BrandGraph 500 Shows Biggest Social Media Topics of 2023

Our BrandGraph 500 list has the scoop on the social media chatter that made 2023 memorable. BrandGraph is our social intelligence platform that provides our customers in-depth analysis and performance benchmarking of social media content. BrandGraph has scanned more than 2 billion pieces of content across millions of social media accounts. We took a look back at the most-talked-about brands, people and topics of the year. Who were the winners and losers of 2023? Let’s take a look.

Entertainment is king

Music doesn’t just hit the charts, it’s also striking a chord on social media.

You can’t talk about music these days without mentioning Taylor Swift. She had a successful first round of her sold-out Eras Tour, becoming a billionaire (per Bloomberg) and jumping to No. 26 on the BrandGraph 500 from No. 67 in the 2022 list. She also released highly anticipated re-recordings of her “Speak Now” and “1989” albums, released a movie version of her concert, and began dating NFL tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs. 

In 2024, her share of voice is already seeing a surge as she won Album of the Year at the Grammys for “Midnights.”

Singer Miley Cyrus rose 60 spots to No. 127 as she released new music in 2023, including her chart-topping hit “Flowers.” Billboard even called her the Comeback Artist of the Year in December 2023. Miley’s share of voice peaked when her album “Endless Summer Vacation” was released in March. 

Beyoncé, who had a high-grossing Renaissance World Tour, saw a 16-place jump in the ranking to No. 66. She, too, released a successful movie version of her popular concert. The singer’s share of voice has several high moments throughout the year as fans posted about her shows.

The Barbie boost

The year’s blockbusters inspired social media trends and content. The Barbie brand rose 47 spots in the ranking to No. 20 in the BrandGraph 500, while “Barbie the Movie,” released in July 2023, debuted on the list at No. 290. Social media users took part in many Barbie-related trends using sounds from the movie, including “Hi, Barbie!” 

Warner Bros, which released the movie, also enjoyed a boost, rising 12 spots to No. 98 in 2023.

Toying around

Mattel, a toy and game corporation, surged 137 places thanks to the hit “Barbie” movie. The brand’s share of voice in its category peaked in July, when the movie was released.

The Transformers brand also got a boost from a film. The toy brand owned by Hasbro rose 54 spots to No. 84. Its content volume peaked in June when “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” premiered.

Two other classic toy brands made the list. Lego increased 3 positions to No. 37, My Little Pony gained 5 spots to No. 227, and Rubik’s rose 16 to No. 407. 

Scoring on social

The Kansas City Chiefs made some major plays on the field and social media, surging 200 spots to No. 263. They played against the Philadelphia Eagles, who rose 154 places to No. 247, in the Super Bowl in 2023. The championship game itself rose 44 places to No. 151.

The Chiefs’ social content rose in September 2023, when Taylor Swift first attended their game in support of Travis Kelce. They continued to see a climb in December into January 2024 as they succeeded in the playoffs to earn another Super Bowl appearance.

Game on

Gaming ranks high on the social media leadership board. 

Super Mario gained 57 places to No. 94, with a boost from the “Super Mario Bros” movie. The brand’s engagement rate saw a spike during April 2023, when the film was released in theaters.

What else are people playing?

Cyberpunk 2077 soared 118 places to No. 268, while Counter-Strike rose 50 places to No. 261. Red Dead Redemption climbed 84 places to No. 287 as the game, which has been around for years, was released for the Switch and PS4. The game’s share of voice climbed during August when those versions came out.

Genshin Impact jumped 82 spots to No. 233 in the BrandGraph 500. The brand saw a rise in its share of voice in the competitive gaming category at the end of the year. It launched campaigns, including a TwitchCon activation in Las Vegas with IZEA, in which we flew cosplay and anime creators to the event. The influencers entertained crowds with a Genshin quiz and a dance battle.

Other notable movements among gaming brands: Resident Evil climbed 59 places to No. 120, xbox rose eight places to No. 127, League of Legends rose eight places to No. 111, Overwatch increased 76 places to No. 217, Genshin Impact jumped 82 spots to No. 233, Tom Clancy’s Rainbox Six 13 spots to No. 255, and the Sims rose 59 positions to No. 344.

Influential people

Will Smith dropped the most of any person on the list in 2023. He plummeted 308 places to No. 379, a stark difference from 2022’s list, when he was the most talked about celebrity after slapping Chris Rock at that year’s Oscars. He was banned from the 2023 awards ceremony and had a much quieter year on social media.

Priyanka Chopra, Indian actress, producer and wife of singer Nick Jonas, rose 101 places to No. 221, one of the largest jumps among influential people on the list. The actress produced and starred in TV series like “Citadel” and films like Netflix’s “Love Again.”

Crypto crash

FTX, a crypto exchange that collapsed in late 2022, dropped 277 places to No. 436 in the ranking during 2023. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was convicted in November 2023 on fraud and conspiracy counts. Huobi Global, another exchange, plummeted 102 spots to No. 484.

Social media wars

Threads, which launched in July 2023, debuted on the BrandGraph 500 at No. 35. Meanwhile, its competitor, Twitter/X, had the fourth spot in the overall rankings behind Instagram and Facebook. YouTube emerged as the No. 1 social media platform in the BrandGraph 500, overtaking Instagram, 2022’s top brand.

Far behind any other social media brand is Triller, a social video-sharing platform. It failed to gain traction and plummeted 177 places to No. 449.