From singing about a smoke break to an unusual tribute to John Grant, Guardian writers pick the greatest songs of the year with the smallest of followings
French flirting, flute fusion and love flowin’ free: the best old music we discovered this year
A little crate-digging can yield buried treasure – as our music writers found this year when they discovered everything from Taiwanese pop star to Cher’s disco era
‘I was captivated and in awe’: readers’ favourite theatre of 2024
A towering turn from John Lithgow, musicals in Birmingham and Manchester, and Sarah Snook’s one-woman Wilde were among the year’s standout shows
And the 2024 Braddies go to … Peter Bradshaw’s film picks of the year
Now the Guardian’s Top 50 countdown, as voted for by the whole film team, has announced its No 1, here are our chief critic’s personal choices, in no particular order
