The past year was filled with spectacular finales, so it’s no surprise that endings show up frequently on New York’s list of the most-read stories in 2021. As Donald Trump exited the White House, readers dove into analysis of his presidency and reporting on its lethal crescendo on January 6. On the culture front, they gravitated toward razor-sharp analysis of Kim and Kanye’s split and reporting that helped expose Scott Rudin’s allegedly abusive workplace behavior, which led to the megaproducer stepping back from his projects. And as we all wondered when the COVID-19 pandemic would finally end, New York published a meticulously researched cover story on a then-underconsidered theory about its true origin.
This list, which is measured by total collective minutes of audience engagement, is just a small sample of the work New York puts out each day in print, across its six digital sites — Intelligencer, the Cut, Vulture, Grub Street, the Strategist, and Curbed — and in its growing portfolio of newsletters. For more of all of it, be sure to sign up for One Great Story, our daily recommendation newsletter, and to subscribe.
January 6
20. Gina. Rosanne. Guy.
What do you do the day after you storm the Capitol? Read the story ➼
Power
19. Katie Couric Is Not for Everyone
The legendary anchor has written a wild, unflinching memoir. Does that make her a bad person? Read the story ➼
Politics
18. The Political Life of Dr. Oz
His campaign to be the next Republican senator from Pennsylvania is facing one major problem: Republicans in Pennsylvania. Read the story ➼
A Long Talk
17. Mike White Accepts the Criticism
The White Lotus creator understands if you feel conflicted about that ending. So does he. Read the story ➼
The National Interest
16. An Ex-KGB Agent Says Trump Was a Russian Asset Since 1987. Does It Matter?
Revisiting the Trump-Russia mystery in light of recent revelations. Read the story ➼
Andrew Cuomo
15. Abuse and Power
Andrew Cuomo’s governorship has been defined by cruelty that disguised chronic mismanagement. Why was that celebrated for so long? Read the story ➼
Power
14. The Tiger Mom and the Hornet’s Nest
For two decades, Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld were Yale Law power brokers. A new generation wants to see them exiled. Read the story ➼
Celebrity
13. The End of Kimye’s Wild Ride
She thought he was an artistic genius. He wanted to “dip her ass in gold.” And now it’s over. Read the story ➼
Power
12. Marilyn Manson ‘Almost Destroyed Me’
Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco says her relationship with the singer left her with physical scars and PTSD. Read the story ➼
Crime
11. How Sara Gruen Lost Her Life
The Water for Elephants author’s six-year fight to free an incarcerated man left her absolutely broke and critically ill. Read the story ➼
Let there be Kronk
10. ‘We’ll Never Make That Kind of Movie Again’
An oral history of The Emperor’s New Groove, a raucous Disney animated film that almost never happened. Read the story ➼
The Industry
9. Scott Rudin, As Told by His Assistants
A portrait of a toxic workplace. Read the story ➼
End-Times
8. Trump Is on the Verge of Losing Everything
A broken president leaves the White House twice impeached, on the brink of bankruptcy, and criminally exposed. Read the story ➼
The National Interest
7. Tom Brady Joins Biden to Laugh at Trump in Worst Day of Trump’s Life
The sum of all Trump fears. Read the story ➼
The Swamp
6. Senior Trump Official: We Were Wrong, He’s a ‘Fascist’
“The legacy of the Trump administration is going to be that the president sparked an insurrection and people died.” Read the story ➼
Gotcha! Gotcha Again!
5. Okay, Let’s Talk About Behind Her Eyes’ Double Twist Ending
That final reveal gives some of what comes before greater context, but that doesn’t mean it’s good context. Read the story ➼
Spooky
4. We Spoke to the New Yorker Who Found a Whole Apartment Behind Her Bathroom Mirror
“I was kind of expecting there to be somebody.” Read the story ➼
First Person
3. Rachel Lindsay Has No Roses Left to Burn
I thought I could change The Bachelor franchise from within. Until I realized I was their token. Read the story ➼
Get Out
2. The Nightmare Share
She posted an ad for a roommate. What’s the worst that could happen? Read the story ➼
Investigations
1. The Lab-Leak Hypothesis
For decades, scientists have been hot-wiring viruses in hopes of preventing a pandemic, not causing one. But what if …? Read the story ➼
