One Last, Brief Look At The Web Of 2011

I’m not going to rehash the entire year of events and web happenings. That would be a massive book, and there is just simply too much to recount. I’m not even going to focus on major events so much, but there have been so many year-end round-ups that I feel they yield their own round-up of sorts, allowing us to take a quick glimpse of the year that’s now behind us. Happy New Year.

What was the most memorable part of 2011 to you? Let us know in the comments.

According to Nielsen, the top web brands in 2011 (in the U.S.) were:

1. Google
2. Facebook
3. Yahoo
4. MSN/WindowsLive/Bing
5. YouTube
6. Microsoft
7. AOL Media Network
8. Wikipedia
9. Apple
10. Ask

For social networks and blogs (again, in the U.S.) the list was:

1. Facebook
2. Blogger
3. Twitter
4. WordPress
5. MySpace
6. LinkedIn
7. Tumblr
8. Google+
9. Yahoo Pulse
10. Six Apart TypePad

The Top online destinations for video (in the U.S.) were:

1. YouTube
2. VEVO
3. Facebook
4. Yahoo
5. MSN/WindowsLive/Bing
6. AOL Media Network
7. Hulu
8. The CollegeHumor Network
9. CNN Digital Network
10. Netflix

Twitter

Twitter’s most tweeted events (in terms of tweets per second):

6,939 – JAN 1 – New Years
4,064 – FEB 6 – Super Bowl
5,530 – MAR 11 – Japanese earthquake and tsunami
3,966 – APR 29 – UK Royal Wedding
5,106 – MAY 2 – Raid on Osama bin Laden
6,303 – MAY 28 – UEFA Champions League
5,531 – JUN 13- NBA Finals
6,436 – JUN 27 – BET Awards
4,995 – JUL 11 – Home Run Derby
7,166 – JUL 17 – Brazil eliminated from the Copa America
7,196 – JUL 17 – End of FIFA Women’s World Cup
5,449 – AUG 23 – East Coast earthquake
7,064 – AUG 25 – Steve Jobs resigns
8,868 – AUG 28 – MTV Video Music Awards
7,671 – SEP 20 – Troy Davis executed
6,049 – OCT 6 – Steve Jobs passes away

The top hashtags of the year were:

1. #egypt
2. #tigerblood
3. #threewordstoliveby
4. #idontunderstandwhy
5. #japan
6. #improudtosay
7. #superbowl
8. #jan25

The top topics were broken down by category:

TV:

1. Pretty Little Liars
2. Two and a Half Men
3. The Craigslist Killer
4. Golden Globe Awards
5. People’s Choice Awards

Movies:

1. Thor
2. The Dark Knight Rises
3. X-Men: First Class
4. Fast Five
5. Green Hornet

Music:

1. Rebecca Black and Friday
2. Nate Dogg
3. FEMME FATALE
4. Gerry Rafferty
5. Gil Scott-Heron

Actresses:

1. Elizabeth Taylor
2. Mila Kunis
3. Anne Hathaway
4. Raven Symone
5. Natalie Portman
6. Elisabeth Sladen
7. Jennifer Lopez
8. Nina Dobrev
9. Emma Watson
10. Fernanda Vasconcellos

Actors:

1. Charlie Sheen
2. Macaulay Culkin
3. Ryan Dunn
4. Ricky Gervais
5. Pete Postlethwaite
6. Tracy Morgan
7. Jake Gyllenhaal
8. Ashton Kutcher
9. Colin Firth
10. James Franco

Soccer:

1. Wayne Rooney
2. Fernando Torres
3. Howard Webb
4. Wembley Stadium
5. Colo Colo

Football:

1. Dallas
2. Green & Yellow
3. Superbowl MMXI
4. Jim Harbaugh
5. Pittsburgh Steelers

NBA:

1. Rashard Lewis
2. Ray Allen
3. Derrick Rose
4. Jason Terry
5. Dallas Mavericks

Baseball:

1. Texas Rangers
2. Bert Blyleven
3. Roberto Alomar
4. Vernon Wells
5. Justin Verlander

Food and drink:

1. McLobster
2. Fried Kool-Aid
3. Starbucks Trenta
4. Devassa Beer
5. Guinness
6. BBQ
7. Mac & Cheese

World News

1. Mubarak’s resignation
2. Raid on Osama bin Laden
3. Japanese earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster
4. Shooting of Gabrielle Giffords
5. Gaddafi’s death
6. Swine Flu outbreak
7. WoW Gold Guide

Cities and countries:

1. Cairo
2. Egypt
3. Japan
4. Libya
5. Tokyo
6. Dallas
7. Vancouver
8. Hawaii
9. Joplin
10. Austin

Tech:

1. Mac App Store
2. Sony NGP
3. Guitar Hero
4. Mozilla Firefox
5. Duke Nukem Forever
6. iPad
7. iPhone
8. Nintendo 3DS
9. Mortal Kombat
10. iPod

Facebook

Facebook’s top games:

Gardens of Time (Playdom)
The Sims Social (EA)
Cityville (Zynga)
DoubleDown Casino (DoubleDown Interactive)
Indiana Jones Adventure World (Zynga)
Words With Friends (Zynga)
Bingo Blitz (Buffalo Studios)
Empires & Allies (Zynga)
Slotomania-Slot Machines (Playtika)
Diamond Dash (wooga)

Facebook also shared the following topic lists for 2011:

US Top 10 status trends

1. lms (like my status)
2. tbh (to be honest)
3. Death of Osama bin Laden
4. Charlie Sheen
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
6. Casey Anthony found not guilty
7. Packers win the Super Bowl
8. Hurricane Irene
9. Insidious (movie)
10. Death of Amy Winehouse

Fastest growing areas of interest on Facebook globally:

Entertainment:

Actors and TV Personalities

1. Megan Fox
2. Vin Diesel
3. Adam Sandler
4. Selena Gomez
5. Will Smith
6. Taylor Lautner
7. Jackie Chan
8. Ashley Tisdale
9. DJ Pauly D
10. Kim Kardashian

Movies

1. Harry Potter
2. The Twilight Saga
3. Toy Story
4. Avatar
5. Jackass
6. Shrek
7. Saw
8. Pirates of the Caribbean
9. Fast &Furious
10. Titanic

TV Shows

1. House
2. Two and a Half Men
3. The Simpsons
4. Family Guy
5. South Park
6. Grey’s Anatomy
7. SpongeBob SquarePants
8. CSI: Miami
9. iCarly
10. The Big Bang Theory

Fictional Characters

1. Dr. House
2. Dory
3. Patrick Star
4. Mr. Bean
5. Upin & Ipin
6. Bob Esponja
7. Mario
8. Doraemon
9. Ari Gold
10. Sue Sylvester (GLEE)

Music:

Musicians

1. Rihanna
2. Bob Marley
3. Avril Lavigne
4. David Guetta
5. Enrique Iglesias
6. Usher
7. Lady Gaga
8. Metallica
9. Green Day
10. Black Eyed Peas

Most Listened To Songs

1. We Found Love – Rihanna and Calvin Harris
2. Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
3. Sexy And I Know It – LMFAO
4. Titanium – David Guetta and Sia
5. First of the Year – Skrillex
6. Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites – Skrillex
7. Without You – David Guetta and Usher
8. Stereo Hearts – Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine
9. Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
10. Someone Like You – Adele

Sports:

Athletes

1. Leo Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. John Cena
4. Ricardo Kaka
5. David Beckham
6. Michael Jordan
7. Sachin Tendulkar
8. Andres Iniesta
9. Kobe Bryant
10. Cesc Fàbregas

Sports Teams

1. FC Barcelona
2. Real Madrid C.F.
3. Manchester United
4. LA Lakers
5. Chelsea Football Club
6. Liverpool FC
7. A.C. Milan
8. Arsenal
9. Galatasaray
10. Fenerbahce

News:

News Outlets

1. CNN
2. Fox News
3. NPR
4. The Onion
5. The New York Times
6. Al Jazeera Channel
7. Yahoo! News
8. The Times of India
9. BBC World News
10. PBS

Most viewed food videos on YouTube:

1. TurBaconEpic Thanksgiving – Epic Meal Time
2. Epic Mealtime Showdown of Awesome
3. Make gummy candy at home
4. Healthy Meal Time!
5. Vegan Black Metal Chef Episode 1 Pad Thai

Top Ads on YouTube:

1. VW – The Force
2. T-Mobile – Royal Wedding
3. Chrysler – Imported From Detroit
4. DC Shoes – Ken Block’s Gymkhana Four: The Hollywood Megamercial
5. smartwater – Jennifer Aniston goes viral
6. Team Hot Wheels – The Yellow Driver’s World Record Jump
7. Old Spice – Scent Vacation
8. Apple – Introducing Siri on iPhone 4S
9. Samsung – Unleash Your Fingers
10. adidas – D Rose: adiZero Rose 2 The Bull

Spotify

Spotify’s top 100 songs for the U.S. included: Foster the People, Gym Class Heroes, Adele, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Nicki Minaj, Skrillex, Pitbull, LMFAO, Drake, David Gueta, Flo Rida, Mumford & Sons, Coldplay, Lil Wayne, Cobra Starship, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, Beyonce, Britney Spears, The Band Perry, Hot Chelle Rae, Jason Derulo, Snoop Dogg, Bad Meets Evil, Bruno Mars, OneRepublic, Swedish House Mafia, Lupe Fiasco, AWOLNATION, Kanye West, Bon Iver, Alexandra Stan, Selena Gomez & The Scene, Gavin DeGraw, Chris Brown, Lady Gaga, Florence & The Machine, MGMT and more.

Check out their review site for full lists by country.

iTunes

Music:

Artist of the Year: Adele
Album of the Year: Wasting Light, Foo Fighters
Song of the Year: Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Nicki Minaj

Top Sellers (Songs):

Rolling in the Deep, Adele
Party Rock Anthem, LMFAO
Firework, Katy Perry
Grenade, Bruno Mars
Forget You, Cee Lo Green
Give Me Everything, Pitbull
E.T., Katy Perry
Moves Like Jagger, Maroon 5
Pumped Up Kicks, Foster The People
Super Bass, Nicki Minaj

Top Sellers (Albums):

21, Adele
Sigh No More, Mumford & Sons
Tha Carter IV, Lil Wayne
Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West
Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay
Born This Way, Lady Gaga
Loud, Rihanna
Take Care, Drake
Teenage Dream, Katy Perry
Doo-Waps & Hooligans, Bruno Mars

Movies:

Best Blockbuster: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2
Best Comedy: Bridesmaids
Best Indie: Midnight in Paris
Best Romance: Beginners

Top Sellers (Sales + Rentals):

The Social Network
Limitless
No Strings Attached
Just Go With It
The Lincoln Lawyer
Bridesmaids
Source Code
Tangled
The King’s Speech
Red

TV Shows:

Best Half Hour: Modern Family
Best Drama: Breaking Bad (duh)
Best Discovery: Masterpiece: Downton Abbey
Best Breakout Comedy: Parks and Recreation

Top Sellers (episodes):

What Lies Ahead, The Walking Dead
Original Song, Glee
Box Cutter, Breaking Bad
Out, Sons of Anarchy
The Kids Are Not Alright, Gossip Girl

Top Sellers (seasons):

Doctor Who
Modern Family
Dexter
Breaking Bad
True Blood

Apps:

App of the Year: Instagram
Game of the Year: Tiny Tower

Top Paid Apps:

Angry Birds
Fruit Ninja
Angry Birds Seasons
Cut The Rope
Tiny Wings
Angry Birds Rio
Words With Friends
Camera+
Doodle Jump
Plants vs. Zombies

Top Free Apps:

Facebook
Pandora
Word With Friends Free
Angry Birds Free
Skype
Netflix
Angry Birds Rio Free
Groupon
Fruit Ninja Lite
Twitter

Books:

Best Novel: The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht
Best Nonfiction: Boomerang by Michael Lewis
Best Teen Novel: Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Top Sellers (Fiction):

The Help
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
A Game of Thrones
Water for Elephants
The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest
The Litigators
Now You See Her
The Paris Wife
Breaking Dawn
Something Borrowed

Top Sellers (Nonfiction):

Steve Jobs
Heaven Is For Real
A Stolen Life
Unbroken
Shit My Dad Says
Bossypants
Bossypants (enhanced edition)
In The Garden Of Beasts
SEAL Team Six
Killing Lincoln

Games

According to Raptr.com:

- Most Played By individual gamers – Skyrim
- Most Played Shooter: Modern Warfare 3
- Most Played RPG: Skyrim
- Most Played Open World (Non-RPG): Batman: Arkham City
- Most Played Sports Game: FIFA Soccer 12
- Most Played Social Game: The Sims Social
- Most Played New IP: L.A. Noire
- Most Successful Paid-to-F2P Game: DC Universe Online

The Year in Gaming in Under 2 Minutes video featured the following games:

Battlefield 3
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Assassins Creed: Revelations
The Witcher 2
RAGE
Uncharted 3
Dark Souls
Gears of War 3
Catherine
Saints Row: The Third
Portal 2
Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
From Dust
Yakuza 4
Dirt 3
L.A. Noire
Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
Rayman Origins
Shadows of the Damned
Child of Eden
Dragon Age 2
Infamous 2
Alice: Madness Returns
Batman Arkham City
Resistance 3
Driver: San Francisco
Outland
Dead Space 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Fear 3

Mobile

According to StatCounter, Symbian was the top mobile OS of the year.

It was also a good year for free apps (in terms of bringing in the money).

eBay

eBay’s top shopped list of the year:

NFL
Harry Potter
Twilight
Call of Duty
Green Bay Packers
iPad
Sade
Justin bieber
Glee
Charlie Sheen

Amazon

Amazon’s best-selling products of 2011:

Electronics: Kindle Fire
Toys: Rory’s Story Cubes
Video Games: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Sports & Outdoors: Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set
Home & Kitchen: Cuisinart SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender
Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
Kindle Books: “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett
CD: “21″ by Adele
Amazon MP3: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
DVD: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1″
Amazon Instant Video: “The Help”
Watches: Timex T5J151 1440 Sports Digital Watch
Jewelry: Designer Inspired Silver Heart Charm Toggle Bracelet
Clothing: Levi’s Men’s 501 Jean
Shoes: Crocs Classic Clog
Beauty: Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
Health & Personal Care: Philips 7310 Norelco Men’s Shaving System
Tools & Home Improvement: Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme 300-Lumen LED Lantern
Automotive: Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger
Baby: Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether
AmazonWireless: Samsung Galaxy S II (Verizon Wireless)
Amazon Appstore for Android: Angry Birds Rio (Ad-Free)

Amazon’s most wished-for products of 2011:

Electronics: Kindle Fire
Toys: Angry Birds: Knock On Wood Game
Video Games: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Sports & Outdoors: Emergency Fire Starter
Home & Kitchen: Cuisinart SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender
Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
Kindle Books: “The Help” by Kathryn Stockett
CD: “21″ by Adele
Amazon MP3: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
DVD: “Star Wars: The Complete Saga” (Episodes I-VI)
Amazon Instant Video: “Crazy, Stupid, Love”
Watches: G-Shock X-Large Military Series Watch
Jewelry: Sterling Silver Marcasite and Gemstone Colored Glass Heart Pendant
Clothing: Levi’s Men’s 501 Jean
Shoes: Chuck Taylor All Star Hi Top in Gold Metallic
Beauty: Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
Health & Personal Care: Waterpik Ultra Water Flosser
Tools & Home Improvement: Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener
Automotive: ResQMe Keychain Rescue Tool
Baby: Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether
Amazon Appstore for Android: Angry Birds Rio (Ad-Free)

Amazon’s most gifted of the year:

Electronics: Kindle Fire
Toys: Rory’s Story Cubes
Video Games: Just Dance 3
Sports & Outdoors: Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set
Home & Kitchen: KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixer
Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
Kindle Books: “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
CD: “21″ by Adele
Amazon MP3: “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga
DVD: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2″
Watches: LEGO Kids’ Star Wars Darth Vader Mini-Figure Alarm Clock
Jewelry: 14k Yellow Gold Plated “A Mother Holds Her Child’s Hand For A Short While And Their Hearts Forever” Open Heart Pendant
Clothing: Gerber 5-Pack Onesies Brand One Piece Underwear
Shoes: Crocs Classic Clog
Beauty: Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System
Health & Personal Care: Philips 7310 Norelco Men’s Shaving System
Tools & Home Improvement: Smith’s PP1 Pocket Pal Multifunction Sharpener
Automotive: Wagan 12-Volt Heated Seat Cushion
Baby: Vulli Sophie the Giraffe Teether

Amazon’s most loved prodcuts of 2011:

Electronics: Kindle
Toys: Syma R/C Helicopter
Video Games: Portal 2
Sports & Outdoors: Black Mountain Products Resistance Band Set
Home & Kitchen: EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale
Books: “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand
Kindle Books: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins
CD: “Il Volo” by Il Volo
Amazon MP3: “Born this Way” (Special Edition) by Lady Gaga
DVD: “Soul Surfer”
Amazon Instant Video: “Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead”
Watches: Casio AWG100-1A G-Shock Multi-Band Solar Atomic Analog Watch
Jewelry: Tungsten Carbide Comfort Fit Flat Wedding Band Ring
Clothing: Men’s Air Force A-2 Flight Leather Bomber Jacket
Shoes: ASICS Men’s GEL-Nimbus 12 Running Shoe
Beauty: NARS Orgasm Blush
Health & Personal Care: Finger Pulse Oximeter
Tools & Home Improvement: Rayovac Sportsman Xtreme 300-Lumen LED Lantern
Automotive: 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System
Baby: Fisher-Price Rainforest Jumperoo
AmazonWireless: Droid Razr 4G by Motorola (Verizon Wireless)
Amazon Appstore for Android: Quell

Ask

Ask’s top celebrity search terms and questions for 2011 include:

1. Kim Kardashian: Was Kim Kardashian’s wedding fake?
2. Justin Bieber: Is Justin Bieber going to be a dad?
3. Lady Gaga: AreLady Gaga’s face implants real?
4. Beyonce: Did Beyonce fake a baby bump?
5. Kate Middleton: Who made Kate Middleton’s wedding dress?
6. Ashton Kutcher: Did Ashton cheat?
7. Michael Jackson: Was Michael Jackson murdered?
8. Selena Gomez: Is Selena Gomez pregnant?
9. Lindsay Lohan: Is Lindsay Lohan going to jail?
10. Charlie Sheen: What happened to Charlie Sheen’s teeth?

Top news search terms and questions included:

1. Earthquake in Japan: How big was the earthquake in Japan?
2. Hurricane Irene: What caused Hurricane Irene?
3. Steve Jobs: How much was Steve Jobs worth?
4. Royal Wedding: What did William whisper to Kate on the balcony?
5. Occupy Wall Street: Who started Occupy Wall Street?
6. iPhone: When will Apple release the iPhone 5?
7. Osama Bin Laden: Who killed Bin Laden?
8. Casey Anthony: Where is Casey Anthony hiding?
9. 10th Anniversary of September 11: What is happening on the 10th anniversary of 9/11?
10. AmyWinehouse: How did Amy Winehouse die?

Top political searches and questions included:

1. Barack Obama: Will Obama get re-elected?
2. Mitt Romney: What is Mitt Romney’s religion?
3. Sarah Palin: Is Sarah Palin running for president?
4. Michele Bachmann: Is Michele Bachmann crazy?
5. Anthony Weiner: Where can I find Anthony Weiner’s Twitter pics?
6. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Who was Arnold’s mistress?
7. Gay Marriage: Which states allow gay marriage?
8. Withdrawl from Iraq: When will the troops come home?
9. Iowa Caucus: When is the Iowa caucus?
10. Muammar Ghadafi: Who will lead Libya after Ghadafi?

AOL (search)

News

1. Casey Anthony Trial
2. Gabrielle Giffords Shooting
3. Royal Wedding
4. Japan Earthquake
5. Arab Spring
6. Penn State Scandal
7. Osama bin Laden Death
8. Occupy Wall Street
9. Debt Ceiling Debate
10. European Debt Crisis

Celebrities

1. Charlie Sheen
2. Justin Bieber
3. Kate Middleton
4. Jennifer Aniston
5. Kim Kardashian
6. Tiger Woods
7. Lindsay Lohan
8. Amy Winehouse
9. Glenn Beck
10. Pippa Middleton

Memes

1. Ted Williams
2. Planking
3. Serene Branson
4. Anonymous
5. My Little Pony
6. Ancient Aliens
7. Nyan Cat
8. Rebecca Black Friday
9. Tiger Mom
10. Qwikster

Presidential Candidates

1. Barack Obama
2. Herman Cain
3. Michele Bachmann
4. Rick Perry
5. Ron Paul
6. Mitt Romney
7. Newt Gingrich
8. Rick Santorum
9. Jon Huntsman
10. Gary Johnson

“How…”

1. How can I pay off my credit card?
2. How tall is Katy Perry?
3. How can I stop snoring?
4. How did Valentine’s Day start?
5. How do you lock your scroll bar?
6. How much is my jewelry worth?
7. How many ounces in a gallon?
8. How do I change my AOL password?
9. How much should I weigh?
10. How did Punxsutawney Phil get his name?

“Is…”

1. Is Whitney Houston pregnant?
2. Is the iPhone 3GS free?
3. Is Dolly Parton her real name?
4. Is Cancun safe for tourists?
5. Is Roseanne Barr a nut farmer?
6. Is heartburn a sign of pregnancy?
7. Is shingles contagious?
8. Is Facebook going to charge?
9. Is there life after death?
10. Is rosemary good for stretch marks?

“Why…”

1. Why did Dick leave Big Brother?
2. Why did the original Becky leave Roseanne?
3. Why did William and Kate split in 2007?
4. Why did Paul Ryan found the Young Guns program?
5. Why did the chicken cross the road?
6. Why did Glenn Beck leave Fox?
7. Why did Ricky Gervais quit Twitter?
8. Why did Japan attack Pearl Harbor?
9. Why did my hair thin after giving birth?
10. Why did Jerry Lewis leave MDA?

Yahoo