2024 was marked by notable political events and exciting sports moments, with German entertainment figure Stefan Raab leading search interests following his television comeback. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden also captured attention, along with Ralf Schumacher’s coming out. Football dominated search trends, alongside the U.S. election and other major headlines like the Solingen incident and farmers’ protests. Increased curiosity was evident in political and sports-related inquiries, reflecting a significant surge in search activity compared to the prior year.
2024: A Year of Political and Sports Buzz on Google
The year 2024 was characterized by significant political events and thrilling sports moments, as highlighted in Google’s annual search review. At the forefront of this year’s trends is a well-known German entertainment icon, Stefan Raab, who made a notable return to television. His resurgence has placed him at the top of the list for personalities that garnered the most search interest in 2024 compared to the previous year.
Top Personalities Capturing Attention
Raab stepped back into the spotlight in September, taking on former boxing champion Regina Halmich in a highly publicized match. Since his comeback, he has been in the news for his innovative new show format and his role as jury chairman for the upcoming ESC preliminary round. Following Raab in popularity is Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President, who ranks second after her defeat to Donald Trump in the U.S. elections. Current President Joe Biden comes in third place.
In the fifth position is former racing driver Ralf Schumacher, who made headlines with his coming out. His ex-wife, Cora Schumacher, follows closely in seventh place, while singer Pietro Lombardi ranks sixth after a police incident during a heated argument with his fiancée. Football legend Toni Kroos, who concluded his illustrious career this year, takes the eighth spot. The search interest for pop sensation Taylor Swift has surged again, placing her in ninth. Rounding out the top ten is young football star Jamal Musiala.
Trendy TV Personalities and Major Headlines
Stefan Raab also leads the pack of popular TV personalities in Germany. Following him are a mix of celebrities from reality television and familiar faces who have recently resurfaced in the public eye. David Ortega, known for his participation in ‘Ich bin ein Star – Showdown der Dschungel-Legenden,’ secures the second position, with Silvia Wollny taking third. Other notable names include Sarah Knappik, Kader Loth, Giulia Siegel, Kim Virginia, Hanka Rackwitz, Fabio Knez, and Lucy Diakovska from No Angels.
In terms of general search trends, football once again claimed the top spot with ‘Football EM,’ followed by ‘Handball EM’ and the ‘US Election.’ The late Franz Beckenbauer ranks fourth, ahead of searches for ‘European Union election results,’ ‘Olympics,’ and Stefan Raab himself. Other notable searches include ‘Archery Paralympics’ and ‘Solingen,’ the latter likely due to a significant incident in August. Liam Payne, the One Direction star who passed away in October, rounds out the top ten.
In the headlines, the ‘US Election’ dominated discussions, followed by the events in ‘Solingen’ and ‘Farmers’ protests’ in third. The intrigue surrounding ‘Dubai chocolate’ took fourth place, with remaining topics covering ‘Iran,’ ‘Rail strike,’ ‘Northern lights in Germany,’ ‘Floods in southern Germany,’ ‘Rubella,’ and the controversies surrounding the ‘Traffic light coalition.’
Additionally, users have shown great interest in political and sports-related inquiries, as seen in trending questions like ‘Why are the farmers on strike?’, ‘Why was Lindner dismissed?’, ‘What is the confidence question?’, ‘How long does the Olympics last?’, and ‘What is offside?’
Google’s annual review not only showcases the year’s search trends but also highlights a remarkable surge in interest across various categories compared to the previous year.