10. Kevin Durant

In what was called a "stunning move," Kevin Durant signed to the Golden State Warriors in July. The former Oklahoma City Thunder small forward inked the two-year deal after the Warriors achieved one of the best regular-season records in NBA history last season at 73 wins and 9 losses.

9. Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt completed the elusive triple-triple at the Rio Olympics this summer, winning the 4 x 100-meter relay, the 100 meters, and the 200 meters for the third straight time.

8. Cam Newton

It's been a tough season for Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. Newton has taken several blows to the head, suffering a concussion against the Atlanta Falcons earlier this season and taking several late hits by defenders. Experts inside the NFL are worried about Newton's safety on the field and would be "stunned" if he lasted longer than a few years in the NFL. 

7. Simone Biles

After her first showing at the Olympic games in Rio this past summer, Simone Biles was quickly a fan favorite. But she also proved to be one of the best gymnasts the US team has ever seen, and possibly the best gymnast in history. Biles won five medals at the games, including four gold.

6. Ryan Lochte

Despite being one of the best swimmers in US history, Ryan Lochte fell from grace this summer after lying about being robbed at gunpoint in Rio. Lochte's lies were quickly exposed, resulting in the swimmer losing sponsorship deals and being suspended from competing for 10 months.

5. Steven Avery

After the documentary "Making a Murderer" premiered on Netflix, its subject, Steven Avery, became the subject of national fascination. Avery spent years in prison for a crime he says he didn't commit, but after being released, wound up in prison again after being accused of murder along with his nephew, Brendan Dassey. A judge overturned Dassey's conviction in August, but Avery remains behind bars.

4. Bernie Sanders

The Vermont senator was a strong contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, fighting a tough battle against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who eventually clinched the nomination. Sanders was an outspoken critic of money in politics and captured the allegiance of those who wanted universal higher education and health care.

3. Michael Phelps

After finishing up the 2016 Olympic games with a grand total of 28 medals — 23 of them gold — Michael Phelps said he's officially retired from professional swimming. His teammates don't believe he's actually done, but Phelps said at the time that he's just "ready for something different."

2. Hillary Clinton

The democratic presidential nominee and former Secretary of State was the heavy favorite to win the 2016 presidential election, leading in every national poll before the race. But Republican nominee Donald Trump won the election by clinching the electoral college vote (although Clinton won the popular vote nationwide).

1. Donald Trump

Donald Trump ran for president on a platform of cleaning up Washington and bringing jobs back to the US, a message that resonated with those who were hoping for change. Trump won the election in November and will take office on January 20.

Searches

10. Hillary Clinton

The 2016 election was fraught with scandal, Hillary Clinton's email servers and handling of the Benghazi situation being frequent topics of conversation. The Democratic nominee has since blamed FBI director James Comey for her defeat in November after Comey reopened his examination of the email server just days before the election. 

9. Election

The 2016 election will likely go down as one of the most scandalous and divisive elections in US history, resulting in widespread protests and speculation of hacking and election fraud in the days following Trump's win.

8. Trump

Donald Trump has spent the weeks following his election meeting with potential cabinet members and setting up plans to take office in a little more than a month. The president-elect met with President Obama in November to discuss the transfer of power and foreign and domestic policy.

7. David Bowie

In January, legendary musician David Bowie died of cancer at age 69. The beloved British rocker was known for his flamboyant persona, Ziggy Stardust, and left behind a new album, "Blackstar," which was released only a few days after his death.

6. Olympics

Despite concerns that Rio wasn't ready to host the 2016 Olympics, the games went off mostly without a hitch — unless you count pool water that turned bright green and one faked robbery. The US women's gymnastics team dominated the competition, winning team gold and several individual gold medals between them.

5. Slither.io

A fresh take on the old cell phone game "Snake," Slither.io topped App Store charts this year. The addictive game unseated Snapchat as the top free app, winning over fans by being simple, easy to play, and entertaining.

4. Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go took over the world this summer, winning over fans of the original "Pokémon" and new players who traversed city streets, parks, and even national cemeteries to catch Pokémon. The free app quickly became the most popular mobile game in history.

3. Hurricane Matthew

Hurricane Matthew hit the Caribbean and Southeast US in October, devastating island nations like Haiti and knocking out power for more than 400,000 people on the East Coast. The storm caused beach erosion, flooding, and was responsible for at least four deaths in the US and hundreds in Haiti.

2. Prince

Prince died in April at the age of 57. While the cause of death wasn't announced at the time, it was later reported that Prince was suffering from an opiod addiction and was found with the prescription drug Percocet in his system and at his home.