The A-list celebrity is seen as the pinnacle of fame, an individual just out of touch with the general populace, the statement of Hollywood. They are the charter of fashion trends, the next hairstyle, and the face of the beauty standard. However the A–list celebrity’s definition and criteria have evolved over the years, starting with famous actors, actresses, and athletes and rising to reality TV stars in the 2000s, leading to social media influencers in 2024.
But why are social media influencers so popular?
In the modern age, our entertainment intake has shifted from movies and TV Shows, evolving into social media apps such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Where individuals garner millions upon millions of followers for posting online – whether that be make-up tutorials, ‘get dressed with me’ content or simply funny videos – these influencers are accumulating followers and fans at a quickening pace year after year. Once the gossip pages and headlines were obsessed with Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt’s divorce in the 2000s, but in 2024, a new direction had to be created to connect with the ‘Gen Z’ audience, mainly digesting the latest trends and influencers of the month.
How are we seeing this rise?
The presence of influencers surrounded much of my personal experience online, following many more ‘creators’ than standard celebrities. However, the impact of social media influencers has gained traction in notable spaces. In more recent times, an invitation list for the Premiers of Wicked and Gladiator II consisted of a wide range of prominent actors, musical artists, models and social media influencers alike – where Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal were at the same event as individuals I had either grown up with watching online or followed online such as Ambar Driscoll, the Titus sisters, the Kalogeras sisters and many others. In the same breath, sporting events such as the Las Vegas Grand Prix are often seen to home in on the influencer invite, giving paddock passes to gain free PR and, in return, keeping different audiences engaged and introduced to the sport.
Why this isn’t a bad thing?
I often see many people having negative associations with this rise, feeling that some of these individuals don’t ‘deserve’ this treatment and that social media is a much easier job than your regular 9-5. Whilst this is arguably true, even with some social media stars themselves saying it is ultimately more accessible and easier than a regular job, grouping social media influencers together is such a broad statement. With all these different social media platforms garnering millions of viewers since the mid-2010s, we have seen the rise of many famous individuals through the stereotypical influencer route. In 2019, Liza Koshy, a famous Vine and YouTube star, interviewed at the Met Gala the likes of Harry Styles and Lady Gaga; Youtuber Brittany Broski was an interviewer at the LA Gladiator II premier; and the notable as well as much loved UK ‘Chicken Shop Dates’ with Amelia Dimoldenberg on YouTube continues to entertain and win awards where she has had guests such as Andrew Garfield, Kehlani and many other notable individuals.
The rise of social media stars in this space with A-Lister celebrities is inevitable as our focuses and entertainment shift towards social media apps, where the definition of A-List has accumulated strands throughout the entire alphabet with sub-sections defining each place a ‘famous’ person has. Instead of creating negative connotations surrounding these influencers’ growth in fame, we should understand that we, the viewers, are leading this growth. Much like watching an actor’s film, engaging with content continues to expedite individuals and allow them to have these opportunities.