For 40 years now, People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue has tried to capture who embodies the peak of masculine appeal year-by-year.
With 37-year-old English actor Jonathan Bailey now holding the 2025 title, it’s the perfect time to look back at the last 25 winners and ask what everyone was really thinking when they were crowned.
From Brad Pitt’s Fight Club physique to John Legend’s divisive spot on the list, and Michael B. Jordan’s universally praised reign, here’s every winner since 2000, with readers answering who deserved it, who didn’t, and who stands at the top.
#21 2004 – Jude Law
Fun fact, at the time, his I Heart Huckabees costar Naomi Watts called him “the most beautiful man who ever walked the earth.”
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5points
#22 2002 – Ben Affleck
At the time of his win, the 30-year-old was still riding strong on his win for Good Will Hunting and had just been married to Jennifer Lopez.
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0points
#23 2007 – Matt Damon
The, at the time, 37-year-old landed the title for his every-man charisma and blockbuster track record.
Still, not everyone was on board, as some saw him more as “cute” rather than “sexy.”
Still, not everyone was on board, as some saw him more as “cute” rather than “sexy.”
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-1point
#24 2013 – Adam Levine
Levine became the first band frontman, and one of the few non-actors, to ever be named Sexiest Man Alive.
His win came at the height of Maroon 5’s fame and The Voice’s popularity.
His win came at the height of Maroon 5’s fame and The Voice’s popularity.
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-10points
#25 2017 – Blake Shelton
To say the country-music star Shelton’s win was divisive would be an understatement.
To this day, online threads discussing the winners are full of comments questioning the choice.
To this day, online threads discussing the winners are full of comments questioning the choice.
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-13points
#26 2019 – John Legend
John Legend’s win came in 2019, right after he became the first Black man to win an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony award, also known as achieving EGOT status.
Netizens, however, did not believe those accolades warranted him a spot on the list and, to this day, he remains potentially the most criticized pick in People Magazine’s history.
Netizens, however, did not believe those accolades warranted him a spot on the list and, to this day, he remains potentially the most criticized pick in People Magazine’s history.
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-17points