Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Google unveiled its annual “Year in Search” report, highlighting the top query trends that surged in 2024. The results reflect the year’s defining moments, from major global elections and extreme weather events to popular songs, athletes, and cultural milestones that captured attention worldwide.
Every year, Google releases a “Year in Search” report, but its not to show trends in search terms, but rather what’s most popular for 2024. Google’s “Year in Search” notes what spiked in popularity, specifically which queries “had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2024.”
According to AP, Sports dominated this year’s Google trends, with soccer and cricket leading the charge. The Copa América topped global search trends, followed closely by the UEFA European Championship and the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.
On the news category, the U.S. presidential election led global searches, as people sought updates on the high-stakes race. Queries about extreme heat and this year’s Summer Olympics also featured prominently.
In the category of notable figures, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump emerged as the most searched person, followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who also topped searches among athletes. Meanwhile, searches for public figures who passed away in 2024 were led by Liam Payne, Toby Keith, and O.J. Simpson.
Entertainment trends revealed Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 as the most searched movie of the year, while Netflix’s Baby Reindeer topped TV show queries. Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us dominated the music category.
Spotify Wrapped 2024: Taylor Swift Dominates as Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso’ Tops Global Charts
Niche trends also made waves. Searches for “Olympic village chocolate muffins,” popularized by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen during the Summer Games, led the global recipe category. The New York Times’ “Connections” puzzle topped game searches, while in the United States, viral online trends like the words “demure” and “mob wife aesthetic” drove curiosity.
Google “Year in Search” offers lists and insights into past years’ query trends, all available online.
(Raidi/Agung)