MrBeast, Alex Cooper, Khaby Lame Top ESHAP 2024 Creator Map

Three cross-platform stars lead the second annual ranking. ESHAP and What's Trending released the map exclusively through TheWrap this week.

MrBeast, Alex Cooper, and Khaby Lame head the second annual Creator Map from ESHAP and What's Trending, TheWrap reported this week.

The 2024 edition ranks digital creators across YouTube, TikTok, podcasts, and Instagram. Each of the three leaders placed first in a distinct content category.

Jimmy Donaldson, the YouTube creator known online as MrBeast, leads the video vertical. Cooper, host of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, topped the audio category. Khaby Lame, the TikTok star known for wordless reaction videos, holds the top short-form position.

What does the ranking actually measure?

The map evaluates reach, cultural impact, and category leadership, according to the joint announcement. ESHAP stands for the Entertainment, Sports, and Hospitality Accelerator Platform. What's Trending, the digital culture outlet, co-produces the annual map. The two organizations launched the project in 2023. This year's edition marks the second annual cycle, giving agencies a baseline for year-over-year comparisons.

Why these three names matter to brands

Each creator commands an audience that exceeds nine figures across platforms, a scale that anchors premium pricing for branded integrations, sponsorships, and live appearances. The three also represent different audience segments and content formats, so marketers planning 2025 campaigns can use the rankings to shortlist talent by demographic, vertical, and platform mix rather than chasing a single celebrity.

Cross-platform dominance has become the defining benchmark for top-tier creators in recent quarterly cycles, and this map reflects that shift across the major networks.

What changes for marketers this quarter

Agencies and brand teams use creator maps to anchor budgets, pitch decks, and measurement frameworks. The ESHAP-What's Trending version gives media planners a second year of comparable data. Q4 2024 holiday campaigns will test whether these leaders maintain pricing power through year's end, with early indicators suggesting YouTube, TikTok, and podcasting all retain strong ad demand.

The rankings also flag platform momentum. The fact that YouTube, TikTok, and podcasting each placed a leader in the top three points to where the creator economy concentrates its monetization today, and where brand dollars will likely follow through 2025.

What the exclusive does not yet disclose

TheWrap's exclusive confirmed the top three names and the 2024 publication date. Full methodology, complete category rankings, engagement benchmarks, and dollar-value comparisons across the cohort have not been released as of publication.

Marketing teams should expect ESHAP and What's Trending to publish additional methodology and category details in the coming weeks, as the partnership enters its second editorial cycle.

Looking ahead

Two consecutive annual editions now give the creator economy its first repeatable benchmark, and the 2025 edition will test whether today's leaders can hold their positions against the next tier of breakout talent.