Demure, Malome Victor, Dricus du Plessis, Tshwala Bami, Inside Out 2 and the AFCON. These are the terms for lead this year’s trends on search.
Google’s 2024 Year in Search [YIS] report for South Africa reveals unexpected trends and fascinating insights into the collective consciousness of netizens.
This year’s results show a heightened interest in entertainment, current affairs, events, sports, celebrities and notable personalities who have passed away.
The year saw the unexpected rise of a seemingly simple word – demure. Once a term often associated with outdated notions of femininity, “demure” has been reclaimed and reimagined for a new generation.
What began as a playful TikTok trend ignited a broader conversation about individuality, self-expression, and challenging societal norms. From fashion runways to social media feeds, the word “demure” was everywhere, sparking curiosity and inspiring creativity – the meaning of the word demure is one of this year’s most searched words.
Tshwala Bami, a captivating amapiano track featuring S.N.E and EeQue took the music world by storm. Released earlier this year, the song surpassed 100-million streams within a month after its release, solidifying its position as a global hit and this year’s most searched Amapiano dance tune.
Among celebrities and media personalities who passed away this year, talented and rising star in the South African film industry, Mpho Sebeng topped the search list for loss. The passing on of Liam Payne and Pravin Gordhan followed in this category as losses that captured the interest of South Africans this year.
After conquering the box office worldwide, Inside Out 2 soared to the top of South Africa’s most searched movies while Baby Reindeer claimed the number one spot for the most searched TV shows.
While South Africans were eager to make their mark during the 2024 National Elections in May, IEC topped the most searched event list. Online searches also revealed a keen interest in the results of the US Elections which came up second place as the most searched event this year.
From a sporting perspective, AFCON, Euro 2024 and T20 World Cup, a biennial T20 cricket tournament dominated sporting events that South Africans were interested in. The AFCON which also topped the list of searches was held in Ivory Coast and saw Bafana Bafana’s impressive run, igniting national pride.
The full lists of Top Trending Searches by South Africans in 2024 are as follows:
Top 10 music searches in 2024
- Malome Vector
- Shebeshxt
- Chris Brown
- Tyla
- P Diddy
- Tshwala Bami
- Kabza Chant
- Donald
- Imithandazo
- Ntate Stunna
Top searched losses in 2024
- Mpho Sebeng
- Liam Payne
- Pravin Gordhan
- Connie Chiume
- Tito Mboweni
- Zanele Mbokazi
- Markus Jooste
- Aletta Bezuidenhout
- Dudu Myeni
- Solly Moholo
Top 10 most searched athletes in 2024
- Dricus du Plessis
- Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul
- Lamine Yamal
- Ronwen Williams
- Akani Simbine
- Nico Williams
- Christian Horner
- Riyad Mahrez
- Rhulani Mokwena
- Tatjana Smith
Top 10 most searched movies in 2024
- Inside Out 2
- Bad Boys 4
- Fool Me Once
- Movie Box
- Deadpool
- Damsel
- Divorce in Black
- Shogun
- Beekeeper
Top most searched TV shows in 2024
- Baby Reindeer
- Griselda Blanco
- Beauty in Black
- Menendez Brothers
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Siphesihle Mokoena
- Ronnie Nyakale
- The Crow
- House of the Dragon
- Big Brother Mzansi 2024
- Road House
Top 10 searches in 2024
- AFCON
- IEC
- Alexandra Forbes
- Olympics 2024
- US Election Results
- Demure Meaning
- NSFAS Application 2025
- Matric Results 2024
- Joslin Smith
- NHI
Top 10 sporting events searched in 2024
- AFCON
- Euro 2024
- T20 World Cup
- Bafana Bafana
- Olympics
- Betway Premiership
- COP America
- Australian Open 2024
- Cape Verde
- Imane Khelif
Top 10 event searches in 2024
- IEC
- US Election Results
- George Building Collapse
- Ballon d’or 2024
- Dricus du Plessis fight
- Two Pot System
- ANC Coalition
- Crowdstrike
- Eastern Cape Floods
- Peanut Butter Recalled