Maura Johnston

{{short description|American journalist}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Maura Johnston

| image = Maura Johnston.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Johnston in 2013

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|5|28}}

| birth_place = Syosset, New York, United States

| nationality = American

| occupation = Music critic, music journalist

| alma_mater = Northwestern University

| known_for =

| years_active = 1997–present

| website = {{URL|http://www.maura.com/}}

}}

Maura K. Johnston (born May 28, 1975) is a writer, editor and music critic. A member of Boston College's journalism faculty, she has written for Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Pitchfork, The Awl, The New York Times, Spin and The Guardian.

Johnston was a founding editor of Gawker Media's Idolator, where she worked until November 2009.{{cite web |url=http://idolator.com/5290342/its-time-for-me-to-say-goodbye |title=It's Time (For Me) To Say Goodbye |publisher=Idolator |date=November 9, 2009 |access-date=September 29, 2014 |author=Johnston, Maura}} In April 2011, she became the music editor of The Village Voice,{{cite news |url=http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/03/please_welcome_10.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318052145/http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2011/03/please_welcome_10.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 18, 2011 |title=Please Welcome Maura Johnston, Your New Village Voice Music Editor |work=The Village Voice |date=March 14, 2011 |access-date=May 10, 2018 |author=Harvilla, Rob}} holding that position until September 2012.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1083762/maura-johnston-leaves-village-voice |title=Maura Johnston Leaves Village Voice |magazine=Billboard |date=September 14, 2012 |access-date=September 29, 2014}} In 2013, she launched the culture periodical Maura Magazine, which was published by 29th Street Publishing through 2015.{{cite journal |url=https://kottke.org/13/01/maura-magazine-launches |title=Maura Magazine launches |journal=kottke.org |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=May 10, 2018}}

She is an adjunct professor at Boston College, which named her the inaugural Institute for Liberal Arts Journalism Fellow in 2013.{{cite news |url=http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/publications/chronicle/FeaturesNewsTopstories/2013/news/johnston-journalism-fellow.html |title=Digital Media Pioneer Johnston Is First ILA Journalism Fellow |work=The Boston College Chronicle |date=August 1, 2013 |access-date=September 29, 2014 |author=Smith, Sean}} From 2010 to 2013, she taught at New York University's Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

Johnston is involved with Boston College's non-commercial radio station WZBC as a DJ and advisory board member and has DJed at WNUR and WPRB. She has discussed music and popular culture on NPR, WNYC, WBUR and CBC Radio. She has appeared in a handful of music videos, including Speedy Ortiz's "The Graduates",{{cite web |url=http://www.vanyaland.com/2015/04/21/watch-speedy-ortiz-and-some-familiar-faces-trip-out-at-the-allston-diner-in-the-graduates/ |title=Watch Speedy Ortiz and some familiar faces trip out at the Allston Diner in 'The Graduates' |publisher=Vanyaland |access-date= April 22, 2015 |author= Marotta, Michael|date=21 April 2015 }} and contributed violin and viola to records by artists including Lefty's Deceiver and Kincaid.{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/maura-johnston-mn0001895876 |title=Maura Johnston |website=AllMusic |access-date= May 10, 2018}}

A native of Hicksville, New York, Johnston graduated from Northwestern University in 1997.