Music News

Just part of David Bromberg's collection of more than 250 American violins, crafted by nearly as many makers.

Music & Culture

These 250-Plus Violins Are About To Be Owned By The U.S. Government

8:01am August 08, 2016

by Jon Kalish

American-made violins are often regarded as inferior to European ones, but guitarist David Bromberg knows their value. So does the Library of Congress, which is acquiring his impressive collection.

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Music & Culture

Kanye West May Branch Out Into Furniture Design

6:26am August 08, 2016

The rapper tells the BBC that he would like to design furniture. In fact, he has a specific notion: He wants to team up with IKEA. He'd like to design a minimalist set for college dorms.

At one of England's major music festivals, The Isle of Wight Council staffs an informational tent where festival goers can learn about recognizing and reporting sexual assault.

Music & Culture

How Can We Stop Sexual Assault At Music Festivals? One Group Says, Start By Educating

8:28am August 07, 2016

by NPR Staff

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to David Huggins, the domestic abuse coordinator of the Isle of Wight Council in the U.K., about efforts to stop sexual violence at music festivals.

The 19-year-old rapper Desiigner, whose song "Panda" is one of the year's biggest hits, on stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in July.

Music & Culture

In The Race For The Song Of The Summer, 'Panda' Runs On A New Track

6:45pm August 05, 2016

by Jasmine Garsd

In 2016, the fact that one of the biggest pop hits of the year owes its success almost entirely to the Internet is no longer a surprise.

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Liv Bruce (left) and Ben Hopkins of PWR BTTM.

Music & Culture

Just An Average (Glitter-Covered, Gender-Neutral, Utopian) Rock Band

10:54am August 02, 2016

by Marissa Lorusso

PWR BTTM uses familiar pop-punk sounds as a Trojan horse to inject inclusive, campy identity politics into rock stereotypes. No matter who you are, it's easy to feel like you're in on the joke.

Music & Culture

The 'Colorless City' And Odd Characters Behind The New German Wave Of The 70s

1:26pm August 01, 2016

by Ed Ward

Rock historian Ed Ward says that musicians in Düsseldorf, Germany, including Klaus Dinger of the band Neu!, helped start a new German pop movement in the 1970s and '80s.

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Park Boram is in many ways a model of the experience of K-pop stars. Her debut single is officially called "Beautiful," but the Korean title translates to "I became pretty."

Music & Culture

For Women In Korean Pop, 'Making It' Can Mean A Makeover

8:38am July 31, 2016

by Elise Hu

Female K-pop performers can face strong pressure to meet the industry's beauty standards. Some, like Park Boram, are starting to sing about it, while others are bucking the trend.

J Dilla (front) is pictured here in 2005 at Madlib's studios in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Collaborators MED, Eothen Alapatt and Madlib (left to right) surround him.

Music & Culture

'A Lot Of Detective Work': Piecing Together J Dilla's 'The Diary'

5:01pm July 30, 2016

by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi

The late hip-hop producer left behind troves of unfinished music. How do you dig into the vault of an artist like Dilla and assemble an album that remains true to their creative vision?

Over 40 Broadway performers gathered to sing "What The World Needs Now Is Love" at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night.

Music & Culture

Come Together (Or Not): Music At The Democratic National Convention

12:58pm July 30, 2016

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

A chaotic week of fractured loyalties surged into buoyant affirmations for Hillary Clinton's candidacy. But are all those left-leaning musicians just singing into an echo chamber?

Prospective customers browse the effects at Bill Monroe's estate sale.

Music & Culture

Bill Monroe's Estate Sale: The Stuff Of Bluegrass Legend

9:19am July 30, 2016

by Blake Farmer

The Father of Bluegrass died 20 years ago. Now, Monroe's family is cleaning out the closets — and for music fans, even some of his most mundane possessions are meaningful.

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