Each year, Google lists the most popular searches in the United States, giving readers a tantalizing view of America’s collective identity.
Rather than simply displaying what people searched for most, these lists highlight the words and phrases that people searched for this year that were not the year before. In fact, these searches speak to our last fears, desires, and questions—things we would have been too embarrassed to ask anyone but Google.
As Google data editor Simon Rogers told me last year, “You will never be as honest as you are with your search engine. You have an idea of what people genuinely care about and genuinely want to know — not just how they present themselves to the rest of the world.”
The lists, of course, are all over the place, but some common themes have risen to the top, providing a glimpse into what it really was like to be American in 2021. This year, our research records spoke of our interest in alternative assets such as cryptocurrencies and NFTs, as well as Persistent economic insecurity, as evidenced by our questions about when we will get stimulus checks and whether we qualify for student loan forgiveness. The cultural rift between millennials and Generation Z featured inquiries about what kind of hair parts and jeans were in style, as did other social media trends that seemed appealing to everyone, such as how to make TikTok noodles or squid game biscuit. Finally, in the year when Covid-19 vaccines became widely available, many Americans turned to the search engine to find out how to be a normal person again, as people once again attended in-person events and had to figure out what pants people were wearing. Wearing these are not sweatpants.
Economic interest – and insecurity
Depending on your point of view, 2021 was either the year cryptocurrency arose to become a viable financial asset, or turned out to be a scam, or simply when it became mainstream. It was definitely popular on Google.
Dogecoin was the most popular topic in the “how to pronounce” and “where to buy” categories (however, people were more interested in where to buy it than how to pronounce it). One of the most important news search results was the price of Ethereum. Meme stocks like AMC and GameStop were also popular searches recently in 2021. They’ve also, inexplicably, done well in the stock market this year.
Reinforcing this newfound interest in the stock market – and alternative assets as a way to get rich quick – may be the ongoing economic uncertainty in the US. Popular searches for Mega Millions lottery checks and incentives indicate that the regular revenue streams have not been good. Popular job searches included notably weak and flexible jobs, such as Amazon Sellers and Dordish Drivers.
Although student loan repayments and interest have been deferred until January 2022, it has been common for Americans to ask for student loan forgiveness and cancellation this year. Rising student loan debt has been a major economic drag for many young Americans, causing everything from delayed home ownership to wealth inequality.
None of the popular searches around finance feel particularly stable, perhaps because contributing to your 401k is less exciting than blockchain (but it’s probably a better financial bet). Sites like TikTok are filled with financial advice, but it may be better to use it to learn what to wear rather than how to build wealth.
Generational divisions and TikTok trends
This year, a largely exaggerated war broke out between millennials and Generation Z on social media and search. Young millennials are mocked for doing millennial things like wearing side-parts and skinny jeans — and also for not having homes. Some millennials took the criticism method seriously and didn’t understand the joke. Others simply Googled whether skinny jeans or bell bottom jeans were in style (both were popular in searches).
Rather than reflecting anything substantial about millennial style, the brawl instead illustrated the growing self-awareness among millennials who may be losing cultural significance, who were once the teacher of every millennial complaint.
The internet has also been full of trends that seem to have spanned across generations. Several food trends (TikTok pasta), fashion trends (dark academia), and celebrity trends (Pete Davidson) have appeared in Google searches, although it’s unclear how much power they have since each day as if something new is coming From TikTok or the cultural pipeline.
As Vox Senior Culture Correspondent Rebecca Jennings told me recently, virility is ephemeral as the ups and downs of trends happen faster than ever. So while searches for cottagecore, wolf haircuts, and hamantaschen are trending ahead, it probably isn’t necessary to know what they are.
How do you go ahead
This was the year that Americans not only gained a working understanding of vaccines, but also gained a clear preference in the pharmaceutical companies that offer them. A search for “Pfizer or Moderna” was a quick search, with people declaring their loyalty to #TeamPfizer or #TeamModerna with social media posts and even merchandise. These searches carried a sense of relief at their core.
In addition to searching for where to get vaccinated, searches for nearby bars, bowling alleys, lunches, and buffets topped the popular “near me” list. These were almost unimaginable activities last year, when popular searches included finding nearby toilet paper and protests. People also recently searched Google for what to wear to concerts, weddings, proms — again, events that pretty much didn’t exist last year. Common searches are indications that we are trying to remember how to get back to normal again after living very strangely.
Perhaps the most popular search categories for me were searches that started with “how to be”.
It was led by how to qualify for stimulus checks but then she pointed to the basic insecurity many of us face after nearly two years in relative isolation: “how to be more attractive”, “how to be happy on your own,” “how to be happy with yourself” and “How to be a good kisser” all made the list.
These lists are a fun snapshot of what it means to be an American in 2021: embarrassing, optimistic, and financially and socially uncertain. It’s also a good reminder that many things about how to live can’t be discovered online.
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