Google Reveals Top Searches Of 2024 via @sejournal, @MattGSouthern

Google has released its annual “Year in Search” report, highlighting the top trending searches, news, people, entertainment, and more that captured the world’s attention in 2024.

Based on Google search data, the report offers a glimpse into the topics, events, and figures that defined the year.

Here’s an overview of top trending searches worldwide and a breakdown of U.S.-specific trends.

Global Top Trending Searches 2024

Overall Searches

Globally, the top trending searches were dominated by major sporting events.

The Copa América soccer tournament topped the list, followed by the UEFA European Championship and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket tournament.

Copa América. UEFA European Championship. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. India vs. England. Liam Payne.

News

In the news category, the U.S. presidential election was the most searched topic worldwide, surpassing interest in the Olympic games, which came in third.

Excessive heat and Hurricane Milton also drove significant search interest, ranking as the second and fourth top global news events.

U.S. Election. Excessive heat. Olympics. Hurricane Milton.

Entertainment

In entertainment, veteran comedian and actor Katt Williams topped the global list of most searched actors. Rising stars like Ella Purnell and Hina Khan also earned spots in the top five.

Sequels to popular franchises topped movie searches, with “Inside Out 2,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” and “Dune: Part Two” ranking as the top three.

Top Actors:

Katt Williams. Pawan Kalyan. Adam Brody. Ella Purnell. Hina Khan.

Top Movies:

Inside Out 2. Deadpool & Wolverine. Saltburn. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Dune: Part Two.

United States Top Trending Searches 2024

Overall Searches

Election. Donald Trump. Connections. New York Yankees. Kamala Harris.

People

Donald Trump. Kamala Harris. JD Vance. Joe Biden. Catherine, Princess of Wales.

Entertainment

Actors:

Katt Williams. Jacob Elordi. Glen Powell. Jeremy Allen White. Shane Gillis.

Musicians

Usher. Diddy. Kendrick Lamar. Drake. Justin Timberlake.

Sports

Returning Mike Tyson was the second most searched athlete globally behind Algerian karate champion Imane Khelif.

Sixteen-year-old soccer player Lamine Yamal also made the top five, reflecting the growing buzz about the young star.

Among sports teams, American franchises dominated, with the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Celtics ranking in the top five for global searches.

Interest in soccer was evident, with Inter Miami CF and German club Bayer Leverkusen also making the list.

Athletes:

Mike Tyson. Imane Khalif. Simone Biles. Scottie Scheffler. Jake Paul.

Teams:

New York Yankees. Los Angeles Dodgers. New York Mets. Boston Celtics. Minnesota Timberwolves.

Digital Culture & Gaming

In gaming, New York Times took the top two spots with their popular word and puzzle games.

Interesting to note – except for Palworld, all the most searched titles are browser-based games that anyone can play.

Games:

Connections. Strands. Infinite Craft. Palworld. Sprunki.

Lifestyle Trends

Aesthetics:

Mob wife aesthetic. Nancy Meyers aesthetic. Pillow face aesthetic. Brat aesthetic. Decora aesthetic.

Food & Recipes

Olympic-themed chocolate muffin recipes topped global food-related searches, while the traditional Chinese treat tanghulu came in second. A viral recipe created by Tineke “Tini” Younger rounded out the top three.

Olympic chocolate muffins. Tanghulu. Tini’s mac and cheese. Mama Kelce’s cookie. Dense bean salad.

Popular Locations (Google Maps)

When it came to getting out and about, Google Maps searches showed Madison Square Garden in New York as the most searched-for stadium, while the Las Vegas Sphere was the most searched for tourist attraction.

Top Stadiums:

Madison Square Garden, New York, New York Yankee Stadium, New York, New York MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Top Visitor Attraction:

Sphere, Las Vegas, Nevada Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois Edge NYC, New York, New York Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Kentucky Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois

Music Trends

Google’s “Hum to Search” feature, which identifies songs based on audio clips, revealed that people had catchy tunes like “Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone and “Crazy Frog” by Axel F stuck in their heads.

The sea shanty “Wellerman” also had a resurgence.

Most Hummed Songs:

Beautiful Things – Benson Boone. Axel F – Crazy Frog Wellerman – Santiano. Past Lives – Slushii. Too Sweet – Hozier.

A Snapshot Of 2024 Through Search

Google’s Year in Search 2024 reflects what connected people worldwide over the past year.

Key highlights include the World Cup, travel, a renewed love for nature, and virtual adventures. Common themes are sports, entertainment, connection, and comfort.

We’ll be watching to see what people search for in 2025 and beyond.

For a complete overview of this year’s search trends, visit Google’s Year in Search mini-site.

More Resources:

22 SEO Experts Offer Their Predictions For 2025 Google Trends: How To Use It For SEO & Content Marketing SEO Trends 2025

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Featured Image: Daniel Pawer/Shutterstock