Honestly, the annual reveal of the 2024 TIME100 most influential people feels like a high-stakes high school yearbook for the entire planet. But with much better photography. And significantly more world leaders.
Every April, TIME magazine drops this list, and every year, we all scramble to see who made the cut and—more importantly—who got snubbed. 2024 was a weirdly pivotal year. We had a mix of pop icons like Dua Lipa, sports titans like Patrick Mahomes, and figures whose influence felt more like a heavy weight, like Yulia Navalnaya.
Influence is a slippery thing to measure. It isn’t always about being "liked." It’s about who is actually moving the needle in their industry, for better or worse. This year’s list featured 51 women, marking a significant milestone for the franchise. It also leaned heavily into the "unexpected pairing" vibe they love so much. Seeing Alex Rodriguez write about Patrick Mahomes or Michelle Obama penning a tribute to Thelma Golden gives you a glimpse into these elite social circles that we usually don't see.
Who Actually Stood Out on the 2024 List?
The list is traditionally broken down into categories: Artists, Icons, Titans, Leaders, Innovators, and Pioneers. It’s a lot to digest.
In the Artists category, Dev Patel was a major standout. His directorial debut with Monkey Man really shifted the conversation around South Asian representation in action cinema. Then you’ve got Dua Lipa, who basically owns the airwaves. Her tribute was written by Patti Smith, which is about as much "cool credit" as a human being can possibly get.
The Heavy Hitters in Politics and Leadership
Leadership in 2024 felt particularly tense. Yulia Navalnaya took a massive spotlight following the death of her husband, Alexei Navalny. Her inclusion wasn’t just about recognition; it was a signal of support for the Russian opposition.
Then you have the usual political suspects and a few surprises:
- William Lai, the President of Taiwan, whose every move is watched by global economists.
- Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first female Prime Minister.
- Javier Milei, the chainsaw-wielding (metaphorically, mostly) President of Argentina.
2024 TIME100 Most Influential People: The Sports and Tech Titans
If you follow the NFL, seeing Patrick Mahomes on the list for the third time wasn't a shock. He's the closest thing we have to a "sure thing" in sports right now. Tom Brady actually wrote the blurb for A’ja Wilson, the WNBA superstar. That’s a huge nod to the growing dominance of women's basketball.
Over in the tech world, NVIDIA's Jensen Huang made the cut. This makes total sense. If you’ve heard anything about AI lately, you’ve heard about the chips his company makes. Without them, the current AI boom basically doesn't happen. Satya Nadella from Microsoft joined him, proving that the tech old guard still has plenty of teeth.
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Why Do We Care So Much?
People often ask if these lists are just PR stunts. Megyn Kelly actually called it a "scam" during the 2025 cycle, arguing that influence is often bought or manufactured. But here's the thing: even if it is a PR game, the people on the list are the ones everyone is talking about. That, by definition, is influence.
Whether it's Michael J. Fox being honored for his tireless Parkinson's research (penned by Ryan Reynolds) or Motaz Azaiza, the 25-year-old Palestinian photographer who documented the war in Gaza, these names reflect the collective anxiety and admiration of the moment.
Surprises and Misconceptions
One thing people get wrong is thinking this is a "best person" award. It's not. It's an "influential person" award. Sam Jacobs, the Editor-in-Chief, has been pretty vocal about the fact that influence can be "for better and for worse."
Take Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas. He’s a polarizing figure. Whether you love his policies or hate them, you cannot deny that his actions on the U.S. border have forced the entire country to react. That is influence. The same goes for someone like E. Jean Carroll, who transformed her personal legal battle into a broader conversation about accountability and the justice system.
The Youngest and the Oldest
Age is just a number, but in this context, it’s a fascinating metric. Motaz Azaiza was the youngest at 25. On the flip side, you have Joel Habener, an 86-year-old scientist who was a pioneer in the research that led to Ozempic. That’s the range of the 2024 TIME100 most influential people. One is documenting history in real-time on social media; the other spent decades in a lab creating a drug that is currently changing how millions of people think about health and weight.
Actionable Takeaways from the 2024 List
If you're looking at this list and wondering what to do with it, don't just treat it as gossip. There’s a lot to learn here about where the world is headed.
- Follow the Money: Look at the "Innovators" and "Titans." People like Thasunda Brown Duckett (CEO of TIAA) or Larry Ellison. Their inclusion tells you which industries are currently holding the most power.
- Diversity of Thought: The list is intentionally broad. If you only recognize the actors, take ten minutes to Google the "Pioneers." You’ll find people like Priyamvada Natarajan, an astrophysicist mapping dark matter.
- Pay Attention to the Writers: Often, the person writing the tribute is just as influential as the subject. It shows you the networks of power. If Kamala Harris is writing about you, you're officially in the room where it happens.
To stay truly informed, you should track the TIME100 Next list that usually follows later in the year. That’s where the "up-and-comers" live. While the main list focuses on established power, the Next list often predicts who will be on the main cover five years from now.
Check out the full archives on the official TIME website to see the specific essays. Reading the personal tributes provides a much more human perspective than just scrolling through a list of names. It’s also worth watching the gala highlights—usually broadcast on ABC—to see these people actually interact. There's something very grounding about seeing a world-class scientist and a pop star sharing a table.