We’re now approaching the end of the year, a time when we reflect on what has transpired and prepare to turn the page. It’s an occasion to assess both the ups and downs of our experiences in 2023, as well as to set our sights on the goals we aim to achieve in the coming year.
Soon, we’ll discover the songs that have been our go-to tunes over the past twelve months and the topics that have sparked discussions across the internet. However, before we dive into that, ARKA, a marketing company specializing in online packaging services in North America, has conducted a study on the songs by artists that people have searched for the most on Google. Experts from the company conducted a thorough analysis of user behavior to identify which song lyrics have generated the greatest interest.
This analysis factored in various elements, including how often people searched for lyrics online and trends on major streaming platforms. The result is a list of the top ten artists who’ve made a significant impact this year, based on the total number of searches for their song lyrics, with the titles grouped by artist –based on data collected from Google searches.
Unsurprisingly, Taylor Swift takes the lead. She has been a dominant force in 2023, thanks to the release of two re-recordings of her music catalog, the global tour known as The Eras Tour and the worldwide cinema release of The Eras Tour Concert Films. Not to mention her recent romance with Travis Kelce.
The author of «Slut!», has the distinction of being the artist with the most searched song lyrics on the internet, accumulating a total of 1,369,200 searches. Hits like «Anti-Hero» by Midnights and «Enchanted» from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) have played a significant role in Swift’s dominance in the search rankings, surpassing her industry peers.
Following closely behind is XXXTentacion, the young rapper who passed away in 2018 but continues to make an impact with nearly 979,000 searches for songs such as «Look At Me» and «Numb.»
Claiming the third spot is Coldplay, with their songs searched approximately 776,800 times. Classics like «Yellow» and «The Scientist» received more attention than the rest of their discography, as fans, and even non-fans, prepared to sing along during the Music of The Spheres Tour 2023.
The analysis also highlights «Unholy» as the most sought-after hit from Sam Smith, accumulating 450,000 searches. This song, featuring Kim Petras, generated significant buzz earlier in the year after their performance at the Grammy Awards in February. Conspiracy theories suggesting a live satanic ritual during their performance led to a notable response from the Church of Satan. Furthermore, this hit reached the number one spot globally on streaming platforms.
Another standout artist of the year has been Miley Cyrus, who experienced a resurgence in 2023 with Endless Summer Vacation and chart-toppers like «Flowers» and «Angels Like You,» both dedicated to her former partner, Liam Hemsworth.
It’s worth noting that this study appears to have omitted Spanish-speaking artists, including Bad Bunny, Shakira, Peso Pluma, or Karol G. These Latin American artists also had a prolific 2023 in terms of digital platform plays. Furthermore, the study primarily focused on parameters related to the United States and Canada, leaving out a more comprehensive global analysis.
Check out the original article in Spanish by Ana Escobar Rivas for LOS40.