2004 Year-End Google Zeitgeist
Search patterns, trends, and surprises
 

Based on billions of searches conducted by Google users around the world, the 2004 Year-End Zeitgeist offers a unique perspective on the year's major events and trends. We hope you enjoy this aggregate look at what people wanted to know more about this year.

View the 2004 Interactive Zeitgeist
An interactive timeline looking back on the past year (Flash 6 required).

2004 Zeitgeist Around the World

Contact:
Daniel Lemin
(650) 623-4405
dlemin@google.com

Zeitgeist Explained
zeit·geist | Pronunciation: 'tsIt-"gIst, 'zIt | Function: noun | Etymology: German, from Zeit (time) + Geist (spirit) | Date: 1884 | Meaning: the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era

By permission from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary.

    Zeitgeist home

Zeitgeist Around the World

Yearly archives

   • 2005
   • 2004
   • 2003
   • 2002
   • 2001


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Popular Queries
2004

     1. britney spears

     2. paris hilton

     3. christina aguilera

     4. pamela anderson

     5. chat

     6. games

     7. carmen electra

     8. orlando bloom

     9. harry potter

   10. mp3

Popular Men
2004

     1. orlando bloom

     2. eminem

     3. usher

     4. johnny depp

     5. brad pitt

     6. david beckham

     7. 50 cent

     8. bob marley

     9. justin timberlake

   10. michael jackson

Popular Women
2004

     1. britney spears

     2. paris hilton

     3. christina aguilera

     4. pamela anderson

     5. carmen electra

     6. jennifer lopez

     7. angelina jolie

     8. avril lavigne

     9. beyonce

   10. hilary duff

Popular Television Shows
2004

     1. the simpsons

     2. pokemon

     3. south park

     4. charmed

     5. spongebob

Popular Tech Stuff
2004

     1. wallpaper

     2. kazaa

     3. mp3

     4. spybot

     5. linux

Popular Consumer Brand Names - 2004

     1. ebay

     2. walmart

     3. mapquest

     4. amazon

     5. home depot


Google News Queries
Popular Country Queries
2004

     1. france

     2. china

     3. india

     4. iraq

     5. iran

     6. south korea

     7. japan

     8. haiti

     9. cuba

   10. pakistan

Popular Sports Topics
2004

     1. david beckham

     2. tour de france

     3. euro 2004

     4. nba

     5. lance armstrong

     6. nfl

     7. boston red sox

     8. cricket

     9. chicago cubs

   10. ny yankees

Top Public Figures
2004

     1. george w bush

     2. janet jackson

     3. john kerry

     4. britney spears

     5. saddam hussein

     6. kobe bryant

     7. michael jackson

     8. angelina jolie

     9. martha stewart

   10. clay aiken

Popular News Outlets
2004

     1. cnn

     2. washington post

     3. bbc

     4. fox news

     5. new york times

Top Company Queries
2004

     1. sco

     2. johnson & johnson

     3. ing

     4. ge aircraft engines

     5. fleet

In Remembrance...
2004

     1. nicholas berg

     2. christopher reeve

     3. spalding gray

     4. marlon brando

     5. kenneth bigley


Google Image Search Queries
Popular Cars
2004

     1. ferrari

     2. bmw

     3. lamborghini

     4. nissan skyline

     5. porsche

     6. mercedes

     7. honda civic

     8. mustang

     9. toyota supra

   10. mitsubishi eclipse

Popular Cartoons
2004

     1. simpsons

     2. pokemon

     3. south park

     4. garfield

     5. hello kitty

     6. winnie the pooh

     7. spongebob squarepants

     8. finding nemo

     9. dragon ball z

   10. tweety

Popular Female Celebrities
2004

     1. britney spears

     2. christina aguilera

     3. pamela anderson

     4. paris hilton

     5. carmen electra

     6. jennifer lopez

     7. angelina jolie

     8. beyonce

     9. avril lavigne

   10. hilary duff

Popular Male Celebrities
2004

     1. orlando bloom

     2. eminem

     3. usher

     4. johnny depp

     5. brad pitt

     6. david beckham

     7. justin timberlake

     8. tupac

     9. bob marley

   10. kurt cobain


Froogle Queries
Popular Consumer Electronics - 2004

     1. ipod

     2. digital camera

     3. mp3

     4. xbox

     5. playstation 2

     6. portable dvd player

     7. plasma tv

     8. digital camcorder

     9. pda

   10. electric scooter

Top Clothing Queries
2004

     1. bikini

     2. mini skirt

     3. prom dresses

     4. lingerie

     5. little black dress

     6. poncho

     7. t-shirt

     8. sports bra

     9. red dress

   10. low-rise jeans

Popular Computer Goods
2004

     1. tablet pc

     2. computer

     3. laptop

     4. headphones

     5. computer speakers

     6. notebook computer

     7. gps

     8. webcam

     9. wireless speakers

   10. flat panel monitor

Top Sports and Hobbies
2004

     1. poker chips

     2. airsoft guns

     3. mountain bike

     4. pocket bike

     5. night vision goggles

     6. gas scooter

     7. running shoes

     8. tent

     9. paintball

   10. baseballs

Popular Brand Names
2004

     1. louis vuitton

     2. nikon

     3. canon

     4. treo

     5. tiffany

     6. rolex

     7. roomba

     8. armani

     9. aeron

   10. ray-bans

Popular Shoe Brands
2004

     1. ugg boots

     2. puma

     3. adidas

     4. nike

     5. aerosole

     6. manolo blahnik

     7. steve madden

     8. birkenstocks

     9. dr martens

   10. kenneth cole


Google Local Search Queries
Top Hotel Chains
2004

     1. holiday inn

     2. hampton inn

     3. marriott

     4. hilton

     5. days inn

     6. sheraton

     7. embassy suites

     8. motel 6

     9. residence inn

   10. fairfield inn

Popular Retail Chains
2004

     1. walmart

     2. home depot

     3. best buy

     4. costco

     5. walgreen's

     6. barnes & noble

     7. blockbuster video

     8. office depot

     9. kinko's

   10. circuit city

Popular Health Services
2004

     1. doctor

     2. hospital

     3. massage

     4. dentist

     5. yoga

Popular Sports Services
2004

     1. ymca

     2. golf

     3. campground

     4. bowling

     5. marathon

Top Professional Services
2004

     1. real estate

     2. attorney

     3. insurance broker

     4. car dealer

     5. hair salon

Popular Entertainment
2004

     1. spa

     2. movies

     3. nightclub

     4. pub

     5. zoo

Popular Cuisines
2004

     1. pizza

     2. sushi

     3. bakery

     4. chinese

     5. italian


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Updated: December 22, 2004

More about the Google Zeitgeist

Pulling together interesting search trends and patterns requires Google’s human and computing power together. Search statistics are automatically generated based on the millions of searches conducted on Google over a given period of time - weekly, monthly, and annually. With some help from humans, and a pigeon or two when they have time, these statistics and trends make their way from the depths of Google's hard drives to become the Google Zeitgeist report.

We should note that in compiling the Zeitgeist, no individual searcher's information is available or accessible to us. What you see here is a cumulative snapshot of interesting queries people are asking – some over time, some within country domains, and some on Google.com – that perhaps reveal a bit of the human condition. We appreciate the contribution all Google users make to these fascinating bits of information.

This information is free for your use, with the appropriate attribution to Google Inc. We welcome your feedback, suggestions, and questions. Please contact +1.650.930.3555 or send email to press@google.com.