In recognition of its fifth birthday, Google has published lists of the all-time top most installed games and apps and top best selling songs, albums, movies and books in the U.S. — providing an interesting snapshot of the North American public zeitgeist over the past five years.
The top installed game is the classic distraction Candy Crush Saga, followed by Subway Surfers, Temple Run 2, Despicable Me and Clash of Clans. The top installed app — based on downloads only, not counting pre-installed apps on Android devices — is Facebook, with Facebook Messenger following behind. In slots three to five are Pandora Radio (a music platform not available in Canada), Instagram and Snapchat.
The top selling song on Google Play is Ed Sheeran’s 2014 release Thinking Out Loud, while the top album is Adele’s 25. In film, the top selling movie is the political satire The Interview, starring James Franco and Seth Rogen. In literature, the top seller over the past five years is the novel many of its readers won’t admit to having purchased: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James.
Update: Google Canada sent MobileSyrup Canadian specific download rankings, which you can see below.
Top Installed Games
Candy Crush Saga
Subway Surfers
Clash of Clans
Temple Run 2
Pokemon GO
Top Installed Apps
Facebook
Facebook Messenger
Snapchat
Instagram
Skype
Top Selling Songs
Justin Bieber – Sorry
Twenty One Pilots – Stressed Out
John Legend – All of Me
Mark Ronson Feat. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Wiz Khalifa – See You Again (feat. Charlie Puth)
Top Selling Albums
Adele – 25
Drake – Views
Ed Sheeran – x
Taylor Swift – 1989
The Weeknd – Beauty Behind The Madness
Top Selling Movies
The Interview
Frozen
Deadpool
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Guardians of the Galaxy
Top Selling Books
Fifty Shades of Grey, by E L James
The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins
A Game of Thrones, by George RR Martin
The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins
The Martian, by Andy Weir
Source: Google
