What Do Netizens Search: Kim Kardashian or Justin Bieber?

As we look back at 2012, Bing searches show it was a year of familiar faces, momentous events and baby fever.

While last year people were singing “Baby, baby, baby” with Justin Bieber as the most-searched person of 2011, 2012 was the year of the real baby, as celebrity births were five of the top 10 celebrity events.

From new reality stars such as Honey Boo Boo to viral hits such as “Gangnam Style” and airwave darlings such as Taylor Swift, Bing captured history through the searches that mark the year’s most fascinating people, sensations and moments in time.

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Based on the aggregation of billions of search queries conducted on Bing this year, Microsoft search engine Bing has released the much-anticipated top search lists for the most-searched people, news stories, athletes, musicians, celebrity events, social networks and TV shows.

Kim Kardashian is most-searched person of 2012; baby fever dominates most-searched celeb events; Justin Bieber is most-searched musician; Honey Boo Boo makes her debut; and iPhone 5 is the top-searched news story.

Kim Kardashian didn’t just keep up with other celebs such as Justin Bieber (2011’s most-searched person) this year, she took back the top spot. Kim K. was the most-searched person of the year in 2012, regaining the spot she also held in 2010.

Her relationship ups and downs, including a new relationship with Kanye West, made Kim more interesting than ever. While Justin Bieber fell to the second spot, he still was the most-searched male of the year and the most-searched musician, thanks to the continued support of his many “Beliebers.”

Newcomers to the list include Rihanna, who skyrocketed from No. 20 in 2011 to No. 4 this year; Selena Gomez, who jumped from No. 13 to No. 7; and Nicki Minaj, who just barely cracked the top 10 at No. 9, up from No. 23 in 2011. Miley Cyrus made the biggest gain within the top 10 list, jumping from No. 10 to No. 3, likely due to her surprise engagement.

The complete report, including most-searched viral videos, movies, songs, TV personalities and more, is available at http://www.BingTrends.com.