Puerto Rico's 'Singing Newspapers'
Folks are beginning to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Maria, and for Puerto Rico's plena musicians, it means rebuilding a sense of culture and community.
Music & Culture
Antonio Sánchez Brings Electronics and Politics To 'Bad Hombre'
The jazz drummer shares why he opens his latest album with a recitation by his grandfather, "the ultimate bad hombre."
Ibeyi On Spirituality And Joy In 'Ash'
The French-Cuban twins of Ibeyi are back with Ash, a new record that confronts themes of womanhood, racism and faith.
Troker Expands Horizons With Integrity Intact
The Mexican jazz band's new single displays their heady mix of jazz, rock, electronics and hip-hop.
Mokoomba On Mountain Stage
Hear the Zimbabwean Afro-fusion band blends traditional rhythms with funk, ska and soukous in their Mountain Stage debut.
New Mix: The Breeders, Torres, Ibeyi, Tom Petty, More
We open with a song of healing from Brooklyn band Florist, continuing with the French-Cuban palette of Ibeyi and finishing by honoring Tom Petty.
'Afrobeats' Offers A Sensual Blend Of Electronics, Vocals And Rhythms
A new collection mashes-up Jamaican dancehall, soca, hip-hop and polyrhythms from Ghana and Nigeria. Critic Milo Miles says Afrobeats Hot Hits is a "seductive invitation to dance."
Tom Petty Was Rock's Everyman
His songs could sound tortured, weary, angry, knowing, defiant. But Tom Petty's music also possessed a great capacity for hard-won warmth.
Your Favorite Tom Petty Songs
Tom Petty's recorded legacy spans nearly 50 years — from classic-rock standards to deep cuts that hit hard. Hear a crowd-sourced playlist and read reminiscences from the NPR Music staff.
Tom Petty To 'Fresh Air': 'The Songs Mean A Lot To People, And It Means A Lot To Me'
Petty, who died Monday night, spoke with Terry Gross in 2006 about the seeds of his Hall Of Fame career: "We always wanted very much to create our own sound."