BTS’s V Crowned the Most Influential Music Influencer in the World

May 10, 2025

BTS’s V Reigns Supreme on Instagram in the Music Category

Global K-pop superstar V of BTS has secured yet another milestone. According to Top Nine, a prominent Instagram analytics platform, V has been ranked as the world’s most influential influencer in the music category as of May 2025.

With an astounding 66.88 million followers, V not only dominates globally but also tops the list in the United States, where 12.17 million of his followers reside—over 18% of his total audience. This makes V the K-pop artist with the most US-based followers to date.

Unmatched Fan Engagement and Asia’s Top Influencer

V’s influence doesn’t stop at numbers. The platform Hi-Fi Audio, which aggregates data on global influencers, ranked him 5th overall in the world and the highest among Asian celebrities on their Top 1000 Influencers list. His Instagram engagement rate, according to SocialBook, stands at an ultra-impressive 24.1%—a rare achievement made even more notable given that V has commenting restricted on his posts.

This engagement includes rapid ‘likes’, shares, and viral reach. A recent post from February showcased candid photos along with a heartfelt message: “Reporting in, Kim Byeong-jang! D-107.” Despite being a simple update, the post surpassed 10 million likes in just under 12 hours and currently sits at 16.3 million likes. This nearly matches Billie Eilish’s record of 16.36 million likes for a single post.

Beating Global Icons in Loyalty and Influence

V’s average ‘likes’ per post now hover at 12.4 million, with a staggering cumulative total of 1.6 billion likes on his account. To put it in perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo, with 650 million followers, averages 10 million likes per post, while Selena Gomez, with 420 million followers, averages 5.5 million.

These stats affirm the unwavering loyalty of V’s global fanbase, with engagement and reach metrics rivaling and surpassing even the most prominent Western celebrities. Fans continue to express their support and anticipation for his return, underscoring a powerful sentiment that, as a Korean poetic line resonates, “Longing can’t be measured by numbers, for a fan’s heart is an unending song.”