born October 28, 1944) is a retired professor of English language and literature at the University of Oxford, and emeritus fellow in English literature at Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpu ...

said the mistake was "a piece of profound ignorance on the part of ''Time'' magazine".

Other ''Time'' lists

Next Generation Leaders

Since 2014, in partnership with Rolex, ''Time'' has published a class of young pioneers "in politics, business, culture, science and sports" who are reshaping the world around them. It is, per the magazine's editor-in-chief

, "an opportunity to elevate" the trailblazers "who are building a better future". Included in the 2022 list was Lina Abu Akleh, a human rights advocate who is the niece of Shireen Abu Akleh - a journalist likely killed by Israeli soldiers.

The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet

Since 2015, ''Time'' has also published a list titled "The 25 Most Influential People on the

Internet The Internet (or internet) is the global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a '' network of networks'' that consists of private, pub ...

", which features people whose influence and dominance may have changed Internet culture; who have support, position, and prominence in various sections of

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

; or who use and/or rely on the Internet as a platform for change. People who have been listed range from political figures, such as

and

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of th ...

, to teenage YouTubers, such as JoJo Siwa and

Emma Chamberlain Emma Frances Chamberlain (born May 22, 2001) is an American internet personality, specifically on YouTube. She won the 2018 Streamy Award for Breakout Creator. In 2019, ''Time'' magazine included her on its ''Time'' 100 Next list, and its list ...

. Others who have been listed include Lil Nas X, whose debut hit broke the record for most weeks spent atop the ''Billboard''

Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...

after being created and distributed on the Internet, and actress and presenter

Jameela Jamil Jameela Alia Jamil (born 25 February 1986) is a British actress and presenter. She began her career on Channel 4, where she hosted a pop culture series in the T4 strand from 2009 until 2012. She then became the radio host of ''The Official Cha ...

, who is known widely beyond her profession for her online activism.

''Time'' 100 Next list

In 2019, ''Time'' began publishing the ''Time'' 100 Next list, which "spotlights 100 rising stars who are shaping the future of business, entertainment, sports, politics, science, health and more." It is considered an expansion of the current ''Time'' 100 list. Although the list has no explicit age cap, it is more focused on up-and-coming figures and "rising stars". The Next list features profiles written by established ''Time'' 100 alumni.

''Time'' 100 Women of the Year

In 2019, ''Time'' created 89 new covers to celebrate women of the year starting from 1920.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Time 100 Top people lists