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December 1, 2009

Michael Jackson tops 2009's Google Zeitgeist

Posted: 02:33 PM ET

What was the world buzzing about most in 2009?

Michael Jackson’s death, the rise of Twitter, “New Moon’s” vampires and Microsoft’s Windows 7 release, among other hot topics gathered by Google for its annual Zeitgeist survey.

The year’s other “fastest-rising” topics, culled from Google search results in almost 50 countries, included Facebook, emerging pop star Lady Gaga, Spanish social-networking site Tuenti and Torpedo Gratis, which I believe has something to do with sending free text messages in Brazil.

These replace 2008’s hot topics, many of which landed on Google Zeitgeist’s “fastest-falling” list for 2009: The Beijing Olympics, Barack Obama, Wii, Heath Ledger and Amy Winehouse.

To compile the 2009 Year-End Zeitgeist, Google says it studied the aggregation of billions of queries people typed into Google search so far this year.

“We use data from multiple sources, including Insights for Search, Google Trends and internal data tools. We also filter out spam and repeat queries to build out lists that best reflect 'the spirit of the times,' " Google said in a statement.

Last year's fastest-rising topic, Sarah Palin, didn't make the fastest-falling list this year, which means people must still be intrigued with her. Maybe it's all the fuss over her book, press tour and chat with Oprah.

The only topics to make the "fastest-rising" list for 2008 AND 2009? Facebook and Tuenti.

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Daniel A.   December 2nd, 2009 3:38 am ET

Absolutely, Michael Jackson's sudden death is still the most shocking and dissapointing news this decade.
We are still depressed by his passing, I still can't beleive he is gone. But his music will live forever.
"A True Legend"

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Jacob   December 2nd, 2009 9:02 am ET

Who cares?

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John   December 2nd, 2009 9:35 am ET

Michael who?

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Ron   December 2nd, 2009 9:40 am ET

why lie? Is cnn really trying to infer that obama was not #1 for 2008 or that 2009 was not the economy? wow, what a shameless source of news!

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tim   December 2nd, 2009 11:08 am ET

Reggie is absolutely right!!!! MJ is Michael Jordan!!!

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Ellen   December 2nd, 2009 11:08 am ET

the song "heal the world"

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Bud   December 2nd, 2009 1:45 pm ET

Michael Jackson was a drug addict, plain and simple. He didn't have the occassional joint like most. No, he had to have the "hard stuff" "injected." And, why all the disbelief? After all, he was an entertainer and that's the way a lot of them "check out." The name he made for himself BEFORE all his troubles was one thing. What he was at the end was another.

You may like his music but would you have him as your babysitter? REALLY???

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Jules   December 2nd, 2009 4:23 pm ET

I have to agree w/ Fro.. 9/11 was the biggest news of this decade, and possibly in the last 50 years... Michael Jackson's death, or ANY OTHER NEWS for that matter, doesn't even come CLOSE to comparing to losing 3000+ innocent lives on US soil. To infer otherwise is an insult.

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Sean   December 4th, 2009 7:32 am ET

Ron to comment on what you said CNN is not triing to infer anything they are simply stating that the Google Search Egnine has his death listed as one tof the fastest rising search topics of 2009. Also I would like to add that Michael was an amasing preformer and artist.

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