As the year comes to an end, Google has compiled the top trending searches of 2013 in its annual list of top searches, with the actor Paul Walker topping the list.
As the year comes to an end, Google has compiled the top trending searches of 2013 in its annual list of top searches, with the actor Paul Walker topping the list. Walker, the American movie star who died in a car crash in November, was the number one general topic in the list released this week, as well as the top person searched.
Other general searches in the top ten trending list are the royal baby, born this past summer, the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the late actor Cory Monteith, the Grand National sporting event, the release of the iPhone 5S and the late South African president Nelson Mandela.
To twerk or not to twerk?
Monteith, Thatcher and Mandela were also in the top ten trending people, in addition to chef Nigella Lawson, the late musician Lou Reed, reality TV star Joey Essex, the new Doctor Who actor Peter Capaldi and athlete Tom Daley, who released a YouTube video discussing his same-sex relationship.
London’s Mayor Boris Johnson was the top trending searched politician on the search engine site, with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Prime Minister David Cameron, Home Secretary Theresa May, Foreign Secretary William Hague, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls, Shadow Culture Secretary and Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman and Labour MP Stella Creasy in the top ten.
The top trending question of the year by users was ‘What is twerking?’ after a controversial performance by the artist Miley Cyrus, followed by ‘What is my IP?’ and ‘What is YOLO?’ Events included the Grand National, Wimbledon, Glastonbury and the Ashes tournament.
Traditional aspects ‘generated many searches’
In a statement accompanying the data, Claudine Beaumont of Google UK says the annual list, known as a Zeitgeist, provided an interesting look at 2013. “Our annual Zeitgeist survey provides a fascinating snapshot of our interests and obsessions for the year,” Beaumont said. “Celebrities always get a lot of interest and the passing of well-known figures makes people want to learn more about them. Despite that, some of the more traditional aspects of British life, from the Grand National to the Royal birth, have generated many Google searches and will be remembered as events that have characterised the year.”
The list tracked increase in interest comparing 2012 results to this year’s results, according to the statement.
In the most searched, Google UK says Kim Kardashian was the most searched celebrity, followed by the boy band One Direction. Also in the top ten were tennis player Andy Murray, Direction front man Harry Styles, singer Taylor Swift and the Duchess of Cambridge.
EastEnders topped the most searched TV shows, with Breaking Bad, Coronation Street, Top Gear, The Voice, Daybreak and Hollyoaks in the top ten. Movies in Google’s top ten most searched included the James Bond film Skyfall, the animated comedy Despicable Me 2, The Great Gatsby, the comedy Hangover 3, Life of Pi and the action film Iron Man 3.
Many events shaped users search interests this year, with many more events to make interesting Googling for the New Year!
Wonder what will be popular this time next year… Any predictions? Let us know in the comments below.
Photo: Carlos Luna / Flickr
