Scrolling through TikTok, it’s easy to recognize the latest influencers rather than accomplished artists. Celebrities who used to dominate Hollywood are beginning to lose their relevance. But now the spotlight seems to be shifting. Big-time role models are being replaced by 17-year-old influencers who create viral trends overnight. As influencers rise to fame faster than many celebrities ever could, it raises the question: are celebrities still as influential as they used to be?
Just a decade ago, Hollywood stars including Justin Bieber and Millie Bobby Brown were constantly in the public eye with an unmatched influence over what their fandom would wear, watch and listen to. Celebrities back in 2016 were idolized above all else: paparazzi followed them like a shadow, watching their every move and never letting them out of sight. Fans used to scavenge for the latest update on where their favorite celebrity was or what they were doing at every given moment.
However, it’s been a while since anyone has heard about a major paparazzi frenzy. The intense focus on celebrities has faded immensely and current fans seem to care less and less about the personal lives of celebrities altogether. People don’t track celebrities the way they used to, and it’s not because they’ve learned to give them privacy: fans just simply don’t care anymore. Fanpages and obsessed fandoms have become significantly rarer, as audiences shift their attention elsewhere, to the phone screen.
In 2026, influencers have taken over the mainstream role that celebrities once had. Unlike traditional celebrities, influencers gain their popularity through platforms like Instagram and TikTok where a short clip has the ability to create a viral trend overnight. In a matter of hours, a normal teen can be launched into fame simply for being funny or relatable. Becoming talked about used to take years of publicity, but now it can be achieved overnight.
Why may this sudden shift be occurring? A key factor for the rise of influencers is the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Being stuck at home for what felt like a never ending period of time, many resorted to uploading videos to TikTok as a way to cure their boredom. Others spent their downtime scrolling through endless social media posts, making publicity and views easier to obtain than ever. People soon began to gain an interest in seeing their favorite authentic, everyday content and newly discovered creators quickly grew a dedicated following.
While celebrities were previously used as a strategic marketing tactic, brands and companies found that using more ordinary people to create content is a more than sufficient alternative. Influencers can promote a product and reach a much wider audience in half the time than a celebrity. A well-accomplished celebrity commonly charges anywhere from $10,000 to $1 million per post; a teen influencer can cost as little as $10 per post. Brands quickly took advantage of this and shifted their marketing tactics away from celebrities and instead towards new influencers. Additionally, influencers give viewers a much more personal and intimate feel, making persuasion of products much more effective. This switch in marketing gave influencers a growing popularity and over time drew attention away from celebrities.
Ultimately, the sudden rise of influencers does not mean that celebrities are forgotten. It means that in 2026, fame has been given a new meaning. While celebrities will always hold significance, in today’s world connection carries great value over perfection.
