As 2024 comes to a close, we’re looking back at the top trending searches, from global sporting events to viral internet sensations that captivated our curiosity.

Top trending sports moments

2024’s major athletic events had us tuning in to (and searching for) epic sporting moments. “Copa América” and the “UEFA European Championship” led the top trending searches globally. And other athletic events inspired several trends categories: “Usher” was the top trending musician in the U.S. following his halftime show, while “Olympics chocolate muffins” was the top trending food and drink recipe globally after Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen went viral for showcasing his love for them.

Top trending news moments

Global interest in elections surged this year, as nearly half the world’s population went to the polls. Across the globe, “U.S. Election” was the top trending news search, and presidential candidates “Donald Trump” and “Kamala Harris” were among the top trending people.

Top trending pop culture moments

“Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar was the top trending song globally. In August, a viral social media video sent Americans in pursuit of understanding exactly what “demure meaning” was.

Top trends on Circle to Search, Lens and Maps

This year, people searched in new and more effortless ways. When people used Lens and Circle to Search, they most often used it for translation, shopping, and identifying things. They also combined the phrase “how to use” with their visual searches, using our multimodal technology to search using both text and images at once – gaining a deeper understanding of what they saw or needed help with.

People also sought out new experiences: On Google Maps, Italy’s Arena di Verona and Las Vegas’ Sphere were the top searched stadium and U.S. visitor attraction, respectively.

To find all the top trends, you can see the global top trending lists for 2024, and for a deeper look at top trends across more than 200 U.S. metropolitan areas, head to our Local Year in Search hub.