'Hey, Google, What Were People Searching In 2020?' Google Releases 'Year In Search' Data

(CBS LOCAL) - If you want to know what people were thinking about in 2020, ask Google. The search engine behemoth is out with its "Year in Search" data. 2020's top trending searches reveal both the obvious and the unexpected, from election results and the coronavirus, to "why were chainsaws invented?"

Top trending searches in 2020:

  • Election results
  • Coronavirus
  • Kobe Bryant
  • Coronavirus update
  • Coronavirus symptoms
  • Zoom
  • Who is winning the election
  • Naya Rivera
  • Chadwick Boseman
  • PlayStation 5

"Why" was searched more than ever in 2020, according to Google.

Top trending "why..." searches:

  • Why were chainsaws invented?
  • Why is there a coin shortage?
  • Why was George Floyd arrested?
  • Why is Nevada taking so long?
  • Why is TikTok getting banned?
  • Why did Kobe have 2 numbers?
  • Why is everyone buying toilet paper?
  • Why is it called COVID-19?
  • Why is it called Juneteenth?
  • Why is Australia on fire?

Many Americans in lockdown encountered new challenges.

Top trending beauty "How To" searches:

  • How to cut men's hair at home
  • How to plop hair
  • How to color your hair at home
  • How to wash your hands
  • How to style curtain bangs
  • How to cut women's hair
  • How to do knotless braids
  • How to fade hair
  • How to trim your own hair
  • How to dermaplane
  • And in case you forgot, 2020 actually began before the pandemic. Shakira was the top trending musical artist, thanks to her headlining halftime show at the Super Bowl. Racecar driver Ryan Newman topped the athletes' list after his horrific crash at the Daytona 500.

    Google's methodology calculates the greatest increase in searches over a sustained period in 2020, compared to 2019.

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