TIME100 Creators: Why This List Signals a Cultural Power Shift

TIME extended its iconic TIME100 franchise with the debut of the TIME100 Creators – a list recognising the most influential digital voices who have built followings organically on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Substack. This isn’t a ranking of crossover celebrities or viral flashes. It’s a curated snapshot of creators who have carved cultural authority from inside the ecosystem of social media itself.

The methodology, detailed in TIME’s editorial note, combined editorial insight with data from the creator marketing platform #paid. The result is a list that privileges creators whose impact is both platform-native and culturally significant – those whose voices rise above metrics to shape what audiences care about.

By grouping its selections into editorial categories – Titans, Entertainers, Leaders, Phenoms, and Catalysts – TIME redefines what influence looks like in a fragmented media landscape. These creators are the primary channels through which audiences now experience entertainment, education, and emotional resonance.

Influence Is Culture – And Social Media Is the Engine

Today, social media is the primary engine through which influence is formed, measured, and spread. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have become cultural laboratories where language, values, aesthetics, and even ethics are shaped in real time. The creators who dominate these spaces are building culture and have meaning. With figures like Twitch’s Kai Cenat, TikTok’s Charli D’Amelio, and Podcasters Hannah Berner and Paige DeSorbo, the message is clear: creators are not just part of the conversation – they’re leading it.

This shift has collapsed traditional boundaries between content and community, identity and geography. Prajakta Koli, popularly known as “MostlySane,” is also the first and only Indian-born creator featured on the list, underscoring the increasingly global dimension of digital influence. The opportunities are endless as she proves that a creator can begin sharing comedic sketches from Mumbai and evolve into a global storytelling voice, landing on a list beside Western media powerhouses. Her inclusion signals the unique role social media plays in giving visibility to underrepresented voices and elevating them onto global stages. It’s proof that influence now transcends borders – and that a creator’s origin story doesn’t limit their impact.

The youngest person on the 2025 list is 12-year-old Taylen Biggs – another indicator to a clear shift of how digital platforms are reshaping traditional models of work, consumption, and – especially for creators – wealth and value.

Why It Matters for Brands

For marketers, the TIME100 Creators list functions as both a recognition board and a strategic blueprint. It highlights the need to understand creators not just as distribution channels, but as brand architects. Their voices carry authority, emotional weight, and community trust – qualities no paid ad can replicate.

The segmentation within the list also offers brands a practical guide:

• Titans bring scale
• Entertainers are storytellers
• Leaders offer mission-driven resonance
• Phenoms can influence quick cultural uptake
• Catalysts thrive in their niche

The significant factor: they all connect with their audience in a different way – but with measurable impact.

As influence continues to decentralise from institutions to individuals, brands must meet audiences where cultural capital is actually being created – within the social media sphere.
Partnering with the right creator isn’t just a tactical move – it’s a cultural alignment. Digital creators are foundational to social media marketing and beyond – shaping brand awareness, influencing perception, and driving tangible sales as they increasingly act as storefronts for brands.

This is why the TIME100 Digital Creators lists matters: it gives brands a valuable head start in identifying who those voices are and how they’re reshaping the global narrative.