--- description: With 1.8 million votes cast, find out who claimed the top five spots on the 2021 TIME100 reader poll. title: Here's Who Won TIME's 2021 TIME100 Reader Poll image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7d741b5a5f20bb48/698a1cc516d8848059c39b42/time-100-poll-2021-results-1.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [TIME 100](/tag/time-100/) ## TIME 100 Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Pop Icon Britney Spears Wins TIME’s 2021 TIME100 Reader Poll by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 10, 2021 3:11 PM CUT  Getty Images by [TIME Staff](/author/time-staff/) ## TIME Staff Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Sep 10, 2021 3:11 PM CUT World-renowned pop star [Britney Spears](https://time.com/6082333/britney-spears-legacy/ "undefined") took first place in this year’s [TIME100 reader poll](https://time.com/time-100-reader-poll-2021/ "undefined"), in which TIME asked readers to vote for who they think should make the annual list of the most influential people. Nearly 1.8 million votes were cast in total, with Spears claiming 4% of the vote. The famed artist dominated the news cycle this year as a fan-led campaign to end her 13-year conservatorship under her father gained momentum, with people around the world calling to [#FreeBritney](https://time.com/5921720/britney-spears-conservatorship-free-britney/ "undefined"). Spears [spoke openly in court](https://time.com/6075233/britney-spears-speaks-conservatorship-hearing/ "undefined") for the first time in June about her circumstances, alleging she’d been subject to “abusive” conditions, and her legal battle for autonomy highlighted a system that [many disability rights advocates have long fought to reform.](https://time.com/6075859/britney-spears-conservatorship-disability/ "undefined") [Health Care Workers](https://time.com/collection/coronavirus-heroes/5816883/health-care-workers-coronavirus/ "undefined") followed Spears in second place with 3.1% of the vote, as the second year of the [COVID-19 pandemic](https://time.com/5800901/coronavirus-map/ "undefined") continues to endanger lives around the world. But progress has been made in the fight against the virus, reflected in the third place winners: [Vaccine](https://time.com/collection/coronavirus-vaccines-updates/ "undefined") Developers, who garnered 2.5% of readers’ votes. Award-winning [K-pop group BTS](https://time.com/6087073/bts-butter-permission-to-dance/ "undefined") followed in fourth place with 2.1%, having previously won both the [2019](https://time.com/5570948/bts-time-100-2019-reader-poll-winner/ "undefined") and [2018](https://time.com/5241905/time-100-reader-poll-2018-winner/ "undefined") TIME100 reader poll. [Simone Biles](https://time.com/6075185/simone-biles-tokyo-olympics/ "undefined"), the most decorated gymnast of all time, came in fifth with 2% of the vote. The American gold medalist stunned the world in July when she [pulled out](https://time.com/6086128/simone-biles-pulls-out-vault-bars-olympics/ "undefined") of several events citing [mental health concerns](https://time.com/6084499/simone-biles-mental-health-olympics/ "undefined"), shining a light on an often under-acknowledged aspect of professional sports. TIME’s editors ultimately select the honorees on the TIME100 list, which will be announced Wednesday, Sept. 15\. 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