What do the most-Googled searches of 2023 tell us about the year? Here’s what Americans wanted to know, and what we found out.

H2: Year in Search Data for 2023 Reflects Top Trending Topics

Amid the suddenly famous faces and influential happenings, Google’s “Year in Search” data for 2023 reveals the most sought-after topics by Americans this year. From public figures and emerging trends to recent events and box office hits, citizens all over the United States resorted to Google for answers to impromptu questions like “How often do you think about the Roman Empire?” and instructions for McDonald’s latest sensation, the Grimace Shake.

The narratives we were captivated by

This year, the world was gripped by the Israeli and Gazan conflict. The most Googled news story on Google’s list was the war, following the abrupt attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas. The second most searched story of the year was the OceanGate Titan submersible, which vanished with five people on board on a mission to explore the Titanic shipwreck site. Tragically, all crew members perished when the vessel imploded under the deep sea pressure. Americans made various inquiries about the hurricanes, with Hurricane Hilary, Hurricane Idalia, and Hurricane Lee completing the top 5 most-searched news stories.

The individuals who intrigued us

One of the most searched people on Google was NFL player Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills defensive back who collapsed on the field during a game in January. Also famous on Google’s list was actor Jeremy Renner, known for his New Year’s Day snowplow accident. The third person who piqued the curiosity of Americans was the NFL’s Travis Kelce. The athlete, who aided in securing a Super Bowl victory for the Kansas City Chiefs in February, has been dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and internet personality Lil Tay, who was falsely reported dead in August, also made it to the top-searched list. Many celebrities who were mourned by the public, including “Friends” actor Matthew Perry, iconic singer-songwriter Tina Turner, and TV host Jerry Springer, also received significant attention.

Entertainment that kept us captivated

The Greta Gerwig-directed films “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” dominated the U.S. box office, securing first and second place on Google’s list of the most-searched movies of 2023. Alejandro Gómez Monteverde’s “Sound of Freedom,” the 2022 Oscar-winning movie “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” and Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” completed the top five spots on the list. The television show “The Last of Us” and the controversial country song “Try That in a Small Town” by Jason Aldean ranked first in their respective categories on Google’s search list. Surprisingly, McDonald’s Grimace Shake was the top-searched recipe in the U.S., and a meme featuring Kevin James ranked highest in the meme category.

H2: Google’s Top Search Lists
(Find the full U.S. data here.)

News: War in Israel and Gaza, Titanic submarine, Hurricane Hilary, Hurricane Idalia, Hurricane Lee

People: Damar Hamlin, Jeremy Renner, Travis Kelce, Tucker Carlson, Lil Tay

Passings: Matthew Perry, Tina Turner, Jerry Springer, Jimmy Buffet, Sinéad O’Connor

Actors: Jeremy Renner, Jamie Foxx, Danny Masterson, Matt Rife, Pedro Pascal

Athletes: Damar Hamlin, Travis Kelce, Brock Purdy, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts

Musicians: Jason Aldean, Ice Spice, Oliver Anthony, Peso Pluma, Joe Jonas

Songs: Try That in a Small Town – Jason Aldean, Rich Men North of Richmond – Oliver Anthony, Unholy – Kim Petras and Sam Smith, Ella Baila Sola – Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma, Boy’s a liar Pt. 2 – Ice Spice and PinkPantheress

Movies: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Sound of Freedom, Everything Everywhere All At Once, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

TV Shows: The Last of Us, Ginny & Georgia, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, Daisy Jones & The Six, Wednesday

Recipe: Grimace Shake, Lasagna soup, Chicken cobbler, Black cake, Pumptini

Meme: Kevin James, OhioPolice girl, Folding chair, Smurf cat

Trends: Roman empire trend, Moon phase trend, AI yearbook trend, Instagram notes number trend, Fruit Roll-Ups trend

Explained: The Menu explained, No One Will Save You explained, Silo explained, Reptile explained, Israel Palestine conflict explained