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The Top 50 Report – 2018

Annual Top 50

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Based on the raw data from West.andrew.g and prepared with commentary by:

Death, royals and superheroes

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As usual, a gallery (#1) of dearly departed humans (#8, #14, #23, #25, #32, #36, #50) raised the highest spikes of interest this year, although nothing compares to the 2016 hecatomb. The British royal family headed by Elizabeth (#7) and Philip (#47) enjoyed its annus mirabilis, as a popular prince (#19) married an American actress (#4), reminding the world of his father's (#40) wedding to the princess of hearts in 1981, and for the oldest among us, Prince Rainier's wedding to Grace Kelly in 1956. The British Crown remains so beloved that two recent TV series have reignited the popularity of its elders Queen Victoria (#31) and Princess Margaret (#42). We also followed a celebrity royal wedding of sorts, between Quantico actress Priyanka Chopra (#29) and the still-technically a Jonas brother Nick Jonas (#46). Cinema fans were treated to a new crop of superhero movies, including Avengers: Infinity War (#3) and Black Panther (#6), that earned billions at the box office (#17); real-life superhumans Freddie Mercury (#5), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (#38) and Winston Churchill (#49); the less-than wholesome antiheroes Deadpool (#27) and Venom (#30); and Aquaman, here represented by his portrayer (#20). Meanwhile, Elon Musk (#12) was dubbed the "real-life Iron Man" as he launched his car towards Mars. Finally, the superheroes of football (#10, #26) delivered a stunning spectacle in the World Cup (#2, #48), and India (#33) celebrated its national superhero with by far the world's largest statue.

Without further ado, here is our special report for the 50 most-viewed articles in 2018. We aim to educate, engage, entertain, and enthrall. Enjoy!

Rank Article Class Views Image About Peak
1 Deaths in 2018 38,610,433
The ultimate unifier. The reaper. The spectre. Call it what you like, for it will not stall its march. We will all stumble, we will all fall, we will all succumb. One day, we will all make that feared journey across the Styx. What a lovely thought to with which to begin the report. Really emphasises the relative importance of this all. Why are you reading this? Why am I typing this? Why do people journey to the single greatest catalogue of human information ever curated, a bastion of knowledge, and use it to look up who died recently, or fruitlessly try to destroy it? What is the drive that leads people to look at this specific list, ad nauseam, in relentless droves? Is it morbid curiosity, or an innate love of the morose? Is it just an accelerated avenue to the (formerly) BLP's? Is it because it has a permanent link on the main page? Will I ever cease speculating? Do you honestly expect me to answer any of these questions? Do you honestly want me to? Would you like the answer? Is this too cryptic a tone to adopt for the first entry of an exceedingly long list? Will this alienate the audience? Does it matter? Who will weep if this enterprise fails? Who will suffer if it struggles for traction? Will it be just another castigated corpse in the river, another red-link on the list with which you are all so fascinated, so infatuated? What is the meaning of this list, and what does it say about us all? What does this affirm regarding our position in the space-time continuum? What will this traipsing, meandering tome mean in time to come? What of the people on the list; for them, has time stopped? What will they know of their legacy, a name inscribed on the most read article of one of the most read websites? Would they relish it? Will we ever know? Does it matter? #8 may have known, but we cannot ask him. Once again, we are all consumed by death, captivated by our inevitable captor. But, so powerless against this foe, we must ask - why? Steady
(dying a little every day)
2 2018 FIFA World Cup 34,306,615
Football (not soccer, America) may not have come home (and I would like to take this opportunity to formally thank Croatia for preventing the manifestation of such a monstrous meme), but it certainly returned to the hearts of global sports fans, and engrossed the denizens of Wikipedia throughout the summer. Stellar soccer superstars basked in the spotlight, sublime strikes were struck, and this author sat in a comatose state before the television. Even if a great dane deprived the tournament of my craic-loving compatriots, the passion was palpable, the footballing calibre unparalleled, and, en fin de compte, les bleus ont celebré un triomphe historique. We may remember this World Cup fondly as a four-week long footy festival (unless you are German); alas, courtesy of a scourge upon sports, the next one is bound to be a desolate, deserted disaster. July 15
(final game)
3 Avengers: Infinity War 32,818,606
The biggest film of the year, and the fourth-biggest film of all time. AIW, as no-one is calling it, deals with that big bloke in the picture, Thanos, battling all the beloved superheroic stars of the previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films (minus Hawkeye and Ant-Man) in order to gather the six Infinity MacGuffins in order to complete his shiny glove and wipe out half of all life in the universe. Does he succeed? I think most people know by now if he does or not, but I won't tell you anything, except to note that a sequel will be released on April 29, 2019, which may well involve Hawkeye and Ant-Man. Apr. 27
(released)
4 Meghan, Duchess of Sussex 28,943,520
(including 18,146,660 as Meghan Markle)
In 1936, Edward VIII was forced to abdicate the throne because he wished to marry an American divorcee. This was considered a constitutional crisis powerful enough to bring down the monarchy. Now Prince Harry, the second son to the heir to the throne, has married an American divorcee and no one seems to care. Kinda puts the original "crisis" in perspective. Oh, and since 2013, heirs can even marry Catholics! Progress! Personally, I think it's a bigger sign of progress that Meghan is mixed race and Edward was a Nazi groupie, but hey, that's just me. May 19
(royal wedding)
5 Freddie Mercury Ga Ga 22,052,837
Magic was in the air when Bohemian Rhapsody dropped in November. A younger generation discovered the flamboyant mores and music of Queen, led by an energetic immigrant. Born in Zanzibar to Farsi parents, Farrokh Bulsara broke free to England when the African island plunged into chaos. It's a hard life. The quiet young man became a fiery champion on stage, and turned his fellows Brian May, John Deacon and Roger Taylor into princes of the universe. An unapologetic drama queen, Freddie wanted it all, no one could stop him, and he is living forever in our hearts. His statue in Montreux may not be as tall as India's unifier's (#33), but has ensured that fat-bottomed girls on bicycles always have somebody to love.

The epic biopic did not impress critics, but found a solid audience that kept it featured into the new year. I can understand why: every generation in my family wanted to see it twice. The younger ones were mystified by the crazy analog tape recording equipment. Older fans marveled at the exact scenography of the Live Aid 1985 concert, down to the placement of a green sticker on Freddie's microphone. No longer an invisible man, lead actor Rami Malek is lined up to collect a golden statuette come Oscars season. No pressure, man, the show must go on.

Nov. 4
(biopic released)
6 Black Panther (film) 21,229,590
By the time Infinity War (#3) got released, Marvel was already very present with Black Panther - in the U.S. alone it topped the box office for five weeks and grossed $700 million, trailing only Avatar and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. King T'Challa hit theaters shortly after Valentine's Day (as a date movie, certainly beats Fifty Shades Freed!) and its appeal is not just because Marvel Studios basically holds a license to print money. Being set in a fictional African kingdom, just two of the film's main characters are Caucasian, and this struck a chord with minorities: Blacks went in droves to see themselves on the screen in something much better than those Tyler Perry comedies. Wonder if the film awards circuit will also say 'Wakanda forever!' Feb. 16
(released)
7 Elizabeth II 19,889,009
If she matches her mother, we have about a decade left of her reign. Which is a good thing, since I don't think my country is ready to see Charles on their money. With The Crown off air this year, her presence is entirely due to the unusually happy few years her family has had. If she's smart (and she is), she'll capitalise on the goodwill by making William first in line. May 19
(royal wedding)
8 Stephen Hawking 18,849,484
Science, and especially the intricacies of theoretical physics, can often be daunting, cryptic, and difficult to sell to the public en masse. The sheer depth of prerequisite knowledge needed to even comprehend concepts in cosmology and its ilk, has stifled the spread of science amongst the general populace. Often, to rectify this, we see a distinguished, prestigious scientist step into the realm of celebrity, and become a captivating icon. For me, that was, and will always be, Stephen Hawking, who sadly died earlier this year. Hawking's story of scientific brilliance is incredibly inspirational, as he had to contend with the extreme limitations wrought upon him by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nonetheless, in spite of his disability, Hawking overcame, and his seminal work on black holes and cosmology will be studied and celebrated for centuries. He also managed to invade the public consciousness, and his iconic speech-generating device, as well as his enviable Wilde-esque wit, will remain in the cultural zeitgeist for some time. Isaac Newton said that the furthering of scientific knowledge necessitated "standing on the shoulders of giants", - Hawking doubtlessly inspired a generation of young scientists to pursue physics, and to seek answers to those big questions. His contributions were pivotal to cosmology, and this piece is vastly too brief to truly recall the legendary physicist, comparable to even Einstein in terms of his impact in spreading science to the masses. He will not soon be forgotten. Mar. 14
(died)
9 List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films 18,356,670 The story so far: In 2008 a small, low-budget indie film called Iron Man was released into cinemas. Holding off fierce competition from Patrick Dempsey's Made of Honor, the Faran Tahir-containing film made a lot of money and begat a franchise that grows every year. As well as helping people planning their superhero based cinema trips, the list of films may well have been used (and judging by the most viewed date on the right, certainly was) to try and work out where Marvel could possibly go after the dramatic ending of Avengers: Infinity War. My prediction: three films based on Ulysses Archer. Apr. 29
(following Infinity War)
10 Cristiano Ronaldo 18,012,179
Portuguese association football superstar Ronaldo was involved in the most high-profile transfer of the summer 2018 transfer window. Cristiano Ronaldo's year peaked in May, as his Real Madrid team triumphed in the 2018 UEFA Champions League Final, the third consecutive time Madrid had won the UEFA Champions League and the fifth time Ronaldo had won the tournament. Shortly after the game, however, he began talking about leaving Ronaldo, prompting speculation that lasted through the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in the Portuguese team's first match in that tournament, a draw against Spain, but his side crashed out in the second round following defeat to Uruguay. Shortly afterwards, a €100 million transfer to Italian side Juventus, where he will be aiming to recapture the FIFA "The Best" Award and Ballon d'Or awards he lost to former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modrić. June 3
(scored three goals against Spain)
11 Cardi B (naturally) 17,841,201
No musician has enjoyed a more explosive year than the inescapable Cardi B, who continued to make monumental money moves. The year began in an extravagant fashion for the stripper turned singer, as she put a colourful finesse on a retro-fuelled 60fps hit. This launched the rapper back into the spotlight, and her bombastic personality ensured that the light never dimmed. She also courted controversy at the Song Oscars by having a swing at our #13. Ms. B (buzz buzz) released her first solo album in April, ploughing ahead with her career during her pregnancy. She subsequently gave birth in July to Kulture Kiari, a name which indicates that she will be fatally duelling a scorpion in years to come. She produced the irritating ear-worm of the summer (and the soundtrack to a devastatingly disastrous video), further sustaining her solar-sized star power. Belcalis also continued her seemingly ceaseless mission to feature in every pop song and remind us of her less salubrious roots, most notably appearing as the foremost famous female amongst Adam Levine's celebrity carousel. The rapper ended the year with a triad of no. 1's, leaving her undisputed as the champion of a fresh feminine wave of hip-hop. Insipid, repetitive, and uninspired though her music may be, one cannot deny her ever-growing prestige, presence, and prowess, both in the industry and beyond. Apr. 6
(Invasion of Privacy album on Apr. 5)
12 Elon Musk 17,512,694
Elon Musk has stated that 2008 was the most stressful year in his life, as both his companies SpaceX and Tesla Inc. narrowly escaped bankruptcy. Ten years on, 2018 was probably the most satisfying year in his life. SpaceX re-ignited public interest in space exploration when Musk launched his daily car, a "midnight cherry Tesla Roadster", towards Mars, with the sound system blasting David Bowie's Space Oddity. Crowds gathered at Cape Canaveral, near the historic Apollo launch pad, to witness the maiden flight of Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket, whose side boosters both landed back at the Cape in an artfully choreographed retro-futuristic ballet. Back at Tesla, Musk and his team managed to overcome "production hell" and ship their Model 3 in volume, making it the best-selling electric car ever. Not to sit on his laurels, Musk announced that the next-generation Roadster would sport a "SpaceX package" including rocket thrusters to help cornering at high speed. Yes, you read that right. As a side project, Musk is proud to be boring, with the astounding goal of digging tunnels as fast as a snail slugs along.
 Feb. 7
(Falcon Heavy test flight
on Feb. 6)
Musk and Trump finished the year with practically the same amount of reader interest, possibly due to a common habit: their strong Twitter game, sometimes hilarious, sometimes unwise. To mock finance journalists and market analysts, Musk joked on April 1st that Tesla was "completely and totally bankrupt". He later tweeted that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private at $420 per share (obviously too high), thereby squeezing speculators who were betting on the company's failure. For this act of bravado, the Securities and Exchange Commission compelled him to forfeit his chairman title and pay a $20 million fine.

Not to be outdone, Trump managed to pack the funniest and scariest line in a single tweet: on January 3, after Kim Jong-un touted the "nuclear button" on his desk at all times, Trump replied that he had a "much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!"

13 Donald Trump 17,494,734
Nov. 7
(mid-term elections
on Nov. 6)
The Tweeter-in-Chief continued to offer daily material to his critics, being slammed for lying 11 times a day, enforcing a cruel child separation policy for illegal immigrants, and firing too many damn people. He traded barbs with "rocket man" Kim Jong-un, but then "fell in love" with him at the Singapore summit. He exchanged vigorous handshakes and pats in the back with Emmanuel Macron, but then called him out for suggesting a European army. He showered Justin Trudeau with condescension after the G7 summit, but then signed a renewed trade deal with Mexico and Canada. He berated European leaders for not paying enough for NATO, and... they paid up! He continued his crusade against "fake news", booting CNN's Jim Acosta from the White House, while recognizing they both love the drama and the ratings; he even called him a nice guy. Trump ended the year with a surprise Christmas gift: bringing the troops home from Syria. Naturally, nobody agreed, except Rand Paul, the only anti-war Republican. Expect more blood, sweat and tweets in the 2019 season of The Apprentice President!
14 XXXTentacion 15,157,204

Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy who started his rap career on Soundcloud, was a standout artist regarding the genre becoming mumbled and depressive, and had a busy first semester, with the concisely titled sophomore album ?, a release from the house arrest that resulted from assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, and ultimately joining the list of murdered hip hop musicians (rappers live dangerously!) by being shot in an apparent robbery at the meager age of 20. X-X-X-tentacion (that's how it's supposed to be pronounced) left behind a posthumous album and a son due to be born on January, who will be named Gekyume after a word made up by his father (along with #11's Kulture Kiari, another weird celebrity baby name).

June 19
(died June 18)


15 United States 14,923,252
O beautiful for racist guys,
for angry tweets of hate.
For more mass shooting tragedies,
and controversies of rape.
America, America!
Why do caravans dream of thee?
You lock out the good,
reject brotherhood,
from sea to poisoned sea. 		Nov. 6
(mid-term elections)
16 List of Bollywood films of 2018 14,651,427
India is the second largest English-speaking country in the world, and with this being the English Wikipedia, it only makes sense that their citizens would want to look up which of their films are showing. Given the American films splattered all over the list, it seems the film obsession is relatively universal. July 7
(Sanju continued to earn crore)
17 List of highest-grossing films 12,630,796
It was one of those years that stuffed studio coffers: Disney in particular had three billion-dollar superhero movies ($2b with just our #3, $1,3b each from our #6 and Incredibles II), while Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom also broke a billion for Universal. And that's not counting how December 2017 releases Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle are also in the 50 biggest moneymakers featured in this article. May 13
(Infinity War became #1 for 2018)
18 LeBron James 12,464,017
"King James" continued to prove he's the greatest basketball player in the world by making the NBA finals for the eighth straight season, basically beating the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals by himself. On the bad side, afterwards LeBron's Cleveland Cavaliers were swept by the Golden State Warriors. On the good side, now the NBA won't bore viewers with a fifth straight Cavs-Dubs finals, as LeBron did like many stars of yesteryear and joined Golden State's division rival Los Angeles Lakers, meaning other teams in the East have a shot while also raising the possibility of the Warriors being stopped earlier in the playoffs. July 2
(joined the Lakers)


19 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex 12,241,593
(including 5,876,823 as Prince Harry)
Last year, I was infuriated by the appearance of one talentless ginger on the report, and it seems that I am condemned to be Sisyphus, as yet another redheaded menace invades the report once again. Even if this one has not besmirched my nation directly, his royal connections mean that he is not necessarily that popular in the Emerald Isle. Nonetheless, the extent to which the young prince has cleaned up his act is commendable, and was reflected in his demeanour throughout a turbulent tumultuous annus horribilis. I mean, it is exceedingly difficult to bear the responsibility of just one royal title, so getting cacophonous cascade of them must be an absolute nightmare. And to top it all off, he got married to our #4, the romantic equivalent of a Bosman move from Barnet to Barcelona. How, oh how, can he cope? Nonetheless, the co-opting of Markle into the cartel has rejuvenated global interest in the house of Windsor, for better or worse, for richer or richer, 'till divorce do they part. May 19
(royal wedding)
20 Jason Momoa 12,098,906
For all the Marvel-based movies this year, rival DC Comics only had one, Aquaman, which unusually got an entry only for its lead actor. And what an interesting man: this Hawaiian strong guy has become the go-to choice for barbarians, including Conan himself. His "Khal Arthur Curry" has broken the pathetic image of Aquaman as "useless man who talks to fish" perpetuated by Super Friends and has become quite acclaimed, including a solo movie that is a fun and colorful underwater epic. December 9
(hosted Saturday Night Live)
21 6ix9ine 12,027,717
American rapper 6ix9ine (real name: Daniel Hernandez) was in the news a lot this year, continuing to attract controversy. He was robbed in July after shooting a music video, and he was arrested in July and November and could face charges of up to life in prison for the charges from his second arrest. He also released his first album, Dummy Boy, to negative reviews from critics. One critic remarked that since he'll likely be spending a lot of time in jail soon, maybe he'll have more time to make better music. Hernandez had previously released a mixtape, Day69, though as someone who doesn't really listen to any rap music released in the last 5 years, the distinction between albums and mixtapes eludes me. Nov. 21
(arrested)
22 A Quiet Place (film) 11,914,129
The sole scary movie of this year's report (a sharp contrast from the three that appeared in 2017) is a rare case of Hollywood going unconventional: most of the dialogue is in American sign language and many scenes are silent, because the villains are monsters who hunt by sound. Subsequently, every noise (or opportunity that would be loud under normal circumstances) builds up unbearable tension while the plot follows the struggles of a family of survivors led by the film's director John Krasinski and his real life wife Emily Blunt (both pictured). Critics loved A Quiet Place, and the movie grossed $340 million (20 times its cost!). Apr. 9
(released
on Apr. 6)
23 George H. W. Bush 11,904,465
Politics is a fairly heavy subject on this list, with this entry being no exception. Death is also a well-represented topic; this entry (along with John McCain) combines these two. George H. W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States from 1989 to 1993, having been elected by a relative landslide in 1988. During this time, the Soviet Union collapsed (and with it the Cold War), NAFTA was created, and the Gulf War began. He lost his re-election bid to Bill Clinton in 1992, but his son was elected in 2000 and served a full two terms, overseeing 9/11, the changing of the chief justice, and the beginning of the Iraq War. The older of the two died on November 30 at the age of 94, having broken the record for the oldest living former US president not too long before. Dec. 1
(died)
24 Ariana Grande 11,784,406
It's been quite a year for the Miss Big of pop music. In April she released "no tears left to cry", her first new song since the terrorist attack at her concert in 2017, with the song hitting number one in at least ten countries, while the accompaning album Sweetener released in August topped charts in 15 countries. In May, it was confirmed she had split from her boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, who died on September 7. Between May and October Grande and Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson began dating, got engaged, bought a pig, had a song featured on Sweetener about them and broke up. In November she released the lead song from her next album, "thank u, next", which again was significantly successful on the music charts. Sep. 9
(her ex
Mac Miller
died Sep. 7)
25 Anthony Bourdain 11,772,481
A celebrity chef (even if he didn't personally favor that term) who came out of a fairly tumultuous childhood to become an author, the star of his own TV show, and one of the most influential chefs worldwide. He committed suicide on June 8, sending droves of fans (and perhaps people trying to figure out who the dude the newscaster kept going on about was) to his article. Sadly, he was the second celebrity suicide of the week, as Kate Spade had done the same three days earlier, but he was the only one of them to make this list. June 8
(died)
26 Lionel Messi 11,752,001
Argentina's golden boy of association football helped his F.C. Barcelona side to the 2017–18 La Liga championship, finishing the season as top scorer in the league, 8 clear of Cristiano Ronaldo; and he also scored four goals, including one in the final as Barcelona won the 2017–18 Copa del Rey. His 2018 FIFA World Cup campaign was less positive, only scoring once as an underperforming Argentina crashed out to France in the second round. The new La Liga season sees Barcelona back on top and Messi topping the scoring charts, looking to return to the big awards, having missed on on the top 3 of the Ballon d'Or voting for the first time in over a decade. June 30
(France beat Argentina)
27 Deadpool 2 11,720,404
The second X-Men spinoff film to feature this character was another massive critical and commercial hit, grossing $738 million worldwide (the highest-grossing R-rated film of the year). Originally released on May 18, a PG-13 cut titled Once Upon a Deadpool (which also featured a "kidnapped" Fred Savage) was released on December 12 to mixed reviews. May 18
(released)
28 2018 in film 11,623,526
As ever, a marvellous multitude of movies hit multiplexes this year, and discerning audiences (this beleaguered cinephile included) struggled through an terrifying tsunami of turgid, atrocious, terrible, blatantly false turkeys. At least we were given the escapist fantasy of thinking that half of the plodding scripts could be eliminated with a quick snap. One would be remiss to dismiss the entire year, as the Big Six Five did release some notable bombastic blockbuster gems. More intriguingly, it was a fantastic year for quieter, more subdued dramas, from Lady Gaga: Origins and Wyoming Vice, to Rogue One: A Stallworth Story and Oh, this is in Spanish. Altogether, a good year for film, but far from a signature one. Apr. 29
(following Infinity War)
29 Priyanka Chopra 11,491,748
I will be honest, I don't know much about Priyanka Chopra, other than the fact that she is insanely popular in her homeland of India, that she became famous for being good looking, that she has become one of the biggest actresses in Bollywood (despite a surname deficiency), and that she married one third of the Jonas Brothers. Consequently, I am hilariously, unequivocally unqualified to write this entry. I am also aware that Mrs. Chopra Jonas inspires, shall we say, strong emotions, amongst the denizens of the internet, and am not particularly partial to being doxed or DDOS'd, so I must proceed with caution here. I could hastily list a string of films which she has starred in, but I feel that this may thoroughly expose my reliance on the (incidentally exceptional) BLP which occupies this entry. I could lazily make a series of dad jokes, but I am not going to do so, in a (perhaps vain and futile) attempt to preserve the quality of this report. I could add another to the ceaseless references to the sheer scope of India's English-speaking population, yet I shan't, for that would be succumbing to cliché. I could reference her sublime and highly commendable philanthropic efforts, but that would come across as disingenuous. I could highlight Chopra's fruitless efforts for privacy, and attribute the abnormally high interest in her article to the desperate and depressed bachelors of Bombay, but I won't.[a] So, given the stunningly destitute dearth of knowledge which I have here, I will instead just congratulate Chopra on her nuptials and wish her well. Dec. 4
(married Nick Jonas)
30 Venom (2018 film) 11,357,900
Last year, all six superhero movies released entered the top 50. This time, Aquaman only brought in the lead actor (#20), Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hit theaters too late to get enough views, and Ant-Man and the Wasp, which provided the same reliable fun expected from the entries in our #9, did not catch the public's interest like Venom, which right from the first trailers appeared to be a massive trainwreck. And indeed, the misguided idea of making a movie about a Spider-Man villain without the Webhead, while also staying true to the much derided 1990s comics where Venom reigned, resulted in a shallow production whose only entertainment comes from Tom Hardy going crazy as Eddie Brock and the evil symbiote in his head. Yet moviegoers ignored the bad signs and reviews and made Venom the 11th highest-grossing Marvel movie ever with $845 million worldwide. What a shame. Oct. 5
(released)
31 Queen Victoria 11,271,447
The progenitor of the current line of monarchs (though with a rebranding from "Saxe-Coburg-Gotha" to "Windsor" to avoid some awkward reminders during World War I) likely isn't on this list thanks to the antics of her distant progeny, but rather due to the hit series Victoria, whose second season aired this year. Jan. 14
(Victoria season 2 U.S. release)
32 Avicii 11,256,933
The deaths of recent years haven't been limited to politicians and aging rockers; the younger generation of musicians has taken a hit as well, with this Swedish EDM star being a primary victim of this year's Grim Reaper. Having suffered from health issues in recent years, his death wasn't a complete shock, but still tragic- after all, he was only 28. Apr. 20
(died)
33 India 11,256,401
India has always had a massive presence on Wikipedia: WikiProject India has identified more than 200,000 relevant articles. The top hits from Indian cinema regularly grace the pages of our weekly reports, along with traditional festivals such as Diwali and Holi. This year, two actresses made the top 50, and the recently released science fiction story 2.0, directed by Shankar, the "Indian James Cameron", was on track to enter the list when the year was abruptly and arbitrarily cut off on Saint Sylvester's Day. Movie stars and lavish weddings aside, readers took particular interest this year in the Statue of Unity, built in the Gujarat province, to celebrate the nation's unification and independence under Sardar Patel. From a superlative 240 meters height, Patel's likeness dwarfs all similar monuments, such as the Chinese Spring Temple Buddha, the American Statue of Liberty and Russia's The Motherland Calls, although the latter is still the tallest statue of a woman. The Indian nation has other big plans, notably to build 99 Smart Cities showcasing a futuristic and sustainable lifestyle. Aug. 15
(independence day)
34 Stan Lee 11,207,360
2018 may not have reached the apocalyptic levels of famous deaths as we witnessed two years ago, but it has still seen the sad, poignant passing of many beloved people, from Stefán Karl Stefánsson (forever no. 1) to the incomparably brilliant mind that resides at our #8. One death which hit me, and self-professed nerds across the globe, in a particularly potent fashion was that of Stan Lee. Lee's marvellous mastery of the medium of comics was unparalleled, and he, along with Ditko and Kirby, helped usher in an entirely new age of comics, introducing the world to spectacular, incredible, and fantastic heroes, now seminal, intrinsic components of the genre, sure to be engrained in popular culture in saecula saeculorum. Lee will perhaps be best remembered by contemporary society for his vast swathes of cameos, cameos which saw his smile and glasses seep into the zeitgeist, cameos which cemented his legacy as a visionary. There is no better cameo to express the monumental impact which Stan Lee had than this. Stan Lee will not be forgotten soon - he let us all dream of heroes beyond our imagination, and in doing so, for legions of fans, became one himself. Nov 12
(died)
35 Facebook 11,180,487
Facebook is a corporation surrounded in controversy, and this year was no exception. In January, the news algorithm was changed, which brought the peak of the year in terms of views. That's not all, though; in March, it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica, a data company that was employed by President Trump's campaign in 2016, had purchased access to 50 million users' data. Understandably, people were outraged, which led to the CEO denying it had happened, a boycott of Facebook, and many more Wikipedia views. Jan. 18
(News Feed algorithm change)
36 John McCain 10,898,108
An Arizona senator for 31 years, prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, former presidential candidate, and son of a Navy admiral, he died on August 25 at the age of 82 after being diagnosed with brain cancer a year before. I may not agree with him politically, but there's no denying he was a pretty cool dude (if you will). Aug. 26
(died)
37 Millennials 10,861,667
In my younger and more vulnerable years, I used to believe that millennials were the pinnacle - the worst generation to ever exist. A malevolent, malignant force, powered by utter nonsense and hyperbolic hatred. The apex predator in the savannah of stupendous stupidity. If life were a race to the bottom, I used to consider millennials to be S-tier. I cannot help but look back on those naive moments with the hazy beauty and nostalgia that only time can grant. I cannot help but think of all the times I scoffed and chortled at them, glancing through the window of their hipster coffee shops, witness them sipping some frosted Italian monstrosity, and bemoaning the lack of bisexual buffalo in the latest blockbuster. I cannot help but recall, with a tinge of regret, how I would mock their rituals, and decry their lack of nuance or subtlety. Snowflakes they may be, but, my friend, they are not the worst. A great man once said "The worst is not so long as we can this is the worst". So too it is here, for I have discovered that there is worse to come. Yes, millennials may have desecrated the fundamental values of our entire society; yes, they may have eroded human interaction to deposit it in a desolate position; and yes, they may be a detrimental entity, a walking, pouting punchline, but they have been surpassed. Perhaps fittingly, this generation of imbecilic ineptitude has no aptitude for being remarkable, for they cannot even master the art of being the worst. In just two weeks, the oncoming onslaught outdid them, and are coming to wreak further havoc on all which we treasure and hold dear. We will soon come to lament the loss of the millennials with atavism when their successors reign. Tick tock. Oct. 3
(Mean Girls
in-joke)
38 Dwayne Johnson 10,830,749
After already starting the year with the smash hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle still in theaters, The Rock had in 2018 two of those dumb action movies only he could sell, Rampage and Skyscraper. And another dumb action movie will follow, meaning Johnson has to work out so much that the huge meals he eats also caught the public's eye. Some people could get sad that now Johnson doesn't want to run for president in 2020, but why ruin such a likeable guy by making a politician out of him? Apr. 23
(announced third daughter born Apr. 17)
39 YouTube 10,689,685
To be a YouTuber, even a successful one, is to be at the mercy of innumerable forces: expensive computers prone to expensive crashes; power companies prone to blackouts; ISPs prone to hacks and outages; and finally YouTube itself, a fickle and capricious God tossing its supplicants to the wind like chaff with each new "upgrade". All that on top of simply keeping a warm roof over your head and food in your belly. But even beyond this, there exist forces arrayed against YouTube who fear its disruptive effects on the old order: last year, YouTube/Google archenemy Rupert Murdoch orchestrated a brilliant opposition move: a "scandal" that cut many YouTubers' ad revenues in half. This year, it's the record companies; long chafing at not earning all the money they could be, who have lobbied the European Union hard to make YouTube personally responsible for the copyrighted content uploaded onto its servers. Since this would open YouTube up to ten thousand lawsuits a day, YouTube are understandably upset at the move, and have said that their only option would be to cut off all the smaller YouTubers not backed by a corporation they can trust. Still, the directive, known as Article 13, has already passed the EU Parliament and now the only question is how it will be implemented. I will have to wait and see if I still have a channel next year. Oct. 22
(CEO message against EU copyright article 13)
40 Charles, Prince of Wales 10,637,101 Prince Charles has a reputation as a well-meaning upper-class oaf. If people think of him at all, it is largely in sympathy for his years in a not-quite-arranged marriage to a woman he didn't love, and his life in preparation for a job he won't take up until he's at least 80. In fact Charles has had a number of largely hushed up scandals regarding his attitude towards the monarchy and its role in British politics. Queen Elizabeth preserved the monarchy by floating angelically above them, but Charles has used his position to influence political decisions, such as exerting political pressure on the British medical standards agency to relax their rules on homeopathy and herbal medicine, which he both believes in and sells. May 19
(royal wedding)
41 Tonya Harding 10,578,734
Long considered one of the most conflicting figures in sporting history, Tonya Harding was the most interesting thing to happen to the other Olympics ever. This year, however, she underwent an unexpected return to the public eye, and even a hint of redemption. It began with the release of I, Tonya, an exceptional biopic which went some way towards contextualising her struggle and somewhat exonerating her from the controversial attack on her Olympic opponent. The perfectly balanced film, where Margot Robbie sublimely captured Harding's difficulties in a field where she was not particularly welcome, juggles its narrative with all the poise and elegance of a skater landing a fabled triple axel. It painted Harding in a different, more complex and sympathetic light than her previously tattered reputation would suggest, while not avoiding the temptation to cast her as an angel. The film's success triggered a fresh wave of public interest in Harding, culminating in an appearance on Dancing with the Stars, and a return to the spotlight to the beleaguered skater. This was evidently accompanied by hordes of Wikipedians investigate the intricate web of detail regarding the embattled athlete. Jan. 12
(TV special Truth and Lies: The Tonya Harding Story)
42 Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon 10,404,859
Given that The Crown wasn't on this year, and that she's too, well, dead to play a role in the current festivities, it is somewhat shocking to me to see her still in the Top 50. Still, given that her life was by far the most soap-operatic of her entire dysfunctional family (and that's saying something), she managed to leave a bit of scandalous afterglow into the start of the year. Jan. 1
(people still binging The Crown)
43 Donald Glover 10,341,842
It has been a marvellous year for Troy Barnes, one which has seen his name(s) engrained in the public consciousness. Donald Glover, for my money one of the funniest active comedians, has long gone underappreciated for his status as a polymath of entertainment, but seemed to change that this year - from directing, writing, and starring in the amazing Atlanta, to his striking appearance in the music video for Childish Gambino's provocative, politically charged rap mega-hit, he kept a constant presence in all kinds of media. Glover also finally managed to escape the confines of the little screen, appearing as the enigmatic Lando Calrissian in a scene-stealing turn in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and being announced to play the eponymous role in Jon Favreau's upcoming (sort of) live-action Lion King. May 6
("This Is America" on May 5)
44 The Greatest Showman 10,301,954
With all of the darker superhero movies dotting this list farther up, this entry is a breath of fresh air in which no one kills a bunch of people. Admittedly, it does gloss over a lot of the darker aspects of its inspiration, but given that it's a kid-friendly PG-rated musical, that's probably for the better. The movie actually came out in 2017, but lingering interest (and the fact that it was released in late December) propelled it onto this list. The critics have described it in much the same way as Bohemian Rhapsody (which didn't make the list, even if Freddie Mercury did): the music is great, but any historical accuracy was first on the chopping block in favor of better screenplay. Having seen both movies, they're not wrong; they were great to see, but not exactly documentary material. I will grant that it probably helped the box office in the case of this particular movie: the real P.T. Barnum was not what one would call likable, more of an unscrupulous businessman who saw the existence of "freaks" as a business opportunity. (I can't say the same for Bohemian Rhapsody, in fact I would say the exact opposite applies, but I digress.) The film was nominated for numerous accolades (and won several, including a Golden Globe), mostly for the music; I will admit, the musical production was above average. It probably helps that it didn't produce any especially catchy songs to bother me for months on end. Jan. 8
(Golden Globes
on Jan. 7)
45 Marvel Cinematic Universe 10,151,851
Aside from the MCU films that released this year, and a list of all of them, Wiki readers were really interested in the franchise itself. This isn't surprising at all, as Marvel was quiiiite in its bag this year, having released three $600 million grossing films, 2 of them hitting a billion, and Infinity War reaching that rarefied $2 billion altitude. This article has a really solid chance to repeat on this Top 50 listing in 2019 as well, with Captain Marvel's origin story and a Spider-Man sequel hitting theaters next year!
Oh and yeah... I guess we're in the endgame now, as well. Avengers 4—or Iron Man 22, as I like to call it—is releasing in May and is sure to draw readers' interest to the whole franchise again. 		Apr. 29
(following Infinity War)
46 Nick Jonas 10,120,127
One of #38's co-stars in Jumanji, the youngest of the Jonas Brothers only had one new musical release this year, the barely charting single "Right Now". The reason for all the views is seen with him in the picture to the left, a wife (#29) whose celebrity status is even bigger (she's huge in #33, a potential billion fans!), and led to a five day long wedding that took place in a palace and had a massive wedding cake. We hope Mr. Jonas and Mrs. Chopra have a happy marriage, specially to prevent songs like the one caused by his fling with another beauty pageant, that read "It's my right to be hellish\I still get jealous". Aug. 18
(announced engagement)
47 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 10,114,532
This year, the venerable, "Oh hey, it's that guy!" of the British Royal Family announced his retirement from active duties at the age of 97. And everyone quietly cheered, because the last thing anyone sane wants is this guy active in public.

To 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby during a visit to China:
"If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes"

To a British backpacker who trekked through Papua New Guinea:
“You managed not to get eaten then?"

To residents of the Cayman Islands:
"Aren’t most of you descended from pirates?”

To Aboriginal leader William Brin:
"Do you still throw spears at each other?"

To a woman in Kenya:
"You're a woman, aren't you?"

To Alfredo Stroessner, dictator of Paraguay:
“It’s a pleasure to be in a country that isn’t ruled by its people.”

May 19
(royal wedding)
48 FIFA World Cup 9,972,357
Football's biggest event (suck it, Super Bowl!), which happens every four years and has my country as the biggest winner. This year's edition (#2) was the usual big thing here - the Panini sticker album was one of the best selling books of the 1st semester! - even if the team was getting more attention for falling rather than playing. And for all the fun 2014 and 2018 provided, the next World Cups will probably not be as good: 2022 are in an irrelevant football-wise nation so hot that the games are in November-December to preventing players from boiling alive; and 2026 will have 48 teams instead of 32, ruining the straightforward format while opening room for more horrible squads to qualify. July 15
(2018 final game)
49 Winston Churchill 9,856,513
The Great British Bulldog has always struck a conflicting note for me. Indubitably one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, Churchill chose a sub-optimal time to relocate to 10 Downing Street, doing so just as the wheels of the dynamo were turning to get the BEF off the beaches of Dunkerque and away from the terrifying tendrils of the Wehrmacht. It is for this stint as Prime Minister for which Churchill is most commonly and fondly remembered, and it is in this capacity that cinema's greatest chameleon cemented his legacy this year, thus inspiring a vast increase in interest and intrigue surrounding the iconic statesman. Churchill, ever a source of wily witticisms, once stated that "history will be kind to me for I intend to write it". His unmitigated success in this enterprise cannot be denied. It is surely the reason why history is magnanimous, and not malevolent to the man who orchestrated the slaughter at Suvla Bay, why the tomes tell not of the fierce famine he was largely responsible for, why the annals of British history neglect to recall the brutal tactics of his black and tan-clad brainchild, why the decimation and desolation of Dresden is not condemned, why his depressingly inept attempts to elevate the United Kingdom to the auric heights of yonder are swept aside. Unquestionably, Churchill was a phenomenal orator, inspiring his brethren to fight on the beaches, but then, he wasn't exactly the first to do so. (Not my fault) And so, for me, Winston remains divisive - a key reason why this report is not in German, and an invaluable, inexorable, and integral part of the Allied victory. A heroic figure, but one who left a long, dark shadow in his wake, one which we must reckon and wrestle with, cognitive dissonance be damned. After all, not doing so would be tantamount to surrender. Mar. 4
(Oscar for Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour)
50 Sridevi 9,841,005
Although most Americans likely never heard of her, Sridevi had an amazing career in Indian cinema. The so-called "first female superstar" of Bollywood starred in 300 films in her 51-year career, capping it off with her critically acclaimed performance in Mom that won the National Film Award for Best Actress. Sadly, the award had to be given posthumously, as Sridevi drowned in a hotel room in Dubai on February 24th. Rumors originally circulated that the death was an internet hoax, like the hoax that had circulated the a few days before about Sylvester Stallone (who barely missed making this list), but her brother-in-law Sanjay Kapoor soon confirmed the death to the media. She was given a full state funeral, rare for non-politicians, and her funeral procession attracted thousands of mourners. Feb. 9
(died)
  1. ^ See previous fears regarding the rabid and vitriolic nature of the internet

Exclusions

[edit]
  • Exo (band) and BTS (band): Starting in February, when the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang brought attention to South Korea, either one or two of those K-pop groups started appearing in the Top 25 Report for a while. Then came a day where Exo had hundreds of thousands of views, most of them from desktop, surpassing even the World Cup. A Twitter search later, turns out the EXO-Ls and the BTS Army take the Social 50 too seriously, and given Wikipedia views contribute to said rankings, they visit their group of choice's page really often to boost the article views. Gaming the system is not something we will condone!
  • Any article with mobile views over 90% (such as XHamster) or under 10% (Louis Tomlinson), because they are very likely to be automated views based on our experience and research of the issue.

Round Table Discussion

[edit]
  • General Impressions
  • 1. Which entry in the Top 50 struck you the most?
  • The (fittingly) superb performance of Freddie Mercury's article. It was a welcome surprise to be sure, but nonetheless a shock. For Mercury to crack the Top 10, ahead of any recent death, ahead of any politics, is testament to the enduring legacy of the musician, and his persistent, perennial place in the popular zeitgeist. All it took was a catalyst to reinvigorate the captivation of Wikipedians in Mercury. Given that he is my favourite artist, this is a pleasant sign, and points to the timelessness of Queen's music. It is also a welcome sign, as the biopic which inspired all the resurgent interest in Mercury outright lies at several junctures, tarnishing and diminishing Freddie's legacy. It is good to see moviegoers turn to Wikipedia - we aren't always accurate, but in this case, Wikipedia has helped stem the propagation of myths surrounding one of my heroes, while also returning him to the spotlight he so richly deserves. Seeing that made me quite happy. Similarly, I was touched by the massive amount of interest in Stephen Hawking shown by those who use Wikipedia - Stormy clouds (talk) 16:17, 10 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • An odd one, perhaps, but Donald Trump. In 2016, he got 75 million views. In 2017 he got 30 million. In 2018, he got barely 17 million. At this rate, there's a strong chance he won't be on the list next year. Given how utterly, and consciously, Trump has dominated both traditional and social media over the last three years, it is somewhat boggling that his Wikipedia views have plummeted so precipitously. There are many ways to read this trend, not all of them pleasant. Perhaps it is indicative of the essential shallowness of interest in Trump; that for all his bombast and carnival barking there is, at the core, very little interest in actual knowledge about him. On the other hand, it may indicate that Trump's followers do not view Wikipedia as a valid source of information, likely considering it just another fount of fake news. Serendipodous 12:17, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • Aside from The Greatest Showman replicating its sleeper hit status here and I, Tonya and Darkest Hour inspiring entries when the fish romance that beat them at the Oscars couldn't, how India keeps on getting more and more present, replicating how some weeks of the Top 25 Report force us to take a crash course in South Asian affairs. 2016: India itself and the yearly Bollywood releases. 2017: both plus their biggest movie and their blockbuster list which it entered. 2018: those two entries, a big Bollywood death, and an Indian celebrity along with her American husband that would never enter the top 50 otherwise! Sure, a country with over a billion people can never be subestimated. But when English, in spite of being an official language, isn't the first one of most of the population, you wouldn't expect them to have a foothold here instead of focusing on Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, etc., and even making it grow whenever possible. igordebraga ≠ 22:02, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • Shouldn't really be a surprise these days that the top two living people are both members of the British royal family and yet, it is. Elizabeth II has managed to maintain 19M views despite The Crown taking a year off. That's the power of getting one-time CSI: Miami guest star Meghan Markle to do a turn as Duchess of Sussex, I suppose. I'm not surprised to see the Marvel Cinematic Universe taking the top spots film wise, not at Cristiano Ronaldo being the top sportsperson, although I am surprised at how close to beating him Cardi B, someone whose songs I have never knowingly heard (that's my fault, not hers), came. I am surprised by the high rankings for Ariana Grande and Dwayne The Rock Johnson, two individuals who have been prominent over the year but not massively more so than many of their colleagues, but seem to have a popularity that eclipses their fellow musicians/actors. OZOO (t) (c) 22:54, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • 2. Which entry frustrated you to the greatest degree?
  • Perhaps it is because it undermines my preceding answer, but probably 6ix9ine. There are no particularly egregious examples of despicable people in the list like Charles Manson last year, and nothing that has been as inescapably irritating as the malevolent music of Ed Sheeran. However, the massive interest in 6ix9ine is symptomatic of the issues inherent in modern music, and the presence of Freddie Mercury in the report only highlights the gaping discrepancy between the calibre of music then and now. Granted, much of the intense intrigue stems from recent months, where 6ix9ine was arrested and engrossed the internet. However, seeing him elevated to the same platform as legitimately groundbreaking musicians leaves me somewhat seething - even his stage name is juvenile and disrespectful, and the less said about the aural excrement he has released, the better. Stormy clouds (talk) 17:55, 10 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • No one entry frustrated me, but the overall patterns I saw did. (see below) Serendipodous 12:17, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • After a year where only the worst possible dead guy entered the Top 50 (see above), there were eight this year, double the ones from the 2016 which we note had more high-profile deaths. Sure, there were icons (Hawking, Stan Lee) and shocks (X's murder, Bourdain and Avicii's suicides, and Sridevi, both for India and we outside there seeing such a commotion), but still seems too much, specially when Aretha Franklin missed it despite being such a beloved and influential musician. igordebraga ≠ 22:02, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • Last year I said that I was frustrated from the "seeming lack of political interest from Wikipedia users". This year I am increasingly beginning to think they might have a point. OZOO (t) (c) 22:54, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • 3. Many of the entries in the report share similarities and recurrent themes, with movies, sport, royalty, and death proving especially prominent. What did you make of these developments this year?
  • We saw royalty rise to a high position of prominence amongst the loyal subjects of Wikipedia last year, and the Windsors are fixed staples of the report each time a new season of The Crown rolls around. It will be interesting to see if the intrigue is maintained when the new cast dons the royal robes, especially with no nuptials on the horizons. Movies are a constant source of intrigue amongst perusers of Wikipedia, somewhat inexplicably, given that the standard article tells nothing outside of the plot (useless if you have seen the film, infuriating if you have not), the cast, and the reception of the film, all easily sourced outside from Wikipedia. Similarly, there exist superior channels for following sport than Wikipedia, and sporting articles often become editing battlegrounds, or are too often left deserted. Death is always going to intrigue, of course. What it ultimately says, and what was alluded to last year, is that Wikipedia is not necessarily used as the trove of knowledge that it is, but for trivial stuff and news. Unfortunate, as it calls into question the point of all the effort spent editing, but the rise of articles like Mercury, or the sheer quality of those of McCain, the Queen, and the general article for the World Cup, should bring pride to all those who edit them. In the digital age, protecting Wikipedia from vandalism and meticulously enhancing sourcing are the best way to curate and guard information, and seeing the high usage of Wikipedia, at least for me, reaffirms the utility of this mission. Stormy clouds (talk) 17:55, 10 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • It's not just similarity. 17 entries on the list (that's a third!) are identical to last year's. And of those that aren't, we see a strong continuity of theme: high-grossing films, sportspeople, high-profile weddings and people depicted in movies or television. If anything, this year's list is even less distinctive; at least 2017 had Bitcoin. I think this bodes boring for the years ahead. Given that this year featured a game-changing midterm election, a global movement against sexual assault, and a Saudi crown prince deeply involved in two brutal wars and perhaps guilty of murder, it seems people are using Wikipedia to escape, not to stay informed. Serendipodous 12:17, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • The world is screwed enough that looking for what is on the movies, TV, music and sports instead of being confronted with the reality of politics and such. And of course, the fascination for celebrity, none bigger than an actual royal family. People sometimes seem more interested in the personal lives of artists than what the celebrity produced - sure, Cardi B, Jason Momoa and Donald Glover entered simply for their successful work; but while Ariana Grande's new album and hit singles helped, the view peaks were mostly because of the engagement that ended up broken, and the death of her ex which some stupid fans blamed her for. It even has a cross with the sad affair no one can escape, death: when someone with a big following ends up dying, sometimes surprisingly even when they were over 90, people are shocked, want to make sure it happened by checking Wikipedia, and eventually remember all their accomplishments by reading the articles and everything related to the deceased. igordebraga ≠ 22:02, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • People like whimsical topics like movies and sport (and royalty apparently). People don't like serious stuff like politics. Can't blame them TBH. OZOO (t) (c) 22:54, 31 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • 4. What entries do you anticipate making their way onto the list in 2019?
Add other questions here:
  • 5. What's the funniest entry this year?


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