INFOGRAPHIC: What Did the World Search For in 2024?
From the U.S. elections to Kendrick Lamar's hit "Not Like Us," these were some of the most searched topics around the world this year.
Every December, for the past two decades, Google’s “Year in Search” has given us a snapshot of what defined our collective curiosity. In 2024, the search trend paints a picture of a world grappling with seismic political shifts, chasing cultural highs, and seeking a bit of escape when it all felt overwhelming.
Digging into the detailed data from Google’s Year in Search 2024, I’ve pulled together an overview of the most fascinating highlights. So, consider this your guide to the moments that captured our attention the most.
At the top of the News category was the 2024 U.S. presidential election, which saw Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office in a historic second, non-consecutive term. This election dominated headlines and conversations around the globe.
But the news wasn’t all about politics. Events like the Summer Olympics, marked by unprecedented heat waves, and Hurricane Milton, a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability, showed us a year shaped by both triumphs and tragedies.
However, entertainment gave us a reason to smile amidst the chaos. Movies like Inside Out 2 and Deadpool & Wolverine brought audiences back to theaters, while Baby Reindeer emerged as the breakout TV hit that everyone (I) couldn't stop talking about.
On the music charts, Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" struck a major chord with its poignant lyrics and heavy diss at Drake, while collaborations like Rose and Bruno Mars’s "APT." and Creepy Nuts’ "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" kept people hitting repeat (even though I didn't listen to any of these).
Sports and gaming also offered their own share of standout moments. Boxing’s Imane Khelif captured the spotlight as the year’s most-searched athlete, while the New York Yankees thrilled fans with their playoff journey. Football also dominated this year's search trends, with Copa América and the UEFA Champions League topping the list as the most-searched topics worldwide.
In gaming, Connections became the puzzle obsession of the year, while titles like Palworld and HellDivers 2 took players to new worlds. Meanwhile, in acting, Katt Williams topped the list, thanks to his viral resurgence after that interview, while rising stars like Pawan Kalyan and Ella Purnell joined seasoned favorites like Adam Brody in keeping audiences intrigued.
Overall, 2024’s search trends remind us how interconnected we are, even in a world that can feel so divided.
As we look back on 2024, Google’s “Year in Search” feels like a mirror—sometimes flattering, sometimes uncomfortable, but always honest. And as we step into 2025, I can’t help but wonder: what will we search for next?
Emmanuel Oyedeji
