Music Features

Lyn Collins, pictured here in 1970, inspired the chorus to Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock's pioneering hip-hop hit "It Takes Two."

Music & Culture

The Voice Behind One Of Hip-Hop's Most Famous Hooks

8:31am September 18, 2018

by Andrew Limbong

Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock put out their debut album 30 years ago featuring "It Takes Two." The song's sample was so widely recognized, it revitalized the career of Lyn Collins, the original artist.

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Joanna Newsom performs on Late Night with Seth Meyers on March 16, 2016.

Music & Culture

Joanna Newsom Is The 21st Century's Timeless Voice

7:01am September 13, 2018

by Liz Pelly

An expert composer, Newsom challenges the independent music world's standards for feminine voices. Her music offers a particular gift, inspiring listeners to get lost on their own journeys.

An illustration of Mac Miller, drawn during his Tiny Desk Concert performance in Aug. 2018.

Music & Culture

Appreciating The Unfinished Legacy Of Mac Miller

5:46pm September 11, 2018

The 26-year-old, who died Sept. 7, will not be remembered as a drug-addled entertainer, but as an ever-evolving maker of music who supported those coming up behind him.

Lee Greenwood performs in Illinois in 1984. Released that spring to a modest chart showing, "God Bless the U.S.A." found staying power as political campaigns began to adopt it.

Music & Culture

'God Bless The U.S.A.,' A Country Anthem With Enduring Political Power

5:02am September 11, 2018

by Don Gonyea

Don Gonyea visits musician Lee Greenwood to talk about the song that, after three decades in political campaigns, might be more popular than "Hail to the Chief."

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Eminem performs during the 2018 iHeartRadio Music Awards at The Forum in Inglewood.

Music & Culture

Eminem Became A Parody Of Himself And Everybody's Laughing

4:49pm September 10, 2018

by Rodney Carmichael

Now that Kamikaze's suicide mission is complete, how will Eminem resurrect his love for hip-hop?

At Florida's Tampa Stadium in 1991, Whitney Houston delivered an iconic performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" to kick off Super Bowl XXV.

How Sports Met 'The Star Spangled Banner'

2:08pm September 07, 2018

by Tom Goldman

"The Star Spangled Banner" has been played at major sporting events as far back as the Civil War, even before it was officially named the national anthem. How and why did the tradition stick?

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Mitski performs at SXSW in Austin, Texas in 2016.

Music & Culture

Mitski Is The 21st Century's Poet Laureate Of Young Adulthood

5:00am September 06, 2018

by Judy Berman

Confessional and funny, boastful and self-deprecating, poetic and profane all at once, Mitski's songwriting captures the experience of youth in the 21st century.

Karin Dreijer performs on stage at Motel Mozaique Festival in the Netherlands in 2009.

Music & Culture

Karin Dreijer Is The 21st Century's Sonic Shapeshifter

3:12pm September 04, 2018

by Ruth Saxelby

With a slippery face and a thousand voices, the Swedish artist uses her music in Fever Ray and The Knife to pull into frame what society would prefer stay hidden.

Lorde performs at the Governors Ball Music Festival on June 2, 2017 in New York City.

Music & Culture

Lorde Is The 21st Century's Author Of Adolescent Evolution

6:30am August 31, 2018

by Cyrena Touros

Before Pure Heroine, Ella Yelich-O'Connor was just a teen from suburban New Zealand trying to kill time. Instead, she snatched the mic, ushering in a sonic shift towards minimalism and dark pop.

Music & Culture

IDLES Explain 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance,' Track By Track

6:19am August 31, 2018

by Bob Boilen

The U.K. post-punk band's new album celebrates humanity in all its forms.