Music & Culture

Music & Culture

Looking Back To Move Forward: Celebrating Jazz Artists We Lost in 2016

2:06pm December 28, 2016

by Katie Simon

Jazz lost great players in 2016, including Paul Bley, Gato Barbieri and three musicians we're profiling — vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, harmonica player Toots Thielemans and bassist Victor Bailey.

Music & Culture

The Thistle & Shamrock: A Festive Celtic Celebration

1:06pm December 28, 2016

Mark the season by exploring festive songs, carols and dances from traditions old and new.

Christian Lopez Band performs live for Mountain Stage in Charleston, W.Va.

Music & Culture

Christian Lopez Band On Mountain Stage

12:47pm December 28, 2016

The up-and-coming Americana outfit plays songs from its debut album, Onward, live in West Virginia.

Music & Culture

My bubba, 'Letter' (Live At Pickathon)

12:00pm December 28, 2016

by Rachel Horn

The Scandinavian duo played this hushed folk song at the Oregon summer festival's Lucky Barn stage, a venue for performances that invite you to perk up your ears and listen closely.

George Michael, seen here performing in September 2012, died this week. Among other things, the man could wear a suit.

The Individualism And Fist-Pumping Of George Michael's 'Freedom '90'

11:46am December 28, 2016

by Linda Holmes

In the wake of the death of George Michael, we take a moment to appreciate "Freedom '90," not his biggest hit, but an irresistible mix of independence and vulnerability.

Queue Listen Now

Clockwise from upper left: Paul McCartney, Jonny Greenwood, Aurora, Danny Brown, Lisa Hannigan

Music & Culture

Our Favorite Interviews Of 2016

11:30am December 28, 2016

Here's a second chance to listen to inspiring conversations with veteran musicians like Paul McCartney and Jonny Greenwood, as well as newer visionaries like AURORA and Danny Brown.

Listeners of our NPR One app rated these stories as the most liked, recommended and shared in 2016.

The Stories NPR One Listeners Loved The Most In 2016

9:36am December 28, 2016

by Tamar Charney

Listeners of our NPR One app rated these 10 stories as the most liked, recommended and shared in 2016.

The Naqsh Duo's debut album is called Narrante.

Music & Culture

Songs We Love: Naqsh Duo, 'Parlando'

9:00am December 28, 2016

by Tom Huizenga

Borrowing from Persian music and American jazz, two Iranian women come together to create a singular sound.

NPR Music critic Ann Powers says David Bowie's Blackstar "carries us into the next realm but at the same time violently engages with the struggle to live and to die."

Music & Culture

On The Enduring Power Of David Bowie's Parting Gift

4:36am December 28, 2016

by NPR Staff

Blackstar, the album Bowie released days before his death in January, set the tone for a fraught year. "This was an album that many of us returned to to cope with 2016," says NPR's Ann Powers.

Music & Culture

Remembering The Members Of The Red Army Choir

4:10pm December 27, 2016

Among those killed on a Russian plane that crashed this weekend were 64 members of the Red Army Choir. We hear some of the group's greatest music.