Google Unveils 2023's Top Trending Searches– See The Lists Of Actors, Musicians, Shows & More

Google's annual 'Year in Search' reveals unexpected trends for 2023, with Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin topping the 'People' category. From top searches to notable passings, dive into the trends that shaped the digital landscape throughout the year.

Saihaj Kaur Madan

Updated on: 11 December 2023 5:58 pm

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Google Unveils 2023's Top Trending Searches

Google has unveiled its yearly compilation of the most popular searches, and if you expected Taylor Swift to dominate once more, you're in for a surprise.

Damar Hamlin emerged as the individual causing the most trending searches, experiencing a significant surge in traffic over a sustained period in 2023 compared to 2022.

Damar Hamlin emerged as the individual causing the most trending searches. Courtesy: AP

Certainly, some Google users may find themselves re-searching that name. Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills safety, gained global attention almost a year ago when he experienced cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023. (He successfully recovered and resumed NFL play in August.)

Securing the second spot in the "People" category is Jeremy Renner, who faced a significant health incident the day before Hamlin when he was accidentally struck by a snowplow.

Claiming the third position is Travis Kelce, the tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, who faced an entirely different formidable force when he entered into a high-profile relationship with the immensely popular Taylor Swift.

See the complete lists below.

Surprisingly, Swift herself failed to secure a spot in the Top 10 Musicians- possibly because there's hardly anyone on the planet who requires Google to know about her identity (Google doesn’t speculate on users’ motivations.) Jason Aldean, a longstanding favorite in country music, experienced a significant breakthrough into a broader audience with his controversial single "Try That in a Small Town," which sparked headlines and faced criticism for being perceived as racist and reactionary. Aldean claimed the top position in Google's "Musician" category, with Ice Spice, who appeared in a video with Swift last May, securing the second spot.

Despite not dominating other categories, Swift did lead in the most-searched tour, as her Eras Tour outpaced highly searched tours by Matt Rife, Beyoncé, Olivia Rodrigo, and others.

Renner claimed the top spot in the "Actors" category, trailed by Jamie Foxx (who faced a hospitalization due to a mysterious illness last April) and Danny Masterson, the former 'That '70s Show' actor sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in September on two rape charges.

In the "Movies" category, Barbie surpassed Oppenheimer to secure the top spot, while The Last of Us claimed the leading position in the "TV Shows" category.

In the 'Passings' category, Matthew Perry's tragic death garnered the highest surge in traffic. Courtesy: AP

Within the "Passings" category, the highest surge in traffic was observed following the tragic death of Matthew Perry at the age of 54 in October. Tina Turner secured the second position on the list, with Jerry Springer at #3. Other notable figures whose deaths prompted searches included Jimmy Buffett, Sinéad O'Connor, and Lisa Marie Presley.

Adding to the intriguing details: "Succession" claimed the top spot in trending searches for recaps and finale information, while Google's "Hum to Search" feature saw its highest usage for The White Stripes' 2003 song "Seven Nation Army.

The company says it collected its 2023 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 27 of this year.

Click here to find more data, including country-specific lists and trends from years past, on Google’s “Year in Search” archive.