Music News

Composer and pianist Anthony Davis, winner of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Anthony Davis Wins Pulitzer Prize For His Opera 'The Central Park Five'

6:47pm May 04, 2020

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

The Central Park Five is an operatic narrative retelling the true story about the five African-American and Latino teenagers wrongly convicted of raping and assaulting a white woman in 1989.

John Boutte's famous performance at the 2006 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is just one of the beloved performances included in WWOZ's Jazz Festing in Place series.

Music & Culture

From Ella Fitzgerald To John Boutté: Jazz Festing In Place Presents Archival Audio

8:04am May 02, 2020

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation and WWOZ will stream of some of the greatest performances in Jazz Fest history this weekend.

Queue Listen Now

Drake released a new mixtape Dark Lane Demo Tapes at midnight Friday and teased a new album to come in an Instagram post.

Music & Culture

Drake, The King Of Summer Songs, Drops New Mixtape And Promises A New Album

12:50pm May 01, 2020

by Jon Lewis

The Toronto rapper and reigning TikTok champion released Dark Lane Demo Tapes at midnight, alongside an Instagram post teasing a full album over the summer

Dixie Chicks has delayed its new album, Gaslighter, to sometime this summer.

Music & Culture

Dixie Chicks Delays New Album, Offers 'Julianna Calm Down'

11:08am May 01, 2020

by Lars Gotrich

Named for Emily Strayer's daughter, "Julianna Calm Down" is a inspirational letter to young women in toxic relationships.

Music & Culture

National Air And Space Museum Sponsors Virtual Concert On YouTube

6:30am May 01, 2020

The National Air and Space Museum turned to the skies, and to music, to help get through tough times. The virtual concert Space Songs featured musicians like Sting and Daveed Diggs.

Queue Listen Now

Drummer Tony Allen, performing at the Glastonbury Festival in England in 2010. Allen died Thursday at age 79.

Tony Allen, Afrobeat's Foundational Drummer, Has Died At Age 79

10:25pm April 30, 2020

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Tony Allen was one of the founders of the deep-grooved Afrobeat style — alongside his musical collaborator, Fela Kuti. The drummer died Wednesday evening in Paris of a heart attack.

Music & Culture

Library Of Congress Unveils Open-Source Sampling Tool Called DJ Citizen

5:37am April 30, 2020

Brian Foo creates new music from old sounds. His audio remix project at the Library of Congress, which uses sound in the public domain, is called Citizen DJ.

Megan Thee Stallion plays a Tiny Desk Concert (Laura Beltran Villamizar/NPR).

Music & Culture

Beyoncé Joins Megan Thee Stallion On The Delightfully Braggadocious 'Savage (Remix)'

7:21pm April 29, 2020

by Cyrena Touros

The remix comes two months after Megan fought her label for the right to release new music, which culminated in the surprise release of her third mixtape, Suga.

The band Snarky Puppy playing at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2015.

Newport Folk And Jazz Festivals Canceled Due To Coronavirus

5:48pm April 29, 2020

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Two of the U.S.' most influential and storied summer music festivals have been canceled for 2020, due to coronavirus concerns. The sibling events were scheduled to take place in July and August.

International Jazz Day is the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, which draws public attention to jazz and its extraordinary heritage throughout April.

Music & Culture

Stream These Virtual Events To Celebrate International Jazz Day On April 30

12:00pm April 29, 2020

by Trevor Smith

On April 30, the global jazz community will celebrate International Jazz Day with an expert panel and a global concert featuring pianist Lang Lang, bassist Marcus Miller and more.