Ah, the end of the year. A time when music critics and publications far and wide argue, debate, and nitpick to whittle down all of the music they listened to during the year into a numbered list of “The Best.” This year, City Paper eschews the normal compilation of the “Best Recordings of the Year”—a fun, if arbitrary exercise—in lieu of something more personal: a breakdown, by genre, of our favorite releases, shows, and moments in local music. —Matt Cohen

The Year in Jazz

The Year in Punk

The Year in Hip-Hop

The Year in Electronic

The Year in Metal

The Year in Go-Go

The Year in Weird