HBD Google Trends! Celebrating 15 years of Data

This summer, Google Trends turns 15, so we thought it would be the perfect time to look back on trends of yesteryear and compare what people were searching for back in 2006 to today.

What were you doing in 2006? Maybe you were going through your emo phase. Maybe you were loving low rise jeans. Maybe you were mourning Pluto’s (temporary) demotion from planet to dwarf planet.

Maybe you were checking out these trends — and plenty of others — on Google Trends, which went live in the summer of 2006. Though the tool’s data goes back to 2004, it became available two years later.

Most-searched song lyrics — July 2006, U.S.

Unfaithful – Rhianna

Sexy Back – Justin Timberlake

Crazy – Gnarls Barkley

Buttons – Pussycat Dolls

Miss Murder – AFI

Most-searched song lyrics — July 2021, U.S.

Fancy Like – Walker Hayes

Traitor – Olivia Rodrigo

Favorite Crime – Olivia Rodrigo

Ain’t Shit – Doja Cat

Deja Vu – Olivia Rodrigo

Most-searched actors — July 2006, U.S.
Oprah

Zac Efron

Paris Hilton

Channing Tatum

Lindsay Lohan

Most-searched actors — July 2021, U.S.

Olivia Rodrigo

Scarlett Johansson

Florence Pugh

Tom Holland

Millie Bobby Brown

Most-searched TV shows — July 2006, U.S.

Project Runway

Big Brother

Lost

Miami Vice

American Idol

Most-searched TV shows — July 2021, U.S.

Big Brother

Gossip Girl

Grey’s Anatomy

iCarly

Criminal Minds

Most-searched Games – July 2006, U.S.

1. Tetris

2. Sonic

3. Halo 3

4. Bejeweled

5. Battlefield 2

Most-searched Games – July 2021, U.S.

1. Sonic

2. Genshin Impact

3. Minesweeper

4. GTA 6

5. Battlefield 2042

Happy birthday, Google Trends! Here’s to many more years of curiosity.

Prepared by Suzanna Hayek