Music & Culture

Music & Culture

A term for popular a reggaeton dance is added to Spanish-language dictionary

6:56am December 06, 2023

The Spanish Royal Academy has added "perreo" to its dictionary, but the term's been around for decades. The move puts a spotlight on the dance and its significance in reggaetón music.

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Music & Culture

Denny Laine, co-founder of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney's Wings, dies at 79

10:26pm December 05, 2023

by The Associated Press

Laine joined Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder to form the Moody Blues and sang lead on the group's first hit, "Go Now." His death comes 50 years after the release of McCartney's "Band on the Run" album.

Music & Culture

The 50 Best Albums of 2023

7:10pm December 05, 2023

The album's not dead! Want proof? NPR Music's list of the best albums of 2023 features masterworks by veterans, newcomers, iconoclasts and at least one supergroup.

Brenda Lee attends the CMA Awards at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8. Her holiday hit "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 65 years after its debut.

'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. 1 — after 65 years

5:22pm December 05, 2023

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Move over, Mariah Carey: Brenda Lee's reliable holiday hit, first released during the Eisenhower administration, is the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 — for the first time ever.

A review of 'Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé' from NPR's 'It's Been a Minute'

5:07pm December 05, 2023

NPR's It's Been a Minute reviews megastar Beyoncé Knowles-Carter's film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.

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Music & Culture

Vote for the best albums of 2023

8:57am December 05, 2023

by Robin Hilton

It's time once again to look back at all the incredible new music we got in 2023. So, we want to know: What were your favorite albums (or EPs) released this past year?

Music & Culture

Brenda Lee's classic 'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' finally topped the charts

6:42am December 05, 2023

Lee recorded the song in 1958 when she was 13 — it topped Billboard's Hot 100 for the first time thanks to a new video starring Lee that was produced to coincide with the song's 65th anniversary.

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Cher's Christmas album tops the charts

5:38pm December 04, 2023

Cher recently spoke with NPR's Scott Simon about her first holiday music album. "DJ Play a Christmas Song" has since hit Number 1 on two Billboard charts.

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Taylor Swift celebrates a touchdown during the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers game at Arrowhead Stadium on Oct. 22 in Kansas City, Mo.

If Taylor Swift is living in Kansas City, here's what locals say she should know

11:28am December 04, 2023

by Gabe Rosenberg

Even if you don't know burnt ends from a short end, here's a (brief!) introduction for Taylor Swift and the rest of the world to understanding Kansas City and what makes it so enchanting.

The Kennedy Center Honorees, pictured L-R top row: Queen Latifah and Barry Gibb. L-R bottom row: Renée Fleming, Billy Crystal, and Dionne Warwick. The 46th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will air Dec. 27 on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+.

Queen Latifah, Billy Crystal and others celebrated at Kennedy Center Honors

11:09am December 04, 2023

by Elizabeth Blair

Billy Crystal, Dionne Warwick, Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, Renée Fleming and Queen Latifah were given the star treatment as they received their Kennedy Center Honors.

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