You've reached the homepage of Maura Johnston.
I'm a writer and editor who teaches at Boston College. I live in Boston with my cat, Nuno.
I've written about music and culture for 20 years, with pieces published in The New York Times, Time, The Boston Globe, and Rolling Stone, among others. In 2013 I founded the culture periodical Maura Magazine.
I'm an adjunct instructor in the journalism department at Boston College, where I teach two classes: Writing About Popular Music and Journalism and New Media.
I was a founding editor of the music blog Idolator and served as the music editor at The Village Voice.
I went to undergrad at Northwestern University; my graduation speakers were Bill Cosby and Rahm Emanuel, if you want the gist of how different times were back then.
• Adele Shows Why She Connects With Her Audience (Boston Globe): Adele's show at TD Garden balanced kaffee-klatsch camraderie with tearful breakup tracks.
• On Against Me!'s latest, romantic truths in a punk key (Boston Globe): A review of the lovestruck new album by Against Me!
• Kanye West puts on an electric show at TD Garden (Boston Globe): Kanye West positioned himself like a god on the Saint Pablo Tour.
• The Art Of Avoiding Eggs (Extra Crispy): Why eggs are gross.
• How Dierks Bentley Became Country's Most Relatable Star (Esquire): Into the vinyl deeps with regular guy (who happens to fly himself to and from work) Dierks Bentley.
I'm working on getting up a more comprehensive archive, but for now, Google News has other recent clips.
My DJ history stretches from Chicago to Princeton to Boston, with a couple of one-off stops in towns like Clemson, South Carolina. Currently, I DJ on WZBC, my left-of-the-dial home since 2013. You can find my playlists at Spinitron; recent shows are available for streaming at the ZBC archive.
I also can DJ your party or event. Get in touch.
I've been interviewed on NPR and WBUR's On Point, and I'm a frequent guest on the CBC's Day 6. My most recent appearance discusses Canada's Polaris Music Prize.
I've been an extra in three music videos.
I calm down my cat with the Rockabye Baby! series. (The Van Halen one is especially effective.)
I am at a stage in my life where I'm comfortable calling myself a "lifetime Gap shopper." At least until capitalism crumbles, etc.
maura.com, the domain, turned 20 in 2016, which is why I'm finally updating this page after so long. (Thanks to TJ Connelly for the design, ahem, inspiration.)