Who are the most influential celebrities in the United States?
Styles, favorite dishes, love life, projects… Stars fascinate, inspire, and exasperate. And on social media, we follow their every move.
Who are the most searched celebrities on Google in 2023? According to a study*, the top 10 mainly includes musicians and athletes, but also an entrepreneur and a reality TV star.
Taylor Swift: The GOAT
The study found that Taylor Swift is the most influential celebrity of the year. She garners more than 4.5 million Google searches each month in the United States, a popularity that reflects her ability to connect with her fans. The singer is the most searched-for celebrity online in 49 out of 50 states, including New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania. Proof of her influence: According to the study, a single sponsored post to her audience (more than 274 million followers on Instagram alone) would generate $625,700 if monetized. As she continues to make headlines with her new romance with NFL star Travis Kelce, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that number increase.
Elon Musk: The Man Who Fascinates as Much as He Exasperates
On the second step of the podium of the most influential celebrities in America: Elon Musk. An average of 2.8 million Google searches for him each month across America. The billionaire is the second most searched celebrity in 29 states, including California, Texas, and Ohio. Although he posts exclusively on his social network X (formerly Twitter), his reach is broader. If monetized, a sponsored post addressed to his 160 million subscribers could earn him approximately $339,000. That’s equivalent to what the average American household spends on groceries in just over 64 years.
LeBron James: The King of Basketball
With 2.7 million monthly Google searches, LeBron James is the third most influential celebrity in the United States in 2023. The Lakers forward is the most popular celebrity in Mississippi and is in the top five searches in 45 of the 50 states. On Instagram, a sponsored post to his audience of 158.8 million followers could earn LeBron as much as $410,000 — the equivalent of a $20 donation from 19,079 attendees at a packed Lakers game.
Rihanna: the queen of style
Rihanna, who ranks fourth, has over 2.43 million Google searches each month. She is among the top five most-searched celebrities in 46 of 50 states, including Florida, Illinois, and Georgia. If monetized, with her 152.7 million Instagram followers, the Fenty Beauty founder could earn up to $399,000 per sponsored post. For comparison, the median home price in Georgia, one of Rihanna’s most popular states, is estimated at around $358,000.
Selena Gomez: the queen of Instagram
Selena Gomez, who recently announced her retirement from social media due to “the violence and horror in the world,” ranks fifth, racking up over 2 million monthly searches. The star appears among the top five most-searched celebrities in half of all U.S. states. The actress and musician has over 430 million followers on Instagram, which could generate over $884,000 per sponsored post. With that money, the Only Murders in the Building star could afford to buy a new pair of Louis Vuitton shoes and sunglasses every day for an entire year.
The sixth most influential celebrity in America is Inter Miami football superstar Leo Messi, followed closely by reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who ranks seventh. The two celebrities garner 2 million and 1.98 million monthly Google searches, respectively. Ariana Grande comes in eighth with 1.73 million monthly searches, followed by Justin Bieber and Billie Eilish, who round out the rankings. They garner 1.65 million and 1.62 million monthly Google searches, respectively.
