For all of the ephemera available to us right now, there’s still the matter of the thoughtful archive that is the Instagram feed. Especially for public figures, it’s a meaningful tool for leading, defining and connecting. After a year of saying goodbye to so many beloved artists who transcended their craft and image, we’re curious: what happens to your digital presence when you’re no longer around?
Most platforms offer options with bummer names like “legacy contacts” and “memorialized profiles,” but what matters, beyond who’s logging in is, who’s still looking? Well, many of us. Years-old posts on George Michael’s feed are full of comments of remembrance, and even with just three posts from 2015, Leonard Cohen’s gained a thousand followers since he died November 7th.
Whether these feeds lie quiet or a team or estate keeps posting—Instagram has its own way of handling it—these feeds matter for the fans. Today, we’re remembering six creatives who will certainly live beyond the likes.
#georgemichael #prince #purplerain #carriefisher #leonardcohen #davidbowie #starman #muhammadali
@georgemofficial
Updated 2 days ago.
Location: Worldwide
Followers: 146k
@prince
Updated 37 weeks ago
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Followers: 491k
@davidbowie
Updated 1 day ago.
Location: New York, NY
Followers: 628k
@muhammadali
Updated 4 days ago.
Location: Paradise Valley, AZ
Followers: 1.7m
@carriefisherofficial
Last updated 20 weeks ago.
Location: Beverly Hills, LA
Followers: 133k
@officialleonardcohen
Updated 76 weeks ago.
Location: Montreal, Canada, and Hydra, Greece
Followers: 6,741
THE GET
