TIME Magazine released its annual list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World on Thursday and President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, heartthrob Zac Efron, and indie hip-hop star M.I.A. are among the high-profiled personalities being profiled.

“The TIME 100 is not a list of the most powerful people in the world,” says TIME managing editor Rick Stengel. “It’s not a list of the smartest people in the world, it’s a list of the most influential people in the world. They’re scientists, they’re thinkers, they’re philosophers, they’re leaders, they’re icons, they’re artists, they’re visionaries. People who are using their ideas, their visions, their actions to transform the world and have an effect on a multitude of people.”

This year’s list includes pop culture personalities, Hollywood celebrities, and political figures, like Governor Sarah Palin, billionaire swindler Bernie Madoff, George Clooney, Rush Limbaugh, Timothy Geitner, Zac Efron, the founders of Twitter, and the ladies of The View.

Check Out The Full List @ TIME.com…..