Music & Culture

Music & Culture

New Bethany Beardslee Release Heralds The Golden Age Of German And Viennese Singers

1:43pm July 31, 2018

by Lloyd Schwartz

Though known for her avant-garde concert performances, the 92-year-old soprano recorded songs by 19th-century classical composers, including Schubert, Schumann and Brahms, when she was turning 60.

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Band member Joe Agius using tour equipment.

Music & Culture

Hatchie Takes Fans Along For The Ride With An Intimate Tour Diary

12:22pm July 31, 2018

by Harriette Pilbeam

The Australian band's sound is riddled with early 2000's vibes reminiscent of Beanie Babies and low rise jeans. A reemergence of that sound is exactly what the band's homeland of Australia needed.

Music & Culture

Tim Hecker's 'This Life' Maps Japanese Classical Music Onto Digital Emotions

10:43am July 31, 2018

by Lars Gotrich

The ambient composer's new album, Konoyo, was largely recorded in Japan with an ensemble of gagaku performers, adapting the country's most ancient form of music through digital processing.

Fantastic Negrito performing at the 2018 Newport Folk Festival

Music & Culture

Fantastic Negrito, Live In Concert: Newport Folk 2018

10:18am July 31, 2018

by Lyndsey McKenna

Friday's incisive performance, rich with raging guitar and explosive organ, marked Fantastic Negrito's first appearance at Newport and his first in Rhode Island.

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs during her performance at the 2013 Sweetlife Food and Music Festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.

Music & Culture

'Women Are Not One Thing': The 2018 Turning The Tables List Shines With Diversity

8:28am July 31, 2018

NPR Music's Sidney Madden and Marissa Lorusso explore the diversity and staying power found in the songs on NPR Music's list of the 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+.

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Missy Elliot performs at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2003

Music & Culture

Women On The Verge: At The End Of The '90s, A Few Artists Set The Stage For A New Era

8:24am July 31, 2018

by Ann Powers

Though they emerged in the 1990s, the impact of musicians like Missy Elliott, Britney Spears, Gillian Welch and Lauryn Hill can be felt all over our list of the greatest songs of the 21st century.

Channel Tres, whose self-titled debut EP was released July 27 through Godmode.

Music & Culture

After Narrowly Avoiding A Career In EDM, Channel Tres Is Ready To Work

8:02am July 31, 2018

by Andrew Flanagan

"I'm having a good rookie season," Channel Tres tells NPR after two very promising singles. But the L.A. artist says it's not quite time to celebrate.

Music & Culture

The Love Affair Between Toto And Weezer Continues

6:43am July 31, 2018

After Weezer covered Toto's hit "Africa," it has blown up on the radio this summer. Now Toto is returning the gesture with plans to release a cover of Weezer's song "Hash Pipe."

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Courtney Barnett at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. on July 24, 2018.

Music & Culture

Tell Me How You Really Feel: A Conversation With Courtney Barnett

5:00am July 31, 2018

The singer and guitarist fields comments from listeners about her music and talks about the ways her songs can be interpreted.

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Members of the gospel group The Edwin Hawkins Singers pose for a portrait circa 1975.

Music & Culture

The Story Of The Edwin Hawkins Singers' 'Oh Happy Day'

7:16pm July 30, 2018

by Alex Lewis

Edwin Hawkins' use of contemporary sounds, a Latin groove, synthesizers and a soul-influenced lead vocal performance created a new model for gospel music.