What the World Googled in 2024: A Portrait of Our Collective Minds
Through the microscope of the internet, humanity has laid itself bare once again in 2024. Our society, not so innocent, has been made even less so by the record kept on the all-seeing Google. The internet itself may never forget, but it has been hard to miss some of the things it has chosen to enshrine and make memorable this year. The omnipresent serach engine has done us the kindness of doing the remembering for us and has called attention to some of the most dubious of human episodes caught on the digital camera.
Most Searched News
The most searched-for news. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. elections take the top spot, since nothing says “stable democracy” like millions of people earnestly going to Google two weeks before they cast their votes and typing in “Who’s running?” Right behind it, “excessive heat,” which is just Mother Nature’s way of saying, “Climate change? You thought you could ignore it? That’s cute.” The Olympics made the list, too, because every four years, we remember that sports exist. Then there’s “Hurricane Milton,” a storm so notable it earned itself that the name Milton will forever be associated with political drama. Milton was followed by Typhoon No. 10, proving once again that our weather systems are not actually bipolar and that tropical storms are the Kardashians of inclement weather: dramatic, destructive, and impossible to ignore.
The personnel issue has once again provided Donald Trump with an opportunity to seize the summit, owing no doubt to his exceptional ability to generate “infuriating” to “hilarious” headlines. Next on the list is Catherine, Princess of Wales, who has taken to the very same elevated platform. Dramatics related to the 21st-century royal family continue to enthrall us. And how about this for a couple more names? Up next after her in the ranking is Imane Khelif, which really seems to have come out of nowhere. Khelif, who is 22, is a French influencer and actress.
Most Searched Actors
Most perplexing about the most-searched-for actors was who came in at number one: Katt Williams led the crew, which I didn’t expect to see but was tickled to find him running at the front of. I was uncertain as to why he was leading. Didn’t we all just rediscover his polarizing stand-up specials? Maybe people are mistaking him for a news anchor.
Most Searched Movies
Movies that make up the list of where our dollars are going for entertainment are pretty fascinating. Inside Out 2 took the top position, which is interesting because, you know, nothing really says “family entertainment” like a cartoon about emotional therapy. Then we’ve got Deadpool and Wolverine, which is basically Hollywood’s way of saying, “What if we just let Ryan Reynolds print his own money?” And somehow, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice nabbed the fourth slot, which I’m convinced is just people testing the hypothesis that typing it out could also summon him.
Most Searched in the Music Industry
Next, we come to the topic of music. Diddy hit the height of success, landing at number one. A unfortunate digital popularity spike since we all stopped being interested in him back in 2009; and this time the trending is anything but flattering. Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us topped the songs category, although I’m sure most searches involved arguing on Twitter over what the lyrics actually mean. And if you want proof that you can box, rap, and still be a head-scratcher, KSI managed to show up on both the athlete and song lists this year.
Most Searched TV Shows
The TV shows that interested people the most indicate a strong desire to wander into other worlds. Apparently, Baby Reindeer was the winner. I have no idea what it’s about, but the title suggests some sort of combo between a Disney product and true crime that makes one horrified, yet fascinated, to watch. Fallout, another popular show, certainly speaks to the shared 2024 experience of being in the modern world’s wreckage and trying to make sense of it all.
Most Searched Sports
Finally, when it comes to athletic teams, the Yankees and Dodgers, for very good reasons, rank at the bottom. Then we have Inter Miami CF, propped up in third place because of the Mese effect. It’s what happens, it seems, when you drop the greatest soccer player of all time into the middle of Florida that people pay attention. Although, to be fair, half the Googling happening right now might just be Inter Miami fans trying to figure out what “CF” stands for.
So, there you have it. A year summed up by our collective Googling habits. We’re obsessed with politics, distracted by celebrities, mildly terrified of the planet burning, and endlessly curious about the latest remake, reboot, or celebrity boxing match. In short, we’re exactly who we’ve always been.
