Spotify, the world’s top paid music-streaming service; Hybe, the company formerly known as Big Hit that spawned BTS; and Clubhouse, the actual-human-conversation-based social-media platform launched just last spring, have made Time magazine’s annual “100 Most Influential Companies” list.
According to the announcement, “To assemble it, Time solicited nominations across sectors including health care, entertainment, transportation, technology and more, from our global network of editors and correspondents as well as from industry experts. Then, we evaluated each one on key factors, including relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition and success.”
People who appear on the five different covers of the magazine are Reese Witherspoonof Hello Sunshine,Adam Silverof the National Basketball Association,Mary Barraof General Motors,Francis deSouzaof Illumina, andSara Menkerof Gro Intelligence.
“For nearly a century, Time has been a barometer of influence, and it’s hard to recall a moment when the corporate world has had a greater influence on our lives than it does now,” writes Time CEO and editor in chief Edward Felsenthal. :That’s why we’re launching TIME Business, devoted to covering the global impact of business and the ways it intersects with our public and personal lives. Our first major project: the TIME100 Most Influential Companies, a new list… highlighting 100 companies that are shaping our collective future, as well as the leaders who steer them…. The mission of Time Business is to help illuminate the path forward. We’re in the midst of a reset, one that is already transforming the economy and what employees, customers and our broader communities expect of companies.”
On how women like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan were portrayed as ‘bad,’ while women like herself and her friend Jennifer Garner were ‘good’ by the media,Reese Witherspoonof Hello Sunshine tells TIME: “What if the media had decided I was something else? I would be in a totally different position….I want to say it’s my decisions or the career choices I made, but it felt very arbitrary. And kind of sh-tty.”
Clubhouse: “As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, many are desperate for gatherings…. Enter Clubhouse, whose app allows handfuls of people to gather in digital rooms to talk about anything from technology to art to politics. Since its April 2020 debut, it has lured more than 10 million weekly active users, including Elon Musk and Oprah; each had to be invited by an existing member, giving the app an alluring sense of exclusivity.” https://time/collection/time100-companies/5953749/clubhouse/
Hybe: “South Korea’s biggest public listing in three years came in October courtesy of the country’s most popular export: K-pop. Founded in 2005, HYBE—formerly known as Big Hit Entertainment—was once an underdog talent agency in South Korea’s competitive music industry. But thanks to supergroup BTS—arguably the biggest band in the world—the company is in rarefied air.” https://time/collection/time100-companies/5953582/hybe/
Spotify: “Spotify’s streaming service has transformed how people listen to music; it ended 2020 with 345 million monthly active users and 155 million paying subscribers. It’s now undertaking a massive global expansion, reaching more than 170 markets, and has made a nearly $1 billion investment in podcasting, buying Gimlet…. It’s signing up hosts ranging from Meghan Markle to Joe Rogan, and recently unveiled a series of conversations between Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama.” https://time/collection/time100-companies/5950004/spotify-innovators/
See the full list here.
