The results are in—on what we’ve been spending our clicks and hours on online in the past year, that is. 2017 was a year of ups and multiple downs, great music, and a heck ton of meme-worthy moments. We thumbed through reports from Google, YouTube, Spotify and Netflix, to take a look back at how majority Singaporeans consumed their social media. Are you guilty of any of these? We are.
1. Furiously (still) trying to be the very best
The infamous Pokemon Go may have launched locally in Aug last year, but Singaporeans just weren’t quitting in 2017. According to Google’s annual report on trending searches, the #1 search term for the year was “Sgpokemap”—the real-time Pokemon tracker that’s basically a cheat sheet to catching and collecting the Japanese monsters. #2 on the list was the iPhone 8; good to see we’ve got our priorities in order.
2. Catching up on local gossip
The SEA Games topped Google searches for trending local news in 2017, but coming closely behind at #2 was “38 Oxley Road”; awkward. The real estate saga surrounding the Lee Family was all publications and the public could talk about for months; it even made international headlines. We aren’t entirely sure if the dispute has been finally put to rest—but then again neither is PM Lee.
3. Supporting local
YouTube Singapore reported the top 10 trending (non-music) videos, of which local YouTubers snagged five. Night Owl Cinematics earned themselves three spots in the charts with their low-brow skits, while newcomer Butterworks made its first entrant onto the list with a nostalgic medley of Mandarin songs titled “The Songs We Used To Sing”. We’re a little torn over how to take the news; it’s great that Singaporeans are supporting local, but maybe let’s practice a little better discernment next year?
4. Bingeing Netflix, at least two hours a day
Ironically, there was no chill when it came to Singaporeans consuming Netflix. In their year-end press release, the entertainment streaming platform reported that Singaporean members were more likely to binge a TV series over three days, at a pace faster than the rest of the world. The top two shows Singaporeans watched more than two hours a day of were Korean fantasy drama My Only Love Song at #1 and sci-fi series The Mist at #2; The CW’s Riverdale just barely made the list at #10. Frankly we’re surprised Stranger Things 2 didn’t sweep all the binge-watch awards, but maybe it was Eleven on the list.
In addition, Netflix ran a survey with more than 60,000 members between Oct 24-30, and found that the top five series people watched ahead of their significant others were Narcos, Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why, Riverdale and Orange is the New Black. Naughty.
5. Lusting after the shape of Ed Sheeran
It’s no secret that we Singaporeans adore the ginger heartthrob. After tickets for the Singapore stop on his Divide tour sold out in 40 minutes, British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran promptly announced a second show—which sold out too. So it makes sense that the #1 trending music video on YouTube was his catchy hit “Shape of You”.
And as if dominating YouTube weren’t enough, Sheeran bagged all the number one spots on Spotify’s Singapore charts as well, winning “Most Streamed Male Artist”, “Most Streamed Album” (for Divide), “Most Streamed Track” (for “Shape of You”), and “Most Streamed Artist” (beating out “Most Streamed Female Artist” Taylor Swift). Give chance aye, Ed?
6. Practising savagery in a pineapple under the sea
Who would have thought that the top trending meme of 2017 would be the “Mocking Spongebob” meme—surpassing even Elf on The Shelf and Salt Bae? Meme experts Know Your Meme explained its use as to “indicate a mocking tone towards an opinion or point of view”. Somehow, we aren’t surprised Singaporeans took to snarkiness as their outlet for handling 2017’s bullshit.
