The most-read New York Groove stories of 2025

It's Christmas, which means you're most likely huddled with friends or family or otherwise not super interested in reading emails. Hell we're not super interested in sending them which is why I actually wrote most of this over the weekend. But as part of today's posting armistice, Team Groove wanted to take a brief look back at what you, our readers, turned into our most popular stories of the year.

I think the list reflects an engaged and curious readership base, which I consider something of a brag. Our top-trafficked stories this year showed that you were all interested in the way the city has worked and currently works, stuff you can only go out and go see around here and that you had a sense of humor. Also a couple things went viral and hey, who doesn't love that for us?

We'll be back with you in a more real way next Thursday, even though that's America's Official Hangover Day. After all there's a new mayor starting that day, we've all got work to do.

10. Let's dance: The 21st-Century NYC Songs Bracket is here

This was fun, both to argue among the staff and to see people react to our choices. There were some genuine upsets (Gogol Bordello took out Taylor Swift and Awkwafina), "Empire State of Mind" went way farther than we would have thought and Zellnor Myrie wound up sharing a lot of insights on the bracket. In light of Zohran Mamdani's shock upset, it's kind of funny that "New York I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down" won, but when we did our March Madness bracket no one knew that the politics of optimism were about to take a baseball bat to the politics of fear.

9. Society broke down and all, but you really still need to stop at red lights

Tim fucking hates the way people drive around here, and clearly you all did too. And you should! Stop at the goddamn red light, that's what it is there for!

8. Quiz: How much of a real New Yorker are you?

I am still laughing at these questions and answers we came up with, and also at the fact that someone in our Instagram comments accused us of nativism for doing this quiz.

7. What’s the real reason your ConEd bills have been skyrocketing?

A long and fascinating look at a question that fortunately has an easy answer: "divorce our city’s energy grid from fossil fuels entirely." That's easy, right?

6. The secret to winning New York City elections is actually liking New York City

The election analysis none of us actually expected to write. Reading this right now will actually bring you some extra warmth from remembering how good it felt to send Andrew Cuomo to Hell.

5. Whatever happened to $1 oysters?

A lazy reporter can just throw together some Yelp information and send us an invoice (note to freelancers: do not attempt this with us). Kate not only told you where to get cheap oysters but why it's harder than ever to find them.

4. 'Snarlboros' and 'The Pangea Post': Inside the MTA-sanctioned dinosaur bodega

This really is such an adorable installation. Some friends and I saw it it for the first time a few weeks ago, and there was a nice little moment of a pack of 40-year-old men marveling at it at the same time that a little kid was also enjoying it.

3. Happy 400th birthday New York! Or 361st? Who knows!

As Gothamist has shown with the "111th or 112th mayor?" controversy, the city's extremely loose interpretation of its own history is just another great part about living here.

2. Sauronhenge is calling. Are you ready?

Everything about this, from getting the pitch to reading the exacting math in the copy to showing up and witnessing it all happen was such a thrill. You really never know what's just happening up there in the sky.

1. Chanting ‘Danny DeVito,’ Italians for Zohran tell protesters to get over Columbus already

The signs and quotes that Tim came back with protest were such howlers. One of, if not the silliest election moment of 2025, if only every culture warrior dipshit was met with this kind of counterweight of derision.