NPR Music

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Channel • 3 Shows

Music

Music

Updated twice weekly
Music

Music

Updated twice weekly
Music

Music

Updated weekly

5 DAYS AGO

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23

Lucinda Williams. Julian Lage. The debut from rising Americana star Kashus Culpepper. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Jessie Scott from WMOT in Nashville about the best new albums out Friday, Jan. 23. The Starting 5 (00:00) Intro: Cat Power, 'Redux' EP(02:14) Lucinda Williams, 'World's Gone Wrong'(07:36) Carolina Chocolate Drops, 'Genuine Negro Jig' (15th Anniversary Edition)(15:19) Kashus Culpepper, 'Act I'(20:00) The Lowest Pair, 'Always As Young As We'll Ever Be'(25:29) Julian Lage, 'Scenes From Above' The Lightning Round - Ari Lennox, 'Vacancy'- Sammy Brue, 'The Journals'- V/A, 'Naive Melodies'- Della Mae, 'Magic Accident' Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist on NPR.org. CreditsHost: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Jessie Scott, WMOTAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

5 days ago

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37 min
21 JAN

Alt.Latino: Rawayana on their new album and a changing Venezuela

Sometimes life imitates art - or at least the two can seem eerily connected. On Jan. 1, the Venezuelan band Rawayana released a new album, '¿Dónde Es El After?,' which began with a lyric that many interpreted as a wish for their country's leadership to be gone. A few days later, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was ousted from power and seized by American forces. For this week's episode, we chat with Fofo Story and Beto Montenegro of Rawayana to hear how the album came together, where its sonic influences lie, and how they're reflecting on the seismic changes underway in their home country. (00:00) Intro(01:54) How they decided to open the album(06:26) On the song 'Qué Rico PR!'(09:36) Caribbean influences growing up(13:41) Childhood love for merenhouse(16:13) Adapting tonada folk music(21:58) Reflections on Venezuela in this moment This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

21 Jan

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26 min
23/12/2025

A very tolerable Christmas, 2025

We take a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin in our annual search for the true spirit of the season. And, of course, we meet some special guests along the way. Thanks for another amazing year, and happy holidays! Listen to the songs featured on this episode and more in our holiday playlist in Apple Music and Spotify. Tell a friend about the show and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

23/12/2025

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50 min
16 JAN

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16

Ya Tseen. The Sha La Das. A mesmerizing collaboration between Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Alex Newman from KMHD in Portland to chat about the best albums out Friday, January 16. The Starting 5 (00:00) Intro & A$AP Rocky, 'Don't Be Dumb'(02:36) Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore, 'Tragic Magic'(07:43) The Sha La Das, 'Your Picture'(15:33) Ya Tseen, 'Stand On My Shoulders'(21:53) Shaking Hand, 'Shaking Hand'(27:43) Tyler Ramsey & Carl Broemel, 'Celestun' The Lightning Round • Craig Taborn, Tomeka Reid & Ches Smith, 'Dream Archives'• Courtney Marie Andrews, 'Valentine'• Diogo Strausz, 'Dance Para Se'• Oxis, 'Oxis 8'• Nate Smith, 'LIVE-ACTION (Deluxe)' Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist on NPR.org. Credits: Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Alex Newman, KMHDAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Elle MannionEditor: Otis HartExecutive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

16 Jan

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39 min
28/11/2025

New Music Friday: Record Store Day Black Friday 2025

There's 177 new special edition physical releases out today, so go support your local music purveyor. On this abbreviated version of 'New Music Friday,' host Stephen Thompson shares a taste of what's waiting for you. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

28/11/2025

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7 min
16/12/2025

Songs that hit hard in 2025

NPR listeners share the one song that hit them the hardest this year, and tell us why they laughed, cried, or simply couldn’t stop listening to it. Featured songs and artists:1. Annie DiRusso: "Back In Town," from Super Pedestrian 2. Tunde Adebimpe: "Drop," from Thee Black Boltz 3. Brandi Carlile: "You Without Me," from Returning To Myself 4. Bad Bunny: "DtMF," from DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS 5. Of Monsters And Men: "The End," from All Is Love And Pain In The Mouse Parade 6. Eph See: "Malachi The Uber Driver" (unreleased single) 7. Audra McDonald: "Rose's Turn," from Gypsy 8. Big Thief: "Los Angeles," from Double Infinity 9. Flock Of Dimes: "Afraid," from The Life You Save 10. Ben Rector: "Forever (Doesn't Quite Seem Long Enough)," from The Richest Man In The World Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

16/12/2025

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40 min
27/05/2025

10 years later, Sufjan Stevens offers a startling reevaluation of 'Carrie & Lowell'

In a conversation with All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton, Stevens shares a complex and conflicted view of the album he wrote about his mother in the wake of her death from cancer. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

27/05/2025

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39 min
05/12/2025

New Music Friday: The best albums out Dec. 5

Dove Ellis. Melody's Echo Chamber. Editors' Tom Smith. Erin Wolf of Radio Milwaukee joins Stephen Thompson to discuss those albums and more on our last episode of New Music Friday this year. The Starting 5: Dove Ellis, Blizzard Melody's Echo Chamber, Unclouded Tom Smith, There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light TEED, Always With Me Voices from the Lake, II The Lightning Round: HTRK, String of Hearts (Songs of HTRK) Ben Marc, Who Cares Wins Isobel Waller-Bridge, Objects Mother Soki, Fantasy EP Prins Thomas, Thomas Moen Hermansen See our long list of albums out December 5 and sample dozens of them via our New Music Friday playlist on npr.org. Credits: Host: Stephen Thompson Guest: Erin Wolf, Radio Milwaukee Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell Digital Producer: Elle Mannion Editor: Otis Hart Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

05/12/2025

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38 min
09/12/2025

The Best Songs of 2025

When the dust settles on 2025, what songs will remain in heavy rotation? We look back at a dizzying amount of music and share some of our picks for the best tracks of the year. What you'll hear in this episode is an incredibly incomplete list that obviously just scratches the surface of all the incredible music that came out this year. For a more comprehensive breakdown of what we loved in 2025, check out NPR Music’s list of the 125 best songs. Artists and songs featured on this episode:1. Dijon: “Yamaha,” from ‘Baby’2. Nourished By Time: “Max Potential,” from ‘The Passionate Ones’3. Patrick Watson: “Peter and the Wolf,” from ‘Uh Oh’4. FKA twigs: “Room of Fools,” from ‘EUSEXUA’5. PinkPantheress: “Stateside,” from ‘Fancy That’6. Asher White: “Beers with my name on them,” from ‘8 Tips for Full Catastrophe Living’7. Wednesday: “Townies,” from ‘Bleeds’8. Gabriel Jacoby: “the one,” from ‘gutta child’9. Olafur Arnalds & Talos: “We Didn’t Know We Were Ready (feat. Niamh Regan & Ye Vagabonds),” from ‘A Dawning’ Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

09/12/2025

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42 min
04/11/2025

New songs to calm the nerves: 2025

Our fourth installment of music to slow the blood is a mix of all-new releases from this year, from the world-building, ambient sounds of Ozbolt and Klein to the hope, optimism and good company found in the music of Samia, Hand Habits, KeiyaA and more. NPR Music’s Dora Levite and Sheldon Pearce join host Robin Hilton. Featured songs and artists: 1. Kieren Hebden & William Tyler: “Secret City,” from ‘41 Longfield Street Late ‘80s’2. Cassandra Jenkins: “Only Relaxation,” from ‘My Light, My Massage Parlor’3. David Cordero & anthené: “Humedal,” from ‘Let One Bird Sing’4. KeiyaA: “stupid prizes,” from ‘hooke’s law’5. Annahstasia: Unrest,” from ‘Tether’6. Klein: “it is what it is in d minor,” from ‘sleep with a cane’7. Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke: “The Spirit,” from ‘Tall Tales’8. Hand Habits: “Jasmine Blossoms,” from ‘Blue Reminder’9. Ozbolt: “Harkerville Coastal Trail,” from ‘Chasyng Drakens’10. Samia: “Pool (Stripped),” from ‘The Baby (5th Anniversary Edition)’11. The Armed: “I Steal What I Want,” from ‘The Future Is Here And Everything Needs To Be Destroyed’12. Stars of the Lid: “Goodnight,” from ‘Music for Nitrous Oxide (30 Year Anniversary 2025 Remaster)' Enjoy the show? Send it to a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

04/11/2025

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46 min

Support NPR's exploration of all things music and unlock bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening to All Songs Considered+ and Alt.Latino+ in one convenient NPR Music subscription. Learn more at plus.npr.org/nprmusic

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NPR Music

Top Shows

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23

Alt.Latino: Rawayana on their new album and a changing Venezuela

A very tolerable Christmas, 2025

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16

New Music Friday: Record Store Day Black Friday 2025

Songs that hit hard in 2025

10 years later, Sufjan Stevens offers a startling reevaluation of 'Carrie & Lowell'

New Music Friday: The best albums out Dec. 5

The Best Songs of 2025

New songs to calm the nerves: 2025

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