Guinness Reveals the World’s Most Popular TV Shows

(Image credit: Courtesy of HBO)

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES—“Game of Thrones,” “Stranger Things” and “SpongeBob Squarepants” are Guinness World Record holders, according to “The Guinness World Records 2021 Edition.”

Working with Parrot Analytics, a TV content analytics company, Guinness quantified how viewers are engaging with TV shows around the world based on video consumption, social media and media coverage.

The latest edition of Guinness’ world records covers the TV landscape from 2019, identifying the most-in demand TV series across a number of categories. The results are as follows:

  • Book Adaptation: “Game of Thrones” (HBO) 
  • Legal Drama: “Suits” (USA Network) 
  • Teen Drama: “Riverdale” (The CW) 
  • Comedy: “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS) 
  • Digital Original: “Stranger Things” (Netflix) 
  • Animated: “Rick and Morty” (Adult Swim) 
  • TV Series: “Game of Thrones” (HBO) 
  • Reality: “The Voice” (NBC) 
  • Children’s Show: “SpongeBob Squarepants” (Nickelodeon) 
  • Horror: “American Horror Story” (FX) 
  • Medical Drama: “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC) 
  • Romantic Drama: “Outlander” (The CW) 
  • Series Debut: “Chernobyl” (HBO) 
  • Film Adaptation: “Westworld” (HBO) 

“Television continues to re-define itself at a blistering pace,” said Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief Craig Glenday. “Having created the industry category of ‘TV demand measurement,’ Parrot Analytics helps Guinness World Records to quantify the ways in which viewers engage with TV shows around the world in a globally standardized manner. This ensures that Guinness World Records can identify the shows that people are genuinely talking about and watching, on a global scale.”

The Guinness World Records 2021 Edition” releases on Oct. 6.