The year 2025 has seen a flurry of global events, largely influenced by the US presidential election in November. Donald Trump secured his second term as President, with tech mogul Elon Musk as his key advisor.
According to Google Trends, the election was the most searched event in 2024, with Trump himself being the most Googled individual. Three other American politicians also featured prominently: former President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Trump's current Vice President JD Vance.
While politics dominated the list of most Googled people, the top ten most Googled deceased individuals in 2024 were primarily from the world of pop culture. This list included actors O.J. Simpson, Shannen Doherty, Alain Delon, Maggie Smith, and James Earl Jones, as well as singer-songwriter Toby Keith. The most searched death was that of Liam Payne, former member of the boy band One Direction, who died in October at the age of 31 after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Payne was in Buenos Aires for a concert by his former bandmate Niall Horan. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, American influencer Kate Cassidy, who had returned to the US shortly before his death. Cassidy's TikTok video documenting her departure from Buenos Aires, due to the trip extending to two weeks, led to online attacks from Payne's fans accusing her of abandoning him despite knowing he couldn't be alone for long, and thus contributing to his death.
Cassidy had posted several tributes to Payne on social media, revealing that he planned to marry her within a year. However, she largely withdrew from public life after his death. In a recent interview with the British tabloid The Sun, Cassidy spoke about life without Payne. She described him as being in good spirits when she left Buenos Aires to care for their dog, Nalo, and his death as a tragic accident that no one could have foreseen. She also described their relationship as loving and optimistic, never imagining it would end so suddenly and tragically.
Cassidy described Payne, whom she had been dating since 2022, as her best friend, her greatest love, and her soulmate. She shared her feelings about coping with his death, stating that upon receiving the news, she initially questioned its veracity and then felt numb, losing touch with reality. She still calls his number sometimes, just to hear his voice on the answering machine, which brings her some comfort. However, she can no longer listen to his music. "I'm trying to be the best version of myself, but my life has changed so much. I think about Liam every moment of every day," Cassidy said, adding that she has moved from Florida, where they lived together, to New Jersey after Payne's death.