NEW YORK. Google has unveiled its annual “Year in Search” report, providing a snapshot of the world’s top internet searches in 2023. From global news events to pop culture phenomena, the list reflects the collective curiosity of millions of users worldwide.
Topping the charts in 2023 was the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, according to Google’s global data. The conflict dominated headlines and sparked widespread interest, drawing users to search for updates and insights. Following closely were queries related to the Titanic-bound submersible that imploded in June, and the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February.
In the realm of individuals, Damar Hamlin, a safety with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, claimed the title of Google’s top trending person for the year. Hamlin’s near-death cardiac arrest on the field during a January game and his subsequent triumphant comeback captured the public’s attention. Actor Jeremy Renner, who survived a serious snowplow accident early in 2023, followed closely behind. The late Matthew Perry and Tina Turner led search trends among notable figures who passed away.
Entertainment-wise, “Barbie” dominated Google’s movie searches in 2023, followed by the Barbenheimer co-pilot “Oppenheimer” and the Indian thriller “Jawan.” In the TV category, “The Last of Us,” “Wednesday,” and “Ginny and Georgia” emerged as the top three trending shows.
Musically, Yoasobi’s “アイドル (Idol)” claimed the spot of Google’s top trending song. Jason Aldean’s “Try That In A Small Town” and Shakira and Bizarrap’s “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” followed in the rankings.
Beyond these highlights, Google’s 2023 global search trends encompass a wide range of topics. Bibimbap took the crown as the top trending recipe, while Inter Miami CF, the new home of Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi, led Google’s sports teams trends. In the U.S., users queried why eggs, Taylor Swift tickets, and sriracha bottles were so expensive, while “rizz,” recently named Oxford’s word of the year, gained attention as a trending slang term.
For more detailed insights, including country-specific lists and trends from previous years, Google’s “Year in Search” archive provides a comprehensive overview. The company compiled its 2023 search results from January 1 to November 27 of this year.
As 2023 concludes, Google is not alone in summarizing the year’s digital landscape. Other platforms, from Wikipedia to music streaming services, have also released their annual compilations. To commemorate its 25th birthday, Google has additionally released top search data “of all time” across various categories, showcasing enduring interests since 2004 when the company’s trend data first became globally available. Notable highlights include Beyoncé as the most-Googled Grammy winner, Cristiano Ronaldo as the highest-searched athlete, and the “Harry Potter” cast as the most-searched movie or TV ensemble.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
