• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • NEWS+OPINIONS
    • NEWS TO US
    • COLUMNS
      • APPARENT HORIZON
      • DEAR READER
      • Close
    • LONGFORM FEATURES
    • OPINIONS
    • EDITORIAL
    • Close
  • ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
    • FILM
    • MUSIC
    • COMEDY
    • PERFORMING ARTS
    • VISUAL ARTS
    • Close
  • DINING+DRINKING
    • EATS
    • SIPS
    • Close
  • LIFESTYLE
    • CANNABIS
      • TALKING JOINTS MEMO
      • Close
    • WELLNESS
    • GTFO
    • Close
  • STUFF TO DO
  • TICKETS
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • MASTHEAD
    • ADVERTISE
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • Close
  • BECOME A MEMBER

Dig Bos

The Dig - Boston's Only Newspaper

CURRENT STREET EDITION

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

THE YEAR IN HATING YEAR-END LISTS

Written by CHRIS FARAONE Posted December 20, 2017 Filed Under: COLUMNS, Dear Reader

 

The next couple of weeks, in this publication and in virtually every other outlet as well, will yield an endless flurry of year-end lists. Some will be interesting, a lot will be informative, and more than anything else, they will all be seriously subjective. Or even downright wrong, depending who you ask. As I wrote on Twitter last week, “If there was more integrity in media, year-end Best Of… lists would be Our Favorite… lists. For example, Our Favorite New Restaurants of 2017 instead of The Best New Restaurants, which is pretty darn presumptuous, even obnoxious.”

 

I love year-end lists, especially arcane ones. My favorite of all time was “The Year in Nicolas Cage” by my former Boston Phoenix colleague Eugenia Williamson, while my personal tradition is to round up all the things that have been banned across the country over the past year. What I really can’t stand, however, are compendiums that serve no purpose beyond getting a click for some meaningless site or another, helping temporarily fatten the latest LA- or NY-based “it” pub pumping thousands into social media and pennies into editorial. Keep a lookout for these clowns between now and the end of the year; they’ll be the ones trying to tell you that the best appliances or whatever the fuck else of 2017 all just happen to be made by their sponsors.

 

Look, we’re going to feature a few of these rundowns and lists in the Dig too. We’re even starting this week with a spread by our talented music photographer Tim Bugbee, who pulled out his best shots of the year from venues all around the region for a special feature. But here’s the thing, here’s what I’m trying to say—we aren’t out here claiming that they are the best concert pics of the year or anything else. They’re awesome photos, and I would put them up against anyone else’s, but unless somebody went through every last image snapped at every concert that’s happened since January, they couldn’t possibly make such a superlative determination. It’s purely speculation.

 

Hear me out—I think it’s great that there are so many available options so as to render it truly impossible to ascertain in any meaningful way which creatives should be touted above and beyond their contemporaries. Even though the less enlightened fools among us—especially out in the ’burbs—still worship mainstream garbage, from their music to their movie tastes, thanks to open distribution and platforms that make rare and independent material much easier to access than back the ’90s, way more people have incorporated dignified eclectic sights and sounds into their daily diet. If you don’t believe me, just ask any 10 people under 30 years old who their favorite musicians are, and watch them each give a different response. Some people still worship gods like Taylor Swift and Jay Z, but in a day and age when random podcasts sell out major theaters, there’s very little, entertainmentwise, for those of us who eschew mass market nonsense to whine about.

 

With that said, if someone’s year-end list has the generic likes of a Taylor Swift on it, I at least hope you realize that they are an amateur critic at best, probably know nothing about the innumerable local and underground artists who deserve such acclaim, and aren’t worthy of the time you took to click their link.

CHRIS FARAONE

A Queens, NY native who came to New England in 2004 to earn his MA in journalism at Boston University, Chris Faraone is the editor and co-publisher of DigBoston and a co-founder of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism. He has published several books including 99 Nights with the 99 Percent, and has written liner notes for hip-hop gods including Cypress Hill, Pete Rock, Nas, and various members of the Wu-Tang Clan.

More from author
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    A SHORT DOC ABOUT HOW DIGBOSTON WEATHERED A PANDEMIC YEAR
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    POLITICIANS GET IN LINE TO CALL FOR BOSTON POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY
  • CHRIS FARAONE
    https://digboston.com/author/chris-faraone/
    HOW JULIET HIT A $100K KICKSTARTER GOAL IN 4 DAYS

Filed Under: COLUMNS, Dear Reader Tagged With: Jay Z, Taylor Swift, Year End Lists

WHAT’S NEW

Massachusetts National Guard by The National Guard is licensed under CC BY 2.0

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN

BRIDGES AND BUDGETS: PUTTING THE COUNTRY BACK TOGETHER, FROM BOSTON TO BIDEN

BRIDGES AND BUDGETS: PUTTING THE COUNTRY BACK TOGETHER, FROM BOSTON TO BIDEN

SPECIAL FEATURE: UNCHARTED WATERS

SPECIAL FEATURE: UNCHARTED WATERS

THE OPPONENT: NEWCOMER MCBRIDE TAKES ON BAKER IN D3

THE OPPONENT: NEWCOMER MCBRIDE TAKES ON BAKER IN D3

THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT

THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

PICS & RECAP: JUSTICE 4 DUANTE WRIGHT JUSTICE 4 ALL EMERGENCY RALLY 

Primary Sidebar

HEMPIRE FREEDOM PACK 25% OFF

FEATURED EVENT

Most Popular

  • VACCINE EQUITY NOW! COALITION ASKS BAKER TO ALLOCATE 20% OF NEW DOSES TO HARD HIT COMMUNITIES by ZIQI WANG
  • IF YOU’RE SURPRISED THE BPD CODDLED AN ACCUSED MOLESTER COP, YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION by CHRIS FARAONE
  • THE MYSTERY OF CHEZ TORTONI by CHRISTOPHER EHLERS
  • A FAREWELL TRIBUTE (OF SORTS) TO MARTY WALSH by DIG STAFF
  • THE IMPORTANT ART STOLEN FROM BOSTON THAT NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT by CHRIS FARAONE

READ CURRENT MEMBER EDITION

DIG Member 2.1 – March 2021

READ CURRENT STREET ISSUE

DIG 23.05 – 4/8/21

Footer

digbos

digbos
Putting the country back together, from Boston to Putting the country back together, from Boston to Biden. https://digboston.com/bridges-and-budgets-putting-the-country-back-together-from-boston-to-biden/ #news #analysis #infrastructure #Boston #Massachusetts
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. K CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: DON’T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN. Keep wearing masks and social distancing until public health officials say it’s safe to stop. The latest from DigBoston's @jasonpramas. https://digboston.com/coronavirus-update-dont-let-your-guard-down/ #health #publichealth #mask #vaccine #politics #Boston #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
“My administration is doubling down on our work “My administration is doubling down on our work to stand up the #Boston Office of #Police Accountability and Transparency.” https://digboston.com/politicians-get-in-line-to-call-for-boston-police-accountability/ #politics #Massachusetts
This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s This week is your last chance to hit up Mooby’s in #Boston … https://digboston.com/moobys-boston-how-kevin-smith-has-brought-his-pick-up-experience-to-10-cities-during-the-pandemic/ #fan #popup #fun #restaurant #movie #Massachusetts #snoochieboochies
The group is asking that polices address the dispa The group is asking that polices address the disparities the #data has revealed. https://digboston.com/parents-release-an-analysis-of-boston-public-school-fundraising-inequities/ #education #school #public #study #fundraising #racism #Boston #Massachusetts
“We’re not going to survive for 20 more years “We’re not going to survive for 20 more years if we don’t do this [move to a bigger space].” https://digboston.com/how-juliet-hit-a-100k-kickstarter-goal-in-4-days/ #restaurant #business #food #crowdfund #SomervilleMA #coronavirus #COVID19
EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR EDITORIAL: DIGBOSTON SEEKS CLIMATE IDEAS FOR MAYOR KIM JANEY. Environmental organizations and individual activists invited to submit opinion articles for publication. https://digboston.com/editorial-digboston-seeks-climate-ideas-for-mayor-kim-janey/ #politics @boston_mayor #environment #globalwarming #climate #activist #callforsubmissions #policy #Boston #Massachusetts
“Most are some of my favorite bars or local clas “Most are some of my favorite bars or local classics that I’ve learned to love in my time living in the city. Others just have a great facade that I know would make a great drawing.” https://digboston.com/drawn-but-not-forgotten-local-artist-sketches-beloved-boston-restaurants/ #art #artist #sketch #drawing #Boston #Massachusetts #bar #restaurant
Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors Despite #pandemic hurdles, Mass #music instructors hit new high notes. “My #teaching has gone to another level.” https://digboston.com/the-medium-is-the-maestro/ #education #Massachusetts #coronavirus #COVID19
From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chron From the podcast to the book, Wayne Federman chronicles the business of joke-telling. https://digboston.com/the-history-of-stand-up-from-mark-twain-to-dave-chappelle/ #comedy #history #book #interview #Boston #Massachusetts
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Social Buttons

DigBoston facebook DigBoston Twitter DigBoston Instagram

Masthead

About

Submissions

Advertise

Privacy Policy

Customer Service

Distribution

About Us

DigBoston is a one-stop nexus for everything worth doing or knowing in the Boston area. It's an alt-weekly, it's a website, it's an e-mail blast, it's a twitter account, it's that cool party that you were at last night ... hey, you're reading it, so it's gotta be good. For advertising inquiries: [email protected] To reach Editorial: [email protected] For internship opportunities: [email protected]