10 most popular posts of the year
Billy Joel, Superman and Paul Revere made the list
In Japan, millions rise early to greet the sun on New Year’s Day. In the U.S., thousands of “Polar Bears” plunge into their local body of frigid water, bracing for the 12 months ahead. My preferred New Year’s ritual is to stay up late, watch the televised festivities from Times Square and enjoy the final entry in the Classical Countdown.
New York radio station WQXR asks listeners to vote for their favorite pieces and then plays the winners over several days, with the number one selection ringing out as the ball comes down at One Times Square. It is invariably Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with its “Ode to Joy.”
What’s the point? It’s a comforting ritual. You hear superb pieces composed centuries ago, often performed by long dead artists. For a moment, it seems as if the world hasn’t really changed in the past year — and will endure this way forever.
The reality of 2025 is that the world was — perhaps even more than usual — in rapid flux. It’s been a priv…
