NEW YORK — If you’re curious about what the world was searching for in 2024, Google has just released its annual summary of trending queries from the year. The “Year in Search” report highlights the key topics that gained significant attention compared to the previous year, featuring a range of subjects from major global elections to the most popular songs, athletes, and memorable moments in pop culture that captivated audiences worldwide.
In 2024, sports searches were largely dominated by soccer and cricket. The Copa América was the leading global search term, followed closely by the UEFA European Championship and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. This reflects the heightened interest around these major sporting events.
On the news front, the U.S. presidential election was the top searched topic globally. Other notable queries included concerns about extreme heat and interest in this year’s Olympic Games, indicating a blend of political and environmental engagement from searchers.
In the category of people, President-elect Donald Trump garnered the most searches, followed by figures such as Catherine, Princess of Wales, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was particularly popular among sports searches. Unfortunately, the year also saw the loss of notable individuals like Liam Payne, Toby Keith, and O.J. Simpson, all of whom were prominently searched following their deaths in 2024.
Entertainment trends revealed that Disney and Pixar’s sequel “Inside Out 2” stood out as the most searched movie, while the Netflix series “Baby Reindeer” topped television show searches. In music, Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Not Like Us” emerged as the most popular song of the year.
Additionally, a quirky trend emerged with searches related to the Olympic village’s chocolate muffin, which became famous thanks to Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen during the summer games. Google’s report also noted that the NY Times’ “Connections” puzzle led game searches, while in the U.S., many people showed interest in terms like “demure” and “mob wife aesthetic.”
For those interested in exploring more localized search trends from this year as well as previous years, Google has made its findings available online. This study encompassed data collected from January 1 to November 23, 2024.
Google isn’t alone in sharing annual summaries; as the year winds down, platforms like Spotify Wrapped, along with Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster, have also revealed their own reflections and highlight reels for 2024.
