Music Features

Iranian Singer Googoosh Raises Her Voice To Keep Her Nation's Culture Alive

5:55pm September 29, 2021

by Betto Arcos

Known as "The Voice of Iran," Googoosh was silenced by the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Active again since 2000, she uses music to keep Iranians forced to leave the country in touch with their culture.

Left to right: Nona Hendryx, Sarah Dash and Patti LaBelle perform as Labelle in Los Angeles, circa 1975.

Music & Culture

In Labelle And Beyond, Sarah Dash Could Never Fade Into The Background

2:31pm September 29, 2021

by Maureen Mahon

Even next to Patti Labelle's charisma and Nona Hendryx's songcraft, there is no Labelle without the range and clarity of Dash's silver throat — and the trio's commitment to singing as equals.

Will Liverman (center) as Charles in Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up in My Bones.

Terence Blanchard Makes History At The Metropolitan Opera

1:28pm September 27, 2021

by Tom Vitale

Fire Shut Up in My Bones, based on the Charles M. Blow memoir of the same title, is the first work by a Black composer to be staged by the Metropolitan Opera.

The new game Sable features a soundtrack from Michelle Zauner, best known as the indie-rock star behind the band Japanese Breakfast.

How Japanese Breakfast Crafted The Sounds Of The New Game 'Sable'

4:40pm September 23, 2021

by Vincent Acovino

Musician Michelle Zauner talks about the history and process behind her soundtrack for the new video game Sable – including inspiration from The Secret of Mana and indie legends Yo La Tengo.

Detail view of Wendy Smith's cover art for Distant Plastic Trees, The Magnetic Fields' debut album, on which the song "100,000 Fireflies" was released in 1991.

Music & Culture

The Magnetic Fields' '100,000 Fireflies' Sounds The Way Being Lonely Feels

5:17pm September 22, 2021

by Ryan H. Walsh

Susan Anway, the singer on The Magnetic Fields' early albums, died this month. For many, her legacy is the remarkable "100,000 Fireflies," a desolate love song that finds the comfort in emptiness.

Dan And Claudia Zanes Sing About Justice And Joy On Their New Album For Children

5:55am September 21, 2021

by Mandalit del Barco

Family musicians Dan and Claudia Zanes are releasing their first duo album, a collection of original songs that deal with social justice, anti-racism & joy — conceived during the coronavirus pandemic.

Olivia Rodrigo performs "good 4 u" during the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, 2021.

Music & Culture

Hell Is A Teenage Girl: Olivia Rodrigo, 'Jennifer's Body' And The Joy Of Rage

12:50pm September 16, 2021

by Chasity Hale

Rodrigo's spiky "good 4 u" isn't just a breakup song: It inserts her into a tradition of art, including one particularly beloved cult horror film, about the right of teenage girls to get angry.

John Morrison, Patrick "Peuce" Quinn and Mike Béon teamed up to develop Culture Cypher Magazine, a music and culture publication with bold visuals and imaginative layouts.

Music & Culture

How Philadelphia Artists Are Celebrating The City's Black Music Legacy

3:45pm September 15, 2021

by John Vettese

Philly has historically been home to generations of forward-thinking, boundlessly creative Black artists. This year, the Black Music City program celebrated that legacy with a series of projects.

Neffy is the winner of the 2021 Tiny Desk Contest.

Music & Culture

Meet Neffy, The Winner Of The 2021 Tiny Desk Contest

4:52pm September 14, 2021

After thousands of entries, the Tiny Desk Contest judges have landed on this year's winner.

Music & Culture

Announcing The Winner Of The 2021 Tiny Desk Contest

7:11am September 14, 2021

by Bob Boilen

Picking one winner from thousands of amazing entries wasn't easy. But one singer-songwriter rose to the top, with a song about rooting yourself in nature that stopped our judges in their tracks.