Michael Jackson tops Bing's list of Trending Topics in 2009

(Microsoft Corp.)

Michael Jackson was the most searched for topic in 2009 according to Microsoft's list of Top Bing Searches in 2009.

The US-centric list was published on Microsoft's search blog on November 29. The results showed recently deceased pop star Michael Jackson's name at the top of the list followed by "Twitter," "swine flu" and the "stock market."

The list was dominated with the names of American celebrities who had passed away in 2009, with searches for the names of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Patrick Swayze and Billy Mays all showing increased search queries in 2009.

After viewing Bing's list of trending topics for 2009, one journalist writing for technology blog Tech Radar, declared that the average US searcher was a "death-obsessed, reality-TV watching hypochondriac who wants to trade in their car for cash and spend it on stocks and shares then talk about it in 140 characters or less."

Windows 7 is currently at the top of Google Insights global rising searches for 2009, closely followed by Michael Jackson, however, the internet search giant is yet to announce a definitive list of top search terms for 2009.

Top Bing Trending Topics:
1) Michael Jackson
2) Twitter
3) swine flu
4) stock market
5) Farrah Fawcett
6) Patrick Swayze
7) Cash for Clunkers
8) Jon and Kate Gosselin
9) Billy Mays
10) Jaycee Dugard