Hot 107.9’s 7 Biggest Stories Of 2012

Every year on New Year's Eve we look back at the last 365 days and reflect on what defined them. Right here on this very website, there were many stories that made you laugh, cry, click, share - and sometimes, left you shaking your head in disbelief.

Based on web hits, impact, and your interaction via social media, we came up with Hot 107.9's 7 Biggest Stories from 2012.

#7 - YouTube Sensations: 'Internet Villains & Overnight Superstars'

2012 was a year that gave us a fair amount of people who were literally unknown one day, and famous the next. People like Sweet Brown (above), who "didn't have time fo' dat" when it came to getting bronchitis. The web also introduced us to one of the biggest songs of the year, with Psy's 'Gangnam Style.' One of our biggest stories of the year featured a blind child prodigy totally killing a cover of a popular dubstep track. And just as much as it can make you famous, the 'Alabama Teabagger' proved that it can also make you infamous too.

We can only imagine what the internet will bring us in 2013, but it's already looking promising.

#6 - Celebrities Exposed: 'Sex Tapes, Leaked Nudes & Wardrobe Malfunctions'

Sex Tapes, and Nudes, and Nip Slips - oh my! From Hulk Hogan, to Rihanna, 2012 showed us a lot of celebrity skin. Sometimes it was innocent, and other times we were better off not seeing it at all. Based on the insane hits we got via web search, 2012 was the year that showed us that risque photos and sex tapes 'enhance' a career more than it could every possible destroy it.

Who will we see naked in 2013? Only time will tell.

#5 - Couple Drama: 'Jelena, Kimye & Chrianna'

Collectively, stories dealing with celebrity couples got TONS of hits on our website in 2012. Whether it was the speculation surrounding whether or not Chris Brown and Rihanna were REALLY back together, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez' break-ups to make up, or Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's pap pushing baby making antics - we had the gossip, and you were listening!

So in 2013, when you see someone on Facebook say "who cares" on the latest celebrity couple drama, just remember this post!

#4 - Hud The Stud & Those Crazy Ragin' Cajuns

The Ragin' Cajuns were definitely one of the bigger stories of the year, coming off of an impressive 2011 season that included their first bowl win in team history thanks to a program reinvigorated by new Head Coach Mark Hudspeth. The Cajuns didn't let off the gas in 2012, earning a second trip to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl and their second title in as many years.

If you're living in Acadiana and not supporting the Cajuns in 2013, shame on you.

#3 - Barack vs. Mitt: The 2012 Presidential Election

The 2012 Presidential Election between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney was one of the biggest stories this year, but I'd be lying if I told you that I wasn't glad that it was over. I have never before in my life seen such a 50/50 divide between Americans, and the internet was definitely their playground - with fear propaganda, misinformation and just plain mean things being said via social media and beyond.

Now if we could just figure out this fiscal cliff nonsense.

#2 - The New Orleans Saints 'Bountygate' Season

2012 was the year that the New Orleans Saints dealt with the biggest hurdle to date in the Payton-Brees post-Katrina era. It was a scandal that saw players and coaches suspended, keeping head coach Sean Payton off the sidelines and the premises for a calendar year. What made the story so intriguing is that it all surrounded something that may or may not have happened, with unprecedented discipline from NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell, who played judge, jury and executioner. The players were eventually vacated of all discipline - coincidentally after the Saints were pretty much counted out of the playoffs and the season was ruined - and the saints 7-9 season gave Goodell exactly what he wanted.

We may not have played a Super Bowl in the Dome, but Payton's back next year. WHO DAT!

#1 - The Mickey Shunick Story That Brought Together An Entire Community

The biggest story of the year by far was that of Mickey Shunick, the UL student who went missing in back in May, only to unfortunately be found months later, murdered by Brandon Scott Lavergne. From the initial search, to police piecing together clues to discover her body and the person responsible for her murder, our area had never seen a story like this before. Not many people knew Mickey when the news broke, but somehow that blonde girl brought a community together, and thanks to her friends and family, when all was said and done we found out just how beautiful Mickey was, and that she was indeed a fighter.