2024’s Top Tweets of the Year from First Read Tonight

There were some shakeups in the social media landscape this year. Threads was Apple’s No. 2 free app of 2024, and Bluesky was the most downloaded app for a short time after the November election because people left X in droves. Despite “tweets” no longer existing, Top Tweet endures as the capstone of City & State’s First Read Tonight newsletter. Here are some of the highlights from a year of standout posts.

Top Tweeters

City & State’s reporters and editors are also readers of the fine work at other publications. We learn from the expertise and knowledge of other reporters, as well as often appreciating their wit and humor in Top Tweet. Don’t call it a dynasty quite yet, but for the second year in a row, the title of Top Tweeter goes to reporter Katie Honan of The City. Her constant presence at City Hall and dogged reporting on the Adams administration has provided a lot of fodder to also chronicle the lighter moments online.

1. Katie Honan, Reporter, The City – 12

T2. Jon Campbell, Reporter, WNYC and Gothamist – 11

T2. Jeff Coltin, Reporter, Politico New York – 11

4. Emily Ngo, Reporter, Politico New York – 6

T5. David Brand, Reporter, WNYC and Gothamist – 5

T5. Dave Colon, Reporter, Streetsblog New York City – 5

Government Excellence in Tweeting

It’s not often that a government account makes it into the Top 10, but the New York City Department of Sanitation cleaned up the city with containerization, and cleaned up in this category with five Top Tweets in 2024.

Quotes that go hard

Take a swing

Where’d it go?

The “Eric Adams Crime Family” X account was required reading for reporters trying to follow the latest raids, firings, resignations and indictments in the Adams administration. Somehow, the account had scoops before most reporters, until it disappeared one day.

And just like that -- as mysteriously as the "Eric Adams Crime Family" account appeared, so too did it vanish. pic.twitter.com/7XV9qQyph1

— Evan Simko-Bednarski (@simko_bednarski) October 20, 2024

New feature?

City & State is always looking for new ideas to freshen up our newsletters, and if we were looking to replace Top Tweet one day, Mitch Schwartz’s “Today’s pleasing subway fact” would be a lovely option.