Twitter has released its annual #ThisHappened look back at the year on its platform, and given the extreme nature of 2020, the results largely favor substance over frivolous memes.
“How do we possibly recap a year like this?” asked Tracy McGraw, the social media company’s communications chief, in a blog post Monday. “By turning our attention to how we all got through it together: the ways we kept ourselves entertained, the changes we made, and the messages of support that we shared with each other.”
Chadwick Boseman’s death from colon cancer at age 43 last August captivated a saddened world. The announcement of his passing via his official account became the most popular message ever posted on Twitter, with 7.5 million likes, and it led the year’s most-retweeted list as well with 3.1 million. (See more results below.)
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The findings reflect the fact that more than three-quarters of daily Twitter users live outside the U.S. Big Brother Brasil was the No. 1 TV show on the platform, and there was only a passing mention of President Donald Trump, who now has 88.7 million followers. Trump ranked as the person most people tweeted about, followed by President-Elect Joe Biden, with those names punctuating the political consequence of 2020, with about 700 million politics-themed tweets posted.
The rankings permitted only one tweet per account and discounted any tweets offering rewards in return for followers or engagement.
In terms of hashtags, the winner was #COVID19, with #BlackLivesMatter the runner-up. Along with variations of it, #COVID19 was included in nearly 400 million tweets. In a possible sign of the public heeding official safety directives, #StayHome became the No. 3 hashtag of 2020, reflecting a rise in shutdowns amid increasing Covid-19 infections in the fall.
Predictably, the LA Lakers were the No. 1 sports team discussed on Twitter, as they returned to the court to claim their 17th NBA championship.
Here are the most retweeted tweets globally:
— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020
Never Not 💜 pic.twitter.com/Ag9oUTJvrN
— 방탄소년단 (@BTS_twt) May 2, 2020
What a headline pic.twitter.com/x8GGKL0VMc
— 👑 (@1kingmyles) May 28, 2020
Quarantine day 6. pic.twitter.com/er652Oy3Ki
— jamie (@gnuman1979) March 16, 2020
Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice
— Andy Milonakis (@andymilonakis) May 30, 2020
Here are the most-liked tweets globally:
— Chadwick Boseman (@chadwickboseman) August 29, 2020
Kobe was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act. To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 26, 2020
Congratulations to the Astronauts that left Earth today. Good choice
— Andy Milonakis (@andymilonakis) May 30, 2020
Hey guys, wanna feel old?
I'm 40.
You're welcome.
— Macaulay Culkin (@IncredibleCulk) August 26, 2020
We did it, @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/oCgeylsjB4
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020
Here were the most-discussed TV shows:
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