Google Zeitgeist: 2013 in Searches, Trends and Images

by Michelle Maisto

The top 10 trending news items of 2013 ran from celebrations to tragedies, with a touch of silliness in between. They were Nelson Mandela, Paul Walker, iPhone 5S, Cory Monteith, Harlem Shake, Boston Marathon, Royal Baby, Samsung Galaxy S4, PlayStation 4 and North Korea. (Image: Flickr, user BK)

In the United Sates, seven of the 10 most searched for people were women. Miley Cyrus twerked her way to the number-one spot, followed by Canadian rapper Drake, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Beyonce, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry and Kanye West. (Image: RCA Records)

The Boston Marathon was the top-trending event of 2013. It was followed by Typhoon Haiyan, the Government Shutdown, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Chinese New Year, the Australian Open, the Eurovision Song Contest, Wimbledon, the Syrian conflict, and EuroBasket, a biennial basketball competition in Europe. (Image: Flickr, NASA Goddard)

In the United States, we searched for the calories in eggs more than any other item (beer was third); searched for Kohl’s, above all other retailers; and concerned ourselves with the pregnancy of Kim Kardashian and the breakup of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, above all others. (Image: Flickr, Daniel Almond-Farrant)

Amazingly, people are still interested in the YMCA, which ranked fifth on the most trending Dance Moves list. Gangnam Style was first, followed by The Cat Daddy, The Dougie (a favorite of the First Lady) and the Wobble. (Image: Flickr, Chris Gamboa)

In India, a market ripe with smartphone growth potential, the most searched for phones were the Samsung Galaxy S 4, the Nokia Lumia 520, the Micromax Canvas 2, the Samsung Galaxy Grand, the Micromax Canvas, the Sony Xperia Z, the Nokia Lumia, the MicroMax Canvas 4, the Nexus 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S 3.

In Brazil, another market the wireless industry has its eye on, the 10 most searched for gadgets were the iPhone 5S, the Samsung Galaxy S 4, the PS4, the Samsung Galaxy S 3, the Xbox One, the Motorola Razr D3, the Moto X, Sony Xperia, iPhone 6 and the Nokia Lumia 520.

Around the world, the top trending movie was “Man of Steel,” Stephen King’s “Under the Dome” was the top-trending TV show, the top-trending video was Ylvis’ “The Fox” and the top-trending athlete was Oscar Pistorius, though likely not for his athletic feats. (Image: Warner Bros.)

The top hastags list suggests 2013 was an intense year punctuated by levity and distraction: #Boston, #BreakingBad, #TyphoonHaiyan, #MileyCyrus, #Pope, #Mandela, #SFBatKid, #MarriageEquality and #GovernmentShutdown. (Image: Flickr, Vincent Huang)

There’s nothing Google can’t help you to learn about. In 2013, the things the most of us tried to figure out were How to … Tie a Tie, File, Get a Passport, Blog, Knit, Kiss, Flirt, Whistle, Unjailbreak and Vader. The latter, if you were among those who searched it, is a BMX bike trick. (Image: Flickr, Jayneandd)