Twitter is hands down the hottest and most controversial online platform, luring masses to engage in what’s trending around the globe. From world leaders and celebrities to commoners – Twitter is brimming with billions of posts, giving anyone and every one the liberty to discuss political proclamations, celebrity gossip, business mandates and whatnot. Thanks to Elon Musk’s aggressive takeover, the micro-blogging platform is in the spotlight again! Chronicling back to Twitter’s humble beginnings, it was Jack Dorsey’s very first tweet, “just setting up my twttr,” that exploded the internet. While Dorsey’s post was one of the most re-tweeted tweets of that time, several other moments have taken over the popularity badge since. Curious to know what these historical tweets were about? Let’s look back at the most retweeted Twitter posts of all time.
Whether it’s BTS’ Jungkook’s soothing cover of Never Not or Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa’s cash giveaway posts, Twitteratis have actively shared a range of tweets in the app’s almost 17-year-long journey. Others include an iconic Oscar selfie, Chadwick Boseman’s posthumous tweet and Barack Obama’s touching post wherein he quoted Nelson Mandela. There’s a range of topics that have piqued users’ interest over the years.
10 most retweeted Twitter posts of all time
1. Japanese billionaire’s massive cash offering – 3.6 million retweets
Who doesn’t love to try their luck at a generous, once-in-a-lifetime sort of giveaway? So when Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa promised money to 100 random people, everyone jumped in. In his post, Maezawa offered to split 100 million yen between 100 randomly chosen people, provided they followed him as well as retweeted the post. The cash giveaway was done to celebrate his company, Zozotown, as it minted 10 billion yen in a new year’s sale. Needless to say, it’s the most retweeted Tweet of all time.
2. A man’s earnest request for chicken nuggets – 2.9 million retweets
Imagine having one of your most bizarre wishes come true via a simple request on Twitter. That’s what happened with the then 17-year-old Carter Wilkerson, as he asked the US fast food chain Wendy’s how many retweets he’d need to get free nuggets for a year. Luckily, the outlet responded to him, but mentioned ’18 million’.
Twitteratis were quick to pick the tweet and supported him by making the hashtag ‘NuggsForCarter’ go viral globally. However, Carter fell far short of his given target, but there’s a twist! Wendy’s not only gave him a free supply of nuggets for a year, but also donated USD 100,000 to charity in his name. That’s the power of social media!
3. The Japanese billionaire’s second massive giveaway – 2.8 million retweets
Yusaku Maezawa again trended on Twitter with another bountiful offering of 1 billion yen (USD 9 million) to 1,000 of his Twitter followers. The billionaire mentioned that people only had to follow him as well as re-tweet his post to enter the giveaway. Money is obviously the biggest motivation for retweets here.
4. The billion-dollar Oscars selfie – 2.8 million retweets
What happens when some of the most celebrated names in global entertainment come together for a selfie? A viral implosion. While the Oscars grab headlines throughout the year, what stole the show in its 2014 edition is an iconic all-stars-led selfie. Taken by host Ellen Degeneres, the picture featured Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Jared Leto, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey and, um, Channing Tatum, Lupita Nyong’o as well as her brother Junior.
Even after 9 years since it broke the internet, the selfie continues to feature in the top 5 most re-tweeted Twitter posts.
5. Louis Tomlinson’s declaration of love for Harry Styles – 2.5 million retweets
Back in the day when One Direction ruled fans’ hearts, the adorable Twitter exchanges between the band members were no big deal. One such loving tribute which caught Twitterati’s attention was the bromance between Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles. The duo’s friendship was hailed by fans, so much so that they created a fandom named ‘Larry Stylinson’ to ship their bond. No wonder this post propelled to Twitter stardom.
6. Chadwick Boseman’s family announcing his death – 1.9 million retweets
Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman passed away at the age of 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. The posthumous tweet from his Twitter handle had many of his fans heartbroken, with the news spreading like wildfire. A plethora of reactions as well as tributes poured in to honour his legacy, making the Tweet one of the most retweeted on Twitter.
7. Japanese YouTuber’s iPhone 13 giveaway – 1.6 million retweets
Looking to fill your pockets with fancy giveaways? Twitter is the place to be. Twitterati’s obsession with free offerings is what made the Japanese YouTuber HIKAKIN go viral in no time. The YouTube sensation as well as the co-founder of the Japanese multi-channel network UUUM, HIKANIN announced that he would be giving away 103 iPhone 13s to people who simply followed him and re-tweeted his post. The social media personality spent a whopping 10 million yen on this giveaway.
8. BTS’ Jungkook’s soulful rendition of Never Not – 1.4 million retweets
BTS have been on a record-breaking streak ever since their debut and (almost) everything they do goes viral in no time. One such popular moment that made waves on Twitter was Jungkook singing Lauv’s Never Not in a video shared on BTS’ Twitter handle. The cover instantly struck a chord with BTS ARMY, making it the second most popular tweet of 2020 and the 8th most retweeted post overall. That’s the unparalleled power of K-pop.
9. YouTuber El Rubius’ ‘lemonade’ giveaway – 1.4 million retweets
Joining the league of giveaways is the well-known Spanish-Norwegian YouTuber as well as Twitch streamer El Rubius. If you’re a gaming aficionado, you must’ve chanced upon his amazing gaming tutorials as well as his ‘Let’s Play’ series that propelled him to immense popularity. Unlike the aforementioned uber-fancy giveaways, this one simply offered ‘LIMONADA’ (lemonade) to people. Rubius’ viral tweet is a result of his YouTube video, wherein he promised lemonade to random people if they re-tweeted the post over 2 million times.
Looks like giveaways are the best way to gauge the world’s attention!
10. Barack Obama’s powerful message against racism – 1.4 million retweets
Rounding up the list of the 10 most re-tweeted Twitter posts is Barack Obama’s poignant message against racism. Former US President Barack Obama continues to remain one of the most loved world leaders, thanks to his profound wisdom as well as the quest to build a peaceful world. Obama’s tweet following the Charlottesville violence in 2017 is etched in the hearts of millions. Sharing a picture of him with a group of multiracial children, Obama quoted Nelson Mandela from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, to condemn racism against blacks. His heartwarming message picked up on the internet pretty quickly.
