Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 is a millennial. This age group has witnessed advancements in technology, new eras of music, and dozens of evolving fashion trends during their lifetime. Plenty of people have been placed on a pedestal by this age group. However, few have had a consistent place in the hearts of millennials. To keep pace as a popular public figure, individuals must consistently make headlines for positive reasons.
Zendaya became a popular actress on Disney Channel’s “Shake It Up.” She’s best known for escaping the “Disney Curse” that applies to plenty of Disney stars today. A good amount struggle with addiction and other problems as they’ve become adults. Ever since her time at Disney came to an end, she’s pursued music and become a popular actress for directors to work with. Her public relationship with Tom Holland is something millennials love to watch.
Athletes are popular public figures in the hearts of millennials also. An athlete with global reach is LeBron James. Even before social media took off, James was recognized by nearly everyone in the United States. He was so talented in high school that he thought about leaving a year early to play in the NBA. Even with the massive expectations placed on him as a teenager, James delivered and has since become an all-time legend in the sport. For more millennial coverage, click here to read about the best and worst states for millennials to live in.
To compile this list of the most popular public figures among millennials, 24/7 Tempo consulted entertainment-centered sources. These include Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and Rotten Tomatoes.
Zendaya
After starting out on Disney Channel, Zendaya has made a name for herself in the entertainment industry. She’s been in countless movies and television shows throughout her career. Millennials have shown a massive interest in bringing back superhero shows and movies. The MCU was a raging success in the late 2000s through the 2010s. During this time, Zendaya played MJ in the Spider-Man series. She proved she was more than a child actress who could only thrive on Disney Channel.
She also starred as Rue in the show “Euphoria” during the early 2020s. Fans would regularly gather on Wednesday nights for watch parties to see what happened next in the hit HBO show. Zendaya played a high school character who was addicted to drugs and would do anything to get her hands on them. Beyond these roles, she’s become a popular name in the Hollywood industry and she won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Taylor Swift
It’s difficult to find a bigger name in the music industry around the world than Taylor Swift. Her Eras Tour catapulted her into billionaire status. Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce took over the internet during the 2023 NFL season and playoffs. One of the reasons Swift is beloved is that she uses her past experiences to write her songs and sell-out concert venues around the world.
She has country, rock, and pop songs that appeal to everyone’s taste in music. Swift is releasing a new album in 2024, which has fans excited and ready to purchase. Being able to connect among different generations is hard to do. Swift’s lyrics, life story, and current relationship allow her to bridge the gap between nearly every group of people.
LeBron James
Athletes have become more popular with the rise of social media. These days, it’s easy to see highlights from any game around the world. Prior to the rise of social media, athletes needed to play in a big market if they wanted to be seen. LeBron James is the most popular basketball player in the world, even though he’s been in the league for 20 years. Unlike most athletes, James has never had any sort of scandal attached to his name.
His amazing play on the court catapulted him into the greatest of all-time discussion. Millennials grew up watching James dominate other players and teams on the court. Most athletes can’t play for as long as James has, and those who do don’t put up the same stats James does. There’s no telling how much longer James will play basketball, but he’s put on a show for fans during his career.
Selena Gomez
Like Zendaya, Selena Gomez is another Disney Channel star who grew up right in front of fans. While she started her career on “Barney and Friends,” she became a household name during her time on the hit show “Wizards of Waverly Place.” Once the show ended, Gomez began releasing albums that connected with fans on a deeper level than most.
Aside from acting and singing, Gomez started her own line of makeup and beauty products. The quality of Rare Beauty products has been a welcome change for millennials. It’s also easy to root for Gomez since she was diagnosed with Lupus at a young age. Her willingness to be vulnerable and open spreads awareness and acceptance of this disease. Gomez currently stars on “Only Murders in the Building” with Steve Martin and Martin Short.
Justin Bieber
The song “Baby” by Justin Bieber had society in a chokehold when it was first released in 2010. Nobody knew it at the time, but this song and music video was going to send Bieber into fame around the world. His career was up and down, as the singer was consistently writing great music. However, there were plenty of scandals attached to his name during the early part of his career.
Millennials still love Bieber for the great songs he released that everyone partied to while going out with friends. New insight about what Bieber might have gone through when he first entered the music industry is another reason why millennials have grown to have a soft-spot for Bieber. In 2024, Bieber is still releasing music, but not at the rate he once was.
Rihanna
Performing at the Super Bowl means you’ve done something right during your music career. Rihanna did that during Super Bowl LVII in February 2023. She’s established herself as a legendary singer with the ability to bring fans together nearly everywhere she performs. Music isn’t the only thing Rihanna is known for, though.
Aside from her performances, she also started her own beauty brand: Fenty Beauty. Her makeup inspires tons of women around the world to look and feel their best. Rihanna partnered with Puma to create a clothing line and shoe brand. Women rely on Rihanna’s brand for the best-looking lingerie to exude confidence. Rihanna’s inspired countless people in the millennial age range.
Jay-Z
It’s challenging to overstate the impact Jay-Z has had on the hip-hop industry since he first started rapping and producing. He’s released tons of legendary songs that millennials love to party to. However, he’s become much more than just a rapper. Jay-Z started his own record label and signed the previously mentioned Rihanna to her first deal. Music isn’t the only passion Jay-Z has, either.
He’s a huge sports fan, particularly basketball. At one point in time, Jay-Z purchased a share in the Brooklyn Nets to become part owner of the team. That didn’t last long, though. While being an owner was acceptable to Jay-Z, he wanted to shift his focus into becoming an agent for players. It’s not possible to own a team and an agency at the same time, so Jay-Z had to sell his share in the Nets to start Roc Nation Sports.
Drake
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 28: Drake performs at the New Look Wireless Birthday Party at Finsbury Park on June 28, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images)
It’s hard to imagine, but before Drake’s success as a rapper, he was known for being on the hit television show “Degrassi: The Next Generation.” After the release of his album “Thank Me Later” in 2010, everything changed for him. Drake took over the music industry and has held onto it for more than a decade. His lack of serious scandals and allegations has helped him maintain a quality image in the eyes of millennials.
Fans of Drake see him hanging out with other rappers and star athletes consistently. During his run as a rapper, Drake has become known for his love of sports. He’s also shown off his obsession with gambling, particularly on roulette and sports betting. With the rise in popularity of gambling among millennials, Drake’s popularity won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Beyoncé
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 12: Recording artist Beyonce performs onstage during The 59th GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on February 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NARAS)
Few artists have fan groups as dedicated as Beyoncé’s BeyHive. No matter where Beyoncé performs, thousands of fans will surround her hoping to get a glimpse of the international superstar. Beyoncé’s song lyrics and willingness to stand up for marginalized groups of people who can’t fight for themselves have made her popular among the millennial crowd.
Beyoncé was one of the first female singers who expresses how she feels sensually, which allows other women to feel confident when expressing themselves. She also has become an icon in the LGBTQ+ community during her career. Her openness to fans who come to her shows has allowed her to sit on top of the popularity throne for a long time.
Steph Curry
LeBron James isn’t the only athlete millennials have looked up to and watched dominate the league. Before Steph Curry, there weren’t many NBA players who successfully shot three pointers. Curry helped revolutionize the game by making three point shots the goal for a lot of teams. In fact, the Houston Rockets almost beat the Golden State Warriors in 2017 using that approach. Open gyms around the world consist of players shooting deep shots, trying to copy Curry.
Like James, Curry has never had an off-court scandal take over his career. He’s deeply religious and involved in different organizations that he holds near and dear to his heart. Curry and James have shared the title as the prime faces of the NBA for a long time. Both have done a marvelous job of lifting up the brand of basketball.
Katy Perry
It’s hard to imagine where music would be without Katy Perry. During her career, Perry has been the voice who’s released songs like “California Gurls,” “Hot N Cold,” and “Teenage Dream.” She’s shown an ability to work with people from different genres of music as well. Kanye West and Snoop Dogg are two rappers Perry’s collaborated with in the past, creating great rhythms and beats with them.
Like other artists on this list, Perry has shown her support to the LGBTQ+ community throughout her time in the music industry. This has helped her fan base explode and her success become even more obvious. Perry now had a residency in Las Vegas where she paid homage to the songs that built up her career.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears has a sad story that millennials know well. Throughout her journey, millennials have been rooting for her to win. During her career, Spears saw nearly none of her money and was controlled by her parents. She was forced into a conservatorship by her family – primarily her dad. In the 2000s, Spears wanted to take control of her life back by shaving her head in public.
This was the only thing she could think of to regain control. At the time, millennials weren’t sure of what to make of it. Fast forward to the 2020s and Spears has created a soft-spot in the hearts of millennials around the world. For a long time, nobody knew the reasons behind why she acted out so much. Her life has been full of pleasing other people and not keeping any of her hard-earned money for herself. Millennials love how inspirational her story is and only want the best for her now.
The Weeknd
Musicians overwhelm this list because millennials love listening to music. Another artist the millennial age range can relate to is The Weeknd. The Canadian singer often talks about his emotions and how he deeply feels, which is something millennials have appreciate. There was once a time in history when a man talking about his true emotions was frowned upon and made fun of. Those days are over, though.
The Weeknd is another person on this list to headline a Super Bowl halftime show, which he did for Super Bowl LV in 2021. Aside from music, The Weeknd has starred on TV shows and partnered with H&M’s fashion brand to make affordable clothing that anyone can purchase. The Weeknd’s music and star power are two reasons millennials have fallen in love with him.
Travis Barker
Bands like Blink-182 don’t come around too often. When they do, most of the focus is usually on the lead singer or guitar player. It’s incredibly rare for the drummer to get recognition. For Travis Barker, that has never been the case. He’s undoubtedly the most well-known person to come from Blink-182, and he still remains in headlines today. He married Kourtney Kardashian and became part of her reality TV lifestyle when he decided to do so.
It helps that Blink-182’s songs are still popular among millennials and younger generations. It’s common to hear them whenever you’re at a bar, nightclub, or lounge. Barker and Kardashian also love going to UFC fights, which is a sport millennials have grown to love since its inception into society.
Kim Kardashian
It’s impossible to tell the story of who millennials love to keep up with without mentioning Kim Kardashian. Over the years, Kardashian’s become known for her television show, beauty brands, and legal work in saving innocent people from death row. The show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” is arguably the most well-known reality TV show in the United States, and possibly around the world.
No matter where she goes, there’s paparazzi waiting to snap as many pictures they can of her. She’s also become known for her work in the justice department. Kardashian has helped fund lawyers for men she believes are innocent, but didn’t get a fair trial or representation during their time in front of a judge. This has helped the public perception of Kardashian change since people are seeing how caring she is.
Tom Holland
Millennials have loved watching superheroes make a comeback in terms of popularity. One consistent hero who’s been around for since the early 2000s is Spider-Man. There have been different actors who have played the superhero over the years, but the most recent to do so was Tom Holland. His version of Spider-Man appeared in the MCU and was critical during the Avengers saga.
Playing Spider-Man isn’t the only thing Holland is known for, though. His relationship with co-star, Zendaya, has taken the internet and social media by storm. Holland has also frequently talked about his dislike of what Hollywood stands for, which is a narrative millennials appear to be agreeing with as time progresses. Holland appears to be genuine in his beliefs and stays true to himself, another thing millennials love about him.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande’s appearance, singing abilities, and personality are enough to capture nearly everyone who hears her music. She was once an actress on Nickelodeon and she went through unimaginable events with Dan Schneider, which are just starting to come to the surface in 2024. Fans of Grande love how strong she’s been for getting through the trauma she endured as an early part of her childhood.
Grande sings about topics fans around the world easily relate to. Her music videos are considered artsy, which is something millennials love to see. Grande’s found herself in some hot water as of late with her romantic relationships. Despite her personal life, her talent speaks for itself. For more millennial coverage, click here to read about the 75 most popular beers millennials drink.