Cloe Axelson

Senior Editor, Cognoscenti

Kate Neale Cooper

Editor, Cognoscenti

Sara Shukla

Cognoscenti's best stories of 2024

Left to right: Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, July 22, 2024 (AP); Elizabeth Carr on the cover of the November 1982 issue of Life magazine (Courtesy Elizabeth Carr); Now President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (AP); Two of the Kelly Cervantes' children hold hands in the family's car in 2019 (Megan Allen, Studio 22 Photography/Courtesy Kelly Cervantes); President Biden on Jan. 26, 2023 (AP).

Left to right:  Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday, July 22, 2024 (AP); Elizabeth Carr on the cover of the November 1982 issue of Life magazine (Courtesy Elizabeth Carr); Now President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, in Washington, D.C. (AP); Two of the Kelly Cervantes' children hold hands in the family's car in 2019 (Megan Allen, Studio 22 Photography/Courtesy Kelly Cervantes); President Biden on Jan. 26, 2023 (AP).

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Year in Review

Reflecting on WBUR's news and pop culture stories from 2024.

2024: Year in review

Boston

Opinion

Life

Jesse Costa

Photographer

Robin Lubbock

Videographer, Photographer

Amy Gorel

Senior Editor

Lisa Creamer

Managing Editor, Digital News & Audience

The photos that helped us tell the stories of 2024

(Robin Lubbock/WBUR, Jesse Costa/WBUR)

A collection of stories from our ongoing series, Field Guide to Boston. The series at wbur.org/fieldguide offers guides and public service journalism focused on how residents can better connect with each other while exploring the city's neighborhoods and rich culture. 

Field Guide to Boston

News

Time travel with us: The Cog 2024 playlist

This year's Cog playlist includes, from left to right: Tracy Chapman, Charli XCX, Bono of U2 and Maggie Rogers (AP).

YEAR IN REVIEW

Music

Amelia Mason

Senior Arts & Culture Reporter

Maddie Browning

Arts Writer

Noah Schaffer

Contributor

Noble

Music Writer

Solon Kelleher

Victoria Wasylak

The best local albums of 2024, according to our critics

Our music critics selected their favorite local albums of 2024. (Courtesy the artists)

Arts & Culture

Arts

The bestselling books of the year, according to 4 local bookstores

The year's bestselling books at Hummingbird Books, Brookline Booksmith, Papercuts Bookshop and All She Wrote Books. (Courtesy the publishers)

Books/Poetry

Books

Erin Trahan

Film Writer

The 5 best films of 2024, according to critic Erin Trahan

Clockwise from top left: "The Seed of The Sacred Fig" (Courtesy NEON); "Queendom" (Courtesy Dogwoof Pictures); "Emilia Pérez" (Courtesy Netflix); "Janet Planet" (Courtesy A24); and "Green Border" (Courtesy Agata Kubis/Kino Lorber).

Film/TV

Sean Burns

Film Critic

The 5 best films of 2024, according to critic Sean Burns

Clockwise from top left: "Anora" (Courtesy NEON); "Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World" (Courtesy Unifrance); "I Saw the TV Glow" (Courtesy A24); "Megalopolis" (Courtesy of Lionsgate); and "Nickel Boys" (Courtesy Orion Pictures).