Wikipedia:Top 25 Report/August 19 to 25, 2018

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Prepared with commentary by Igordebraga and Stormy clouds

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Introducing Me

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Khalil Gibran once claimed that "only love and death will change all things" considered, and the report this week seems to lend credence to this sentiment, dominated as it is by those most domineering of human traits - love and loss. Between engagements and a multitude of prominent deaths, we have a microcosm of humanity in this week's iteration.

Outside of these lofty emotions, we also receive some entries from the entertainment industry, with Hollywood and Netflix jostling once more for the attention of viewers. A curiously diverse report, and an absolute joy to compile.

For the week of August 19 to 25, 2018 the 25 most popular articles on Wikipedia, as determined from the WP:5000 report were:

Rank Article Class Views Image About
1 Nick Jonas   1,255,884
 
The singer, who first came to my youthful attention as he mused about the various lexicographic uses of the word 'dude' alongside his fellow fraternal philosophers, has been in the news with some frequency of late owing to his relationship with Priyanka Chopra, whom a cohort of the internet seems infatuated with. The page views likely stem from confirmation of their engagement.
2 2018 Asian Games   1,195,981
 
The Asian Games are underway in Jakarta, Indonesia, and incredible Asian athletes are already accumulating vast amounts of gold, silver, and bronze medal for their nations. The games are evidently a big deal for purveyors of Wikipedia, but Western coverage, at least in my neck of the woods, hinges on the efforts of Son Heung-Min to claim gold for South Korea, allowing him to forgo military service.
3 SummerSlam (2018)   1,125,084
 
Former UFC champion Ronda Rousey (pictured) went for the easiest way to get a championship belt: scripted fights! She won the WWE Raw Women's Championship in this event held at Brooklyn's Barclays Center.
4 Crazy Rich Asians (film)   997,398
 
Like African Americans with Black Panther, Asian Americans are really happy to be fully represented in a hit film. The interesting title of this romantic comedy refers to Michelle Yeoh (pictured) and Ken Jeong (who has built a career out of playing crazy Asians), the rich and overbearing future in-laws of a college teacher. Crazy Rich Asians got glowing reviews and completed two weeks atop the US box office.
5 To All the Boys I've Loved Before (film)   947,913
 
Netflix's attempt at teen movies seem to be their most successful, and while The Kissing Booth got terrible reviews, there has been critical praise for To All the Boys I've Loved Before (which Netflix only bought the distribution rights for), about a teenage girl whose secret love letters are exposed. Given the book has two sequels, expect them to hit production soon.
6 Asia Argento   931,348
 
Seeing boyfriend Anthony Bourdain hang himself would've already made 2018 a rough year for this Italian actress. But then she was accused of sexually abusing a minor (#18) and paying for his silence. Argento vehemently denies (after all, a part of the #MeToo movement doing a #HerToo sort of deal would be inadequate), saying the payment came from Bourdain to help the boy's family.
7 Priyanka Chopra   913,738
 
Bollywood superstar, former Miss World, and occasional singer Priyanka Chopra is now engaged to our #1.
8 Stefán Karl Stefánsson   886,545
 
The tragic end to a rare positive internet story here. From the plethora of jokes about Harambe to the altering of Pepe the Frog, memes have a tendency to be dark as well as dank. However, the internet rounded in support of the LazyTown actor (he portrayed Robbie Rotten, the villain), who died this week, and let him know that he truly was number one. May he rest in peace.
9 Noah Centineo   853,559
 
Centineo is an actor, who appears as a love interest in the Netflix adaptation of Jenny Han's YA hit (#12). As ever, avid binge-watchers have trawled through a wide array of links related to their streaming drug of choice. In this case, they will have found that Centineo previously found fame doing a Cuban salsa alongside Camila Cabello.
10 2018 Asian Games medal table   817,175
 
The best measurement of how the countries of #2 have been performing. Next year the continents where the this report's authors live will have similar tournaments.
11 Deaths in 2018   749,957
 
As ever, the list of the dead remains a constant source of morbid popularity. It has been buoyed in recent days with a series of high-profile demises, including #8, #13, #21, #23, and Senator John McCain.
12 To All the Boys I've Loved Before   732,222
 
Jenny Han (pictured) wrote the novel that inspired #5, with a title borrowed from Julio Iglesias. A much better influence than his son Enrique, as we'll never see a YA novel named Tonight (I'm Fuckin' You).
13 Aretha Franklin   730,350
 
Last week, following the announcement of her death from pancreatic cancer, Franklin zoomed to the top of the report, and she saw further higher views as Wikipedians pay R.E.S.P.E.C.T to the late Queen of Soul.
14 India at the 2018 Asian Games   679,333
 
Experienced readers of the report know that India is one of the main propellers of article popularity, so the high views for the Asian Games (#2, #10) can accounted on them, which also brings a spot for the country's performance - which is notably better in than the Olympics. A highlight has been Swapna Barman (pictured), who won a gold in the heptathlon.
15 Lana Condor   656,442
 
This Vietnam-born actress stars in #5, and a romantic comedy is a quiet exception for the rest of her career: she started out playing a mutant in X-Men: Apocalypse, followed it with the Boston marathon bombing, and this year will be seen in a cyberpunk action movie and a TV series about assassins.
16 Eid al-Adha   617,602
 
An Islamic holiday now, as Muslims worldwide celebrated Eid al-Adha throughout the week. Considered holier than the other Eid, Wikipedia became a beacon for those wishing to find out about the traditions of the holiday, which is based around the Binding of Isaac.
17 Post Malone   576,664
 
The standout name of the Emo rap scene (yes, hip hop is having its depressed phase) scared fans as his Gulfstream airplane was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff.
18 Jimmy Bennett   528,199
 
The actor, who I recognise most prominently from J.J.'s celestial hike, shot to the headlines following claims from the (failing) New York Times that he was sexually assaulted by Asia Argento (#6), herself a leader in the MeToo movement. As with the tsunami of harassers accused last autumn, this has quelled the interest of internet denizens immensely.
19 Pete Davidson   521,058   Another loved-up power couple to accompany that at the apex of the report now. Davidson, a star in the world of comedy owing to his role on Saturday Night Live, has focused his romantic attention entirely on #21 Ariana Grande (forgoing her sister, Ariana Venti) as they have become engaged.
20 Scott Morrison   507,532
 
In a rare case of Australian politics interesting Wikipedia, big views were given to the newly-elected Prime Minister. Hope Morrison doesn't get in the news for reasons as weird as predecessor Tony Abbott.
21 Ariana Grande   496,465
 
The blistering speed with which the Grande and #19's relationship has progressed towards the aisle demarcates them as polar opposites to Ross and Rachel - this must be the best timeline. Hopefully the Lady above is on their side, or this may end in tears.
22 Kofi Annan   481,310
 
Annan, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, died last week at the age of 80. This sent a flurry of Wikipedia's best to peruse his article, and remember the prominent statesman, the first Black African to hold his most lofty of offices.
23 Henry Golding (actor)   452,214
 
The Malaysian star of our #4 (while actual protagonist Constance Wu narrowly missed the list at #26), who also hosts BBC's The Travel Show.
24 Atal Bihari Vajpayee   448,905
 
Another of those aforementioned prominent deaths, and the third to be awarded a rare ITN blurb within the space of a week, the former Indian leader had his funeral during the week. The procession culminated, as is Hindu tradition, with Vajpayee's cremated remains scattered into the Ganges.
25 2018 FIFA World Cup   429,077
 
One would have thought that, with the return of the major domestic leagues (and Ligue 1), attention would have turned away from the heady French heights of the Luzhniki Stadium, but it appears that people aren't quite ready to forget that gleaming cup. They will soon though, hopefully, given that 2018-19 is our year,[citation needed] (barring injury).
 
Most Popular Wikipedia Articles of the Week (August 19 to 25, 2018)

Exclusions

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  • This list excludes the Wikipedia main page, non-article pages (such as redlinks), and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Since mobile view data became available to the Report in October 2014, we exclude articles that have almost no mobile views (5–6% or less) or almost all mobile views (94–95% or more) because they are very likely to be automated views based on our experience and research of the issue. Please feel free to discuss any removal on the talk page if you wish.


  • BTS (band), artificial boosts - we are onto you, and you will not make the report if you perpetuate this malevolent gaming of the system. Perhaps heed this quote from your band - "Live your life. It’s yours anyway. Don’t try too hard. It’s okay to lose."
Note: If you came here from the Signpost article, please take any discussion of exclusions to this article's talk page.