Top Google Searches Of 2014

In 2014, we used search engine more than ever — for ice bucket challenges, dancing videos, and Flappy Bird cheats and more. We searched trillions of times. What do these searches say about us? Explore the Year in Search:

As for the top person searched worldwide in 2014, Jennifer Lawrence edged out Kim Kardashian. If that’s because of the photo hack in August, then maybe the internet is broken after all.

Walmart was the most-searched location, followed by Starbucks. The top athlete searches were for Ray Rice followed by Adrian Peterson. The overall top U.S. searches provide a very accurate snapshot of the news and culture over the past 12 months:

10. Ukraine
9. “Frozen”
8. Ferguson
7. ISIS
6. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
5. Flappy Bird
4. Malaysia Airlines (there were also over 200 million searches for “mh370?)
3. Ebola
2. World Cup
1. Robin Williams

Global searches:

10. Sochi Olymics
9. “Frozen”
8. ISIS
7. Conchita Wurst
6. Flappy Bird
5. ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
4. Malaysia Airlines
3. Ebola
2. World Cup
1. Robin Williams

There’s a lot of bleakness above, but — at least with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge — some hope as well. In fact, across the trillions of searches in 2014, we as a species searched for the word “hope” more than “fear.” We all want to look forward to a brighter 2015.

One notable thing that didn’t make the cut this year, as Tech Crunch points out, is an Apple product. In 2010, “iPad” made the year-end rankings, then “iPhone 5? and “iPad 3? in 2011, “iPad 3? again in 2012, and “iPhone 5S” last year in the #2 position.

For all of the 2014 search trends, head over to Google’s Top Charts.

[via mtv.com]