It’s been an overall pretty rough year for the United States, if 2018’s top Google searches are any indication.
The county’s top searches this year covered everything from destructive hurricanes to celebrity deaths to mass shootings. Many of this year’s most googled topics in the U.S. were also reflected in the year’s most searched topics globally.
Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain made the top 10 most searched topics. Spade was the original creator of the handbag line by the same name, and Bourdain was the host of CNN’s award-winning show “Parts Unknown.” Both reportedly died by suicide.
Rapper Mac Miller and singer Demi Lovato were also frequently searched about this year. Miller reportedly died from a drug overdose in September. Lovato’s struggles with drug addiction also made headlines when she was hospitalized following an apparent overdose in August.
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People connected to the #MeToo movement, a campaign started on social media fighting for justice for sexual assault survivors, also made the list .
U.S. & World
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the Supreme Court’s newest addition, faced a contentious nomination battle that captivated the nation after Dr. Christine Blasey Ford accused him of sexually assaulting her when they were in high school. Kavanaugh denied the allegations. He was sworn in as the 114th justice of U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 6.
Former NBC “Today” show host Matt Lauer made 2017’s top Google searches list after he was accused of and fired for sexually harassing female colleagues.
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Just as with last year’s top Google searches, another mass shooting made the list. Twelve people were killed in a bar in Thousand Oaks, California, in November after a former Marine Corps veteran opened fire on them. Many of the victims were in their early 20s.
In October 2017, 58 people were killed and hundred more injured when a gunman shot into a crowd of 22,000 concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest Festival. The Las Vegas Shooting was one of the most googled news events in 2017.
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In 2016, the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando left 49 people dead and dozens injured, with the majority of the victims and survivors being members of the LGBTQ community. The Orlando shooting made the most searched news events list in 2016.
But not all the searches were depressing.
The World Cup was this year’s most searched topic.
The Marvel Studios film “Black Panther” was the sixth most searched topic this year. The super hero flick and its notably diverse cast made history when the movie became the first Marvel film to receive a Golden Globe nomination.
Duchess of Sussex and former “Suits” actress Meghan Markle made the list for the most searched people of 2018. Markle also made the list last year. Her royal wedding also made the most searched news list. Markle captured American and U.K. hearts alike as the world followed her engagement to the Britain's Prince Harry.
Arguably, the real winner for 2018’s top Google searches was the Mega Millions jackpot lottery results, which had much of the country hoping they’d wake up with $1.6 billion in their pocket. It was the first time in Mega Millions history and the second time in U.S. lottery history that the possible winnings reached 10 figures.
Hopefully next year’s top Google searches will be richer than this year’s.