Music & Culture

Animal Collective's new album, Painting With, comes out Feb. 19.

Music & Culture

Animal Collective Walks In The Beach Boys' Footsteps (Literally)

9:15am February 14, 2016

by NPR Staff

The band usually road tests its songs before recording them, But for the new album Painting With, they started in a studio — specifically, the acoustically stunning room where Pet Sounds was created.

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This Valentine's Day, if you're feeling lonely, just remember: It could be worse. You could be the protagonist in a "splatter platter" love song — and, you know, probably dead already.

Music & Culture

Alternative Love Songs From The Teenage Tragedy Vault

9:11am February 14, 2016

by NPR Staff

If Valentines aren't your thing, we have a selection of love songs from the 50s and 60s to keep you sane. Writer and critic Colin Fleming takes us inside the teenage tragedy genre.

Paul McCartney has composed love-themed audible emoji.

Music & Culture

Oh! Darling: Sir Paul's Audible Emoji For Your Valentine

5:26am February 14, 2016

by Naomi LaChance

The former Beatle composed 10 five-second jingles to accompany Skype's love-themed emojis. They feature the sounds of his voice, a Moog synthesizer, guitar, harpsichord and other instruments.

Music & Culture

Across The Blue Ridge - Episode 7 (Cultural and Musical Crossroads)

7:48pm February 13, 2016

by Paul Brown

The story of American traditional music is one of intertwined cultures. This week host Paul Brown guides us along a fascinating trail of old time mountain music, country blues, gospel and blu

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Rokia Traoré's new album is called Né So.

Music & Culture

Rokia Traoré's Commitment To Her Culture

9:12am February 13, 2016

In spite of civil war, Mali has produced extraordinary artists and music. NPR's Linda Wertheimer speaks with one of the country's stars about her new album Né So -- meaning "home."

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The Man Behind The NFL Music: Sam Spence Dies At 88

7:51am February 13, 2016

Weekend Edition remembers Sam Spence, a longtime composer of rousing musical scores for NFL Films' documentaries and highlight reels.

Dave Stewart's new memoir, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This, chronicles his life in music.

In New Memoir, Eurythmics' Dave Stewart Tells Of Life Before And After 'Sweet Dreams'

7:51am February 13, 2016

by NPR Staff

"Life can change you on amazing trails if you let it," Stewart says. His new memoir tells the story of those changes — and his complicated relationship with Annie Lennox.

Music & Culture

Listen: 10 World Cafe Sessions With This Year's Grammy Nominees

7:00am February 13, 2016

by David Dye

Hear in-studio performances from "Best New Artist" contender Courtney Barnett and nine other World Cafe guests who are up for Grammys this Monday.

Kanye West premiered The Life Of Pablo in only the way Kanye West could: at his Madison Square Garden fashion show.

Music & Culture

Kanye West Plays Puppet Master With 'Life Of Pablo' Premiere

1:13am February 13, 2016

by Oliver Wang

Maybe this is all part of some performance-art piece we've been unwittingly sucked into. But either way, it seems to be working.

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Diane Warren co-wrote the song "Til It Happens to You" with Lady Gaga. It has been nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar for Best Song.

Music & Culture

Diane Warren On 'Til It Happens To You,' A Modern Anthem For A Hard Truth

8:01pm February 12, 2016

by Neda Ulaby

A career-long hitmaker, Warren knows how to write about intimacy and heartbreak. But when she collaborated with Lady Gaga for a song about sexual assault, it unlocked a few stories she'd never shared.

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