Google on December 10 unveiled its annual Year in Search 2024 lists, which showcases the people, topics, events and places that captured the attention of Singaporeans this year. The trending searches saw sporting events take centre stage as sports enthusiasts hit Google Search for the latest updates and highlights from various tournaments and championships.
Some of the trending names from the overall search were PM Wong, Taylor Swift, Olympic medallist Max Maeder and Labubu — Singapore’s viral plush toy.
Sports and pop culture take centre stage in overall Searches this year
The nation tuned in to the return of the world’s most iconic sports competition, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 (#2 Trending International News, #3 Trending Searches), and collectively cheered for kitefoiling athlete, Max Maeder (#1 Trending Local Personalities, #6 Trending SG News) who clinched an Olympics Bronze medal to become Singapore’s youngest Olympic medallist.
This passion for sports extended beyond the Olympics, with football fever gripping fans as they followed the UEFA European Championship (#1 Trending Searches), Copa América (#7 Trending Searches), and the AFC Asian Cup (#8 Trending Searches).
But it wasn’t all about athleticism! The Taylor Swift phenomenon continued its reign as she graced Singapore for six sold-out shows for her Eras Tour, topping the charts as the #1 Trending International Personality for the second year running – going strong just like her romance with Travis Kelce (#10 Trending International Personalities).
When not caught up in competition or concerts, Singaporeans were hunting down the latest craze: Labubu (#3 Trending SG News, #10 Trending Searches), that took the world by storm, searching and finding new ways to get their hands on any merchandise. Meanwhile, the heartwarming yet poignant film, “How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies” (#1 Trending Movies, #6 Trending Searches) resonated deeply, reminding us of the complexities and enduring bonds within Asian families.
Keeping up with news that made waves in Singapore and the world
Singapore marked a significant milestone this year with the inauguration of its fourth Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (#2 Trending Local Personalities, #7 Trending SG News). Alongside his wife, Loo Tze Lui (#5 Trending Local Personalities), Wong stepped into the role with a focus on navigating the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Amid the rising cost of living, Singaporeans turned their attention to nancial support initiatives such as CDC Vouchers (#2 Trending SG News, #5 Trending Searches) and GST Vouchers (#8 Trending SG News) in managing household expenses.
On the global stage, Singaporeans also kept a close watch on major Presidential Elections happening across the United States (#2 Trending Searches, #1 Trending International News), Taiwan (#7 Trending International News) and India (#3 Trending International News) and their potential impact on global affairs, and implications for the region.
Locals kept a particularly close watch on United States presidential candidates Donald Trump (#2 Trending International Personalities) and Kamala Harris (#5 Trending International Personalities) as well as current president Joe Biden (#7 Trending International Personalities) during the crucial campaign period.
In the mood for love and tears for all things entertainment
At home, Singaporeans tuned in to support their favourite local stars at the Star Awards 2024 (#6 Trending TV Shows) and caught local film director Jack Neo’s Money No Enough 3 (#9 Trending Movies) – which broke records as the highest-grossing film over the Chinese New Year weekend earlier this year. And who could forget Benjamin Kheng’s (#10 Trending Local Personalities) touching National Day Parade theme song, showing the nation that its Not Alone and touching the hearts of many Singaporeans.
When it comes to binge-watching TV series, Singaporeans continued to ride the K-fever wave as did Korean dramas like Queen of Tears (#1 Trending TV Shows) with a heartwarming tale on the ups and downs of married life as well as Marry My Husband (#2 Trending TV Shows) which evoked strong emotions through its gripping revenge plot.
Talking about the annual Year in Search 2024 lists, Xiuxian Ho, Communications Manager, Google Singapore, said: “Our goal since Google Search launched has remained the same: to deliver the highest-quality information to everyone. That work is never done. We are constantly reimagining what Search can do. As Singaporeans intuitively turn to Google to stay up to date with current affairs or latest trends, we will continue to help Singaporeans find information in more natural and intuitive ways, building on our work to help people Search through text, images and voice.
