The retailer conducted research using four data points: TikTok hashtag views, film and TV, mentions in song lyrics and Google search demand.
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The annual holiday for sneakerheads, known as Air Max Day, is quickly approaching. With the March 26 celebration almost here, JD Sports believes through research the retailer conducted that it has discovered the most popular Air Max model.
That model is the Nike Air Max 90.
JD Sports discovered this, the retailer explained, through research using four data points: TikTok hashtag views, Air Max on film and TV over the past year, mentions in song lyrics and search demand. The retailer explained that it assigned each Air Max an aggregated score out of 10, estimating this score based on the individual metrics received from the aforementioned channels.
The data, the retailer confirmed, was correct as of March.
Specifically for TikTok, the No. 1 Air Max shoe was the Air Max 95, amassing 379 million hashtag views. Coming in at No. 2 was the VaporMax with 332 million hashtag views, which was followed by the Air Max 97 (241 million hashtag views) and the Air Max 90 (216 million hashtag views).
As for Google search volume, there was a tie for the most searched: the Air Max 90 and the Air Max 95. JD Sports said both are searched 1 million times a month. These two were followed by the Air Max 97 (823,000 online queries every four weeks), the Air Max 270 (550,000), the VaporMax (368,000 times a month) and the Air Max 1 (301,000 times a month).
The Air Max that was seen most on film and TV over the past year, according to JD Sports, was the Air Max 90. The retailer said the model was spotted on 17 different films and TV shows, including “Barbie,” “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.” Coming in at No. 2 was the Air Max 97, which appeared on screen seven times, and the VaporMax at No. 3.
Lastly, in terms of popularity in song lyrics, the Air Max 90 claimed the top spot. The shoe, according to JD Sports, is mentioned in 84 songs. Coming in second is the Air Max 95 (77 mentions), the Air Max 97 (53) and the Air Max 1 (14).
JD Sports said the Nike Air Max 90 scored 8.94 out of 10, followed by the Nike Air Max 95 with a score of 7.44 and the Nike Air Max 97 with a score of 6.29.
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
