Over the last week or so, my inbox has been flooded with “year end” press releases and statements. From social media companies and cybersecurity experts to tech entrepreneurs and even real estate developers, everyone has some insights about 2022. I pulled out some interesting #trending stats about South Asia from these reports for your reading pleasure. Have fun looking back!
#InstaTrends
In 2022, 15 of the top 20 most-used songs on Instagram Reels globally were from Indian artistes. Some of the most popular songs used in reels on both Instagram and Facebook were “Srivalli” by Javed Ali, “Baarish Mein Tum” by Neha Kakkar, “Kesariya” by Arijit Singh, and “Gypsy” by G.D. Kaur. [Read more]
Year in search
Cricket-related searches were all the fad in Pakistan, according to Google’s Year in Search 2022. Three of the top five trending searches in the country were related to the sport: T20 World Cup 2022, Asia Cup 2022, and PSL 7. Pakistani cricketers Naseem Shah, Iftikhar Ahmed, and
Mohammad Rizwan were among the most-searched persons in the country. [Full report]
Music to the ears
Singer and songwriter Sajjan Raj Vaidya was the most-streamed Nepali artiste on Spotify in 2022. He was also the second most-streamed Nepali artiste outside the Himalayan nation. Three of his songs — “Sasto Mutu,” “Naganya Maya,” and “Chitthi Bhitra” — were among Spotify’s top 10 most-streamed songs in Nepal by Nepali artistes during the year. [Read more]
Online dating and social issues
People’s stances on social issues could make or break a romantic match. According to Tinder’s Year in Swipe 2022 report, 75% of singles are looking for a partner who is respectful of, or invested in, social issues. In 2022, the use of “activism” and “voters rights interests” in Tinder profiles increased by 84% and 37%, respectively. “So many Indian Tinder members mentioned LGBTQIA+, the environment, mental health, Ukraine, and feminism in their bios this year, that they all rank in the top five local issues,” according to the dating app. [Full report]
