The Greatest Showman #1147 - Person of the Year

2012 North American year-end album sales chart, third place.

2012 North American year-end single sales chart, third place.

2012 North American year-end movie box office rankings, runner-up.

2012 global year-end movie box office rankings, runner-up.

The numbers above represent Renly's report card for the year—a year that captivated the world. These figures speak louder than any words could, overshadowing the need for elaboration. Simply presenting these statistics is enough to prove the enormity of Renly's success. Without a doubt, 2012 was his year—his golden year.

With just one album and one movie, Renly has etched a unique mark in the entertainment industry, significantly altering the landscape of the North American music market and leaving a lasting legacy. This moment in time will forever be recorded in the annals of history. For any public figure, such brilliance is a triumph worth remembering.

Countless individuals spend their entire lives striving for such success, only to fall short. Renly, however, achieved it at just twenty-three years old.

This success evokes memories of past young superstars: Macaulay Culkin, who skyrocketed to fame with Home Alone before succumbing to the pitfalls of fame, such as substance abuse, and Justin Bieber, who rose to fame with Baby but has since faced a slew of personal and public struggles.

The entertainment industry is often a double-edged sword—one where constant attention magnifies every action, leading many down destructive paths. Only a select few manage to rediscover themselves, while the majority are lost to the public eye, some tragically never recovering.

But Renly is different.

2012 became known as Renly's golden year not solely due to album sales and box office numbers, but because of the powerful social influence associated with the name "Renly Hall." A positive influence, at that!

Looking back at the year, the most significant keyword isn't the Ice Bucket Challenge, The Avengers, movie sets, 21, the youngest Oscar winner in history, or even Barack Obama's re-election as president. It's Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

ALS, once an unfamiliar term to the public, became a household name in 2012. It started with Renly's One Man Concert, followed by a special speech at the Grammy Awards, a media blitz on The Today Show, and ultimately, the viral Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised awareness for the disease.

This unprecedented philanthropic effort not only brought awareness to a rare disease but also turned that attention into tangible results through the Heather-Cross Foundation. The foundation made significant strides in ALS research and the lives of those affected by the disease.

For the first time in philanthropic history, this movement reshaped how people think about charity, demonstrating the power of social networks in advancing causes. It's safe to say that this was a historic turning point with far-reaching global implications.

The data speaks volumes:

On Twitter's year-end topic rankings, the Ice Bucket Challenge topped the list, The Today Show ranked third, and the Heather-Cross Foundation came in seventh. These three positions dominated the top ten.On Facebook, YouTube, and Google, ALS and the Heather-Cross Foundation consistently appeared among the most-discussed topics.Renly's photo from the Ice Bucket Challenge became the most-liked photo on social media, garnering 10.3 million likes—making it the first to ever surpass 7 million, let alone 10 million.

The song Another Light, the official theme song for the Heather-Cross Foundation, sold 4.21 million digital downloads, ranking 11th on the year-end charts despite limited promotional efforts. Renly's other single, Say You Won't Give Up, with 1.69 million downloads, ranked 51st in North America but enjoyed significant success in Europe, especially in the UK, Germany, France, and Sweden.

All of this contributed to raising $300 million for the Heather-Cross Foundation, breaking numerous records and attracting widespread attention—both positive and critical. But most importantly, this funding has directly contributed to advancing ALS research and improving patient care.

Renly's presence and influence transcended mere fame, demonstrating the profound impact a public figure can have on societal change. His influence extended far beyond the entertainment world, inspiring progress in medicine and education.

When major media outlets conducted year-end summaries, Renly was impossible to overlook.

People magazine, which annually selects the "Sexiest Man Alive," awarded this honor to Renly for the first time in 2012, describing him as "handsome, humorous, low-key, but brilliant. More importantly, he possesses a brave heart full of passion and kindness."

On the more serious side, Time magazine named Renly one of its 100 Most Influential People. He ranked 14th—an astonishing position, surpassing industry giants like Steven Spielberg and George Clooney. This ranking places Renly as one of the most influential public figures in the world today.

According to Time:

"Renly Hall is not only an artist proving his brilliance but also an opinion leader whose efforts have contributed to advancements in medicine and education—his influence is rare and exceptional."

Is there any doubt now?

2012 will forever be remembered as Renly's year, and he has unquestionably earned the title of Person of the Year.