What Inspired Singer JD McPherson's Christmas Album
NPR's Scott Simon talks to McPherson about "Socks," his new holiday album of original songs.
Music Interviews
Janelle Monáe On Her 'Dirty,' World-Dominating Year
Monáe's Dirty Computer can be found on just about every list of the best albums of 2018 — and it topped NPR's. The songwriter, actress and self-styled media exec says it could only have happened now.
Loudon Wainwright III Opens Up About The 'Exes & Excess' That Inform His Music
Wainwright's music centers on family, and how we hurt and heal each other. He spoke to Fresh Air in 1992 and '17 about his life as a husband, father and son. His new Netflix special is Surviving Twin.
10 World Cafe Quotes From 2018 That Still Resonate
Sage advice from Rosanne Cash, a very David Byrne-ian one-liner and more: These are the quotes that stuck with World Cafe host Talia Schlanger this year.
boygenius On World Cafe
Come for the monster musicianship and harmonies, stay for the shredding and sharp commentary.
Petal On World Cafe
Being honest with herself and with the people around her was a lifesaver for Kiley Lotz.
On Charles Bradley: Sweaty Hugs And Screams 'From The Center Of The Earth'
After soul singer Charles Bradley died last year, Tom Brenneck, Bradley's close friend and guitar player, put together a posthumous album of Bradley's rare, unreleased music.
The Marcus King Band On World Cafe
A live session from one of the best guitarists in America. King makes sounds like someone who's been working at it for decades.
How And Why Toto's 1983 Hit 'Africa' Got New Life In 2018
The 1983 hit Africa by Toto got some serious new life in 2018. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Rob Harvilla, a music reviewer for The Ringer, about how this happened and why.
Dermot Kennedy, NPR Slingshot's Best New Artist
NPR Music fans have chosen Dermot Kennedy as Slingshot Best New Artist of 2018. In a conversation with NPR's Ailsa Chang, Kennedy talks about the pressures of newfound success and his dedication to the craft.