Paul McCartney and the Hidden Reason TIME Named Him Among the 100 Most Influential People in Music
When TIME magazine unveiled its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in Music, the headlines were filled with names expected to dominate modern playlists—chart-breaking pop stars, viral rap sensations, boundary-pushing producers. But nestled among them, one name stood out with both inevitability and surprise: Paul McCartney.
For many, the choice felt obvious. He is, after all, a Beatle—one of the architects of modern popular music. Yet, as TIME’s editors later revealed, their decision went beyond nostalgia. The real reason McCartney’s name appeared on the list in 2025 had less to do with what he had already achieved, and more to do with something subtler, something living, something still in motion.
