[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fibHPYa3nk8]
This morning, Google released its list of the top-trending song lyrics of 2013 for the U.S.
None of the songs on the list are a major surprise, but they do raise a question: why were people searching for the lyrics to these songs? There are lots of reasons to wonder how a song goes — and they’re not all about a lack of enunciation.
(MORE: Psy Tops Miley for Most-Watched Music Video of 2013)
So what were this year’s reasons?
Here are our completely unscientific guesses:
1. “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Reason for search: Unfamiliar with the expression “pop some tags”
Video: see above (for a cleaned-up version)
(MORE: The Top 10 Googled Images of 2013)
2. “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke
Reason for search: Understood what he’s saying but need to write a blog post about it
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU]
3. “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
Reason for search: Ditto
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My2FRPA3Gf8]
4. “Royals” by Lorde
Reason for search: It’s probably: Ambitious karaoke plans, or need to know words in order to use as personal yearbook-page quote
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlcIKh6sBtc]
(MORE: Miley Cyrus is MTV’s ‘Best Artist of 2013’ — But What Does That Mean?)
5. “Holy Grail” by Jay Z [explicit]
Reason for search: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is hard to understand to start with
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YcIgow6TDk]
6. “Titanium” by David Guetta
Reason for search: Prepping the score for your a capella group
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRfuAukYTKg]
7. “Stay” by Rihanna
Reason for search: Looking for coded messages about her personal life
Caveat: There are pretty much a gazillion songs called “Stay,” but a Google spokesperson says this is just Rihanna
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF8BRvqGCNs]
(MORE: The 10 Most Discussed Gadgets and Apps of 2013 (According to Google))
8. “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake
Reason for search: Making sure the song for the first dance at your wedding doesn’t accidentally include a stray unromantic lyric
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYRux-Nnrl4]
9. “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons
Reason for search: A mystery, since Imagine Dragons might win the “best enunciators of the year” award
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU]
10. “Clarity” by Zedd
Reason for search: Glee-inspired karaoke
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxxstCcJlsc]