Music

Music & Culture

Remembering Ronnie Spector, lead singer of the Ronettes

1:32pm January 21, 2022

by Terry Gross

Spector, who died Jan. 12, was part of the 1960s girl group that gave us "Be My Baby." She left the music business for some years but returned to recording in the 1970s. Originally broadcast in 1988.

Queue Listen Now

Singer Meat Loaf performs in support of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at the football stadium at Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012.

Meat Loaf, Grammy-winning singer famous for 'I'd Do Anything For Love,' dies at 74

12:39pm January 21, 2022

by Harrison Jacobs

Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, was best known for Bat Out Of Hell, one of the best selling albums of all time.

Music & Culture

Chris Pierce on Mountain Stage

12:14pm January 21, 2022

by Kathy Mattea

Chris Pierce brings to the Mountain Stage a gripping selection of songs from his album American Silence.

World Cafe celebrates 30 years with a 2004 playlist.

Music & Culture

World Cafe 30th Anniversary Playlist: 2004

11:44am January 21, 2022

by Bruce Warren

Muscially, 2004 was a notable for releases from OutKast, The Arcade FIre, Kanye West, Green Day and many more. Let's look back.

Music & Culture

The artists who inspired Finneas' debut solo album 'Optimist' may surprise you

11:34am January 21, 2022

It's an introspective, direct album with heartfelt lyrics and, of course, impeccable production.

John Mellencamp performs during the Farm Aid 2021 music festival at the Xfinity Theatre on Sept. 25, 2021 in Hartford, Conn.

Music & Culture

John Mellencamp reflects on a world estranged on new album 'Strictly a One-Eyed Jack'

9:03am January 21, 2022

by Steve Inskeep

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp returns with his first album of original songs in five years, Strictly a One-Eyed Jack.

Queue Listen Now

Adele posted a video on her Twitter on Thursday, apologizing for needing to postpone her Las Vegas show.

Adele postpones Vegas show in tearful post, saying half of her team is out with COVID

10:51pm January 20, 2022

by Jonathan Franklin

Weekends with Adele was originally set to run from Jan. 21 to April 16. The singer announced that the Las Vegas residency was postponed due to COVID issues.

Music & Culture

Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST: Al Bilali Soudan, Kiran Ahluwalia, Tufan Derince

9:03pm January 20, 2022

by Bob Boilen

For the second consecutive year, NPR teams up with globalFEST for a thrilling online music festival we call Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST.

Pedro the Lion's David Bazan just released the second part of his Arizona trilogy, Havasu.

Music & Culture

Pedro the Lion's David Bazan in conversation with Hanif Abdurraqib

4:59pm January 20, 2022

by Lars Gotrich

And just like that, Pedro the Lion's new album is out now. Listen to Havasu in its entirety with David Bazan and author Hanif Abdurraqib.

Music & Culture

'Barn' is Neil Young's best album in quite a while

3:49pm January 20, 2022

by Ken Tucker

Young has long been a nature writer, composing pastorals about the environment. Barn finds him composing lyrical hymns to the earth and sky, or raging against destruction on the horizon.

Queue Listen Now