Music News

Bob Dylan performs on July 4, 1978 at the Pavillon de Paris.

Music & Culture

Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan Is A Literary 'Alchemist'

5:02pm October 13, 2016

by NPR Staff

The massively influential songwriter was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday. Sean Wilentz, author of Bob Dylan In America, says it's appropriate to consider Dylan's songs literary works.

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Bruno Mars has released the first single, "24K Magic," from his upcoming album of the same name.

Music & Culture

10 Songs For An Anxious Moment: A Fall Pop Playlist

1:54pm October 13, 2016

by Ann Powers

As summer turns to fall, the boldfaced names returning to the world of pop might not be offering explicitly political songs, but each makes a big statement in its own way.

Sam France and Jonathan Rado of Foxygen.

Music & Culture

Foxygen Returns With A Strange, Epic Anthem For America

10:27am October 13, 2016

by Robin Hilton

It's not easy to make sense of the Los Angeles duo's latest song, "America," which lurches from orchestral pop to oddball jazz.

Roger Waters performs onstage during Desert Trip at the Empire Polo Field on October 9, 2016 in Indio, Calif.

Music & Culture

Roger Waters Announces 'Us And Them' Live Tour

8:51am October 13, 2016

by Robin Hilton

The tour will include a mix of Roger Waters' solo work and Pink Floyd songs, along with some newly written tracks for an upcoming album.

Mike George, Amazon's vice president of Echo, Alexa and Appstore, speaking in New York City in May. Today, Amazon announced the launch of an on-demand music-streaming service.

Music & Culture

Amazon Seeks To Recapture Music Fans With New Streaming Service

2:20pm October 12, 2016

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

With Amazon Music Unlimited, the company is seeking to lure consumers away from competitors like Spotify and Apple Music — and it might be a game-changing proposition.

Robert Goldstein plays house guitarist at an NPR staff event in 2015.

Music & Culture

Remembering Robert Goldstein, NPR's Music Librarian And Our Friend

10:23am October 08, 2016

The man Susan Stamberg called "NPR's secret weapon," whose depth of knowledge matched the perfect music to NPR's stories for 20 years, was an accomplished musician in his own right.

Mick Jagger performing live with The Rolling Stones

Music & Culture

The Rolling Stones Announces Blues Covers Album, Shares 'Just Your Fool'

4:24pm October 06, 2016

by Lars Gotrich

What does a new album from The Rolling Stones sound like in 2016? A lot like the old ones, if "Just Your Fool" is any indication.

Amber Coffman's debut solo album is City Of No Reply.

Music & Culture

Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman Announces First Solo Album — Hear 'All To Myself'

12:12pm October 06, 2016

by Robin Hilton

Amber Coffman's debut solo album is called City Of No Reply and its first single is a gorgeous, soulful — if a little bent — ballad called "All To Myself."

Rod Temperton at an event in Italy in 2004. The songwriter penned several megahits of the 1970s and '80s, most notably for Michael Jackson.

'Thriller' Songwriter Rod Temperton Dies At 66

9:52am October 06, 2016

by Elizabeth Blair

Temperton wrote some of the most iconic pop songs of the 1970s and '80s, including Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and "Rock With You."

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A still from Grimes' "World Princess Part II" video.

Music & Culture

Grimes Just Dropped Seven New Videos

3:22pm October 05, 2016

by Robin Hilton

In a series of Tweets, Grimes says the videos were shot guerrilla-style over a two-week period while traveling through Europe.