The Most Followed Accounts on Twitter

20. Neymar (59.1m followers)

This Brazilian professional footballer, Neymar, is new to the list of most followed accounts on Twitter. Now regarded as one of the best players in the world, Neymar’s following on Twitter is snowballing.

Gaining an average of over 100,000 new followers per week in September of 2022, Neymar’s success as a footballer converts into Twitter followers. His presence on social media is one to be admired.

Most of Neymar’s tweets are in French, but this isn’t stopping fans across the globe from dropping him a follow.

19. CNN (60.5m followers)

CNN has amassed an impressive number of followers on Twitter. CNN is a US-based news channel owned by Warner Bros, with remarkable viewership numbers.

Tweeting multiple times every hour, CNN’s team is quick to keep their followers updated with the latest news. This consistent presence on Twitter has given the news network an impressive reputation as a reliable source of the latest info.

18. Bill Gates (61.1m followers)

Bill Gates remains on this list at number 18. As co-founder of Microsoft and someone who is incredibly, incredibly rich, it’s no wonder so many fans are curious to follow his tweets. While he made his name in the tech world, he now spends a huge amount of time working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2022, the foundation announced a plan to increase payouts to $9 billion annually by 2026 to tackle climate change, rising inflation, and more.

17. Justin Timberlake (62.8m followers)

Hugely successful solo artist, and ex-boyband star, Justin Timberlake is up next on the list. As one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records, it’s not surprising that his loyal fanbase wants to hear from him on Twitter.

Timberlake’s feed mostly consists of sharing his latest adventures, TV appearances, and music releases.

16. CNN Breaking News (64m followers)

Next, it’s CNN’s breaking news account. More popular than the network’s regular account, which is also on the list, this account is home to regular breaking news updates from the network.

Many individuals on social media use Twitter to know what’s happening in the world. The account is exactly what you’d expect: regular updates on the biggest stories from around the world.

15. Twitter (65.3m followers)

It's not surprising that Twitter’s own account has a top spot. People follow Twitter’s account to learn about new features from the source – or simply because they just really like the platform.

Along with new app and platform updates, and other Twitter-related content, the account seems to have leaned into Twitter-style talk with short, often cryptic, tweets that follow the colloquialisms of the platform. And it works.

14. Selena Gomez (66.4m followers)

Pop stars seem to do well on Twitter, with Selena Gomez next up. She’s one of the biggest acts on the planet and a star actor – so it's no surprise she’s made the list with ease.

The 7th most followed woman on Twitter, you can find Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake among her tens of millions of followers. Selena’s Twitter account is pretty much dedicated to promoting her music and acting, with the occasional shoutouts to celebrity friends and her personal thoughts.

13. NASA (67m followers)

A new entry to the list, NASA’s growing Twitter following is one to be admired. The brand uses its Twitter account to share insider information about the behind-the-scenes of the space agency. From sharing employees’ stories to insights behind the latest mission, millions follow NASA to stay up-to-date on the latest news.

12. Kim Kardashian (74.2m followers)

Kim Kardashian’s empire doesn’t slack on social. The world-famous businesswoman and TV personality has garnered a huge following on every social media platform she touches.

She’s the 6th most followed woman on Twitter and counts Ariana Grande, Sofia Vergara, and Serena Williams as followers. She also uses her account much like other people on this list. There’s a lot of promotional stuff (particularly around her businesses), along with general updates about her life.

11. Ellen DeGeneres (77m followers)

Next up is Ellen DeGeneres. Host of the massively popular Ellen Show, her huge viewing figures has made her a hit on Twitter too. Despite the show no longer running, Ellen's influence is still growing.

We can also assume that her famous Oscars tweet, which, for a while, was the most retweeted tweet of all time, also has something to do with her high follower count.

Technically, her account is for her show (the handle being @TheEllenShow), so pretty much all tweets are pictures and clips that help promote that. Having said that, a few personal tweets also appear occasionally.

10. YouTube (77.7m followers)

YouTube comes in at number 11. This video-sharing platform is the second most-visited website behind Google Search, and YouTube’s popularity has crossed platforms giving them one of the most successful accounts on Twitter.

Along with the pithy bio of “Like and subscribe.”, YouTube’s account is pretty straightforward. It simply posts short clips and links to videos on its platform. Simple and a really good way to shine a spotlight on deserving YouTubers.

9. Narendra Modi (84.5m followers)

Our first politician on the list is India’s Prime Minister Modi. He’s been an avid Twitter user since 2009, realizing early on the influence social media can have on politics. 

Having been in power since 2014, his following has gone from strength to strength. Modi uses his account for exactly what you’d expect of a politician and head of state. He campaigns for his party, talks about issues affecting India, and tweets about diplomacy between his country and others.

8. Lady Gaga (84.9m followers)

With huge successes in music and acting, with an upcoming appearance as Harley Quinn in the new Joker film in 2024, Lady Gaga finds herself as the 8th most followed person on Twitter. 

Her followers include Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, and Oprah Winfrey. Her account is mostly updates on her music and acting, along with the activities of her Born This Way Foundation.

7. Taylor Swift (91.9m followers)

Being one of the biggest pop stars on the planet brings you fame and fortune, as well as Twitter followers. The release of Taylor's recent album, Midnights, led to a huge increase of engagement on her tweets, which now get hundreds of thousands of likes. Impressive.

6. Cristiano Ronaldo (105.1m followers)

Cristiano Ronaldo is up at number 6. Along with captaining the Portuguese national team, he’s had stints at the biggest clubs in the world, including Juventus F.C, Real Madrid, and Manchester United.

Ronaldo has some big-name followers, including Lil Wayne, Jack Dorsey (the CEO of Twitter), and Usain Bolt.

Ronaldo’s recent tweets have gained incredible traction, with over half a million likes on the below tweet. Fans are keen to see what he shares next.

5. Rihanna (107.2m followers)

Into the top five, and Rihanna is next on the list. Another musician, and still not the last, we have this megastar and beauty product entrepreneur. With a slew of hits to her name and her Fenty business going from strength to strength, she has grown a huge Twitter following.

Rihanna’s Twitter account has the usual promotional stuff, including info about her latest releases and collaborations.

4. Katy Perry (108.8m followers)

In fourth place, we have Katy Perry, the world-famous pop star. From humble beginnings singing in churches, Perry has now established herself as one of the biggest music acts in the world.

The most influential woman on Twitter, Perry uses Twitter to post her thoughts and personal messages rather than flooding the feed with promotional tweets (although they come up every so often too).

3. Justin Bieber (113.7m followers)

Justin Bieber has been a near-constant following since his career started. He’s remained in the limelight, updating his style and look as he’s gotten older and become one of the biggest stars on the planet. And definitely the biggest popstar on Twitter.

Some of Bieber’s more notable followers include Jaden Smith, Queen Latifah, and Iggy Azalea. Posts come sparingly; they’re just as often random thoughts and the type of content any other Twitter user might post.

2. Elon Musk (118.1m followers)

Elon Musk’s Twitter presence has only grown over the years. He’s skyrocketed to the top of this list, especially after his recent announcement to purchase Twitter. His followers are still in the hundreds of millions despite backing out of the deal.

Musk has become a household name over the years, from launching products like electric cars to rockets (in one case, literally launching an electric car into space on a rocket). With his interest in cryptocurrencies and memes, he's become a magnet for Twitter followers.

1. Barack Obama (133.2m followers)

In the first place, we have the ex-President of the United States, Barack Obama. It’s no shock that holding the most powerful office in the world gets you a lot of followers. But who knew he’d still be the most followed person on Twitter five years post-presidency?

With this behind him, Obama mostly tweets about his daily activities, such as the work being done by his Obama Foundation. Congrats to Obama on being the most followed person on Twitter!