In 'Straight Outta Compton,' Hip-Hop Legends Get The Biopic Treatment
N.W.A's hard-won battle for mainstream success is illustrated in a film produced by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube.
Music
Yo La Tengo To Perform Live On 'Morning Edition'
As you listen to Morning Edition on Tuesday, pay special attention to the music you hear between stories. The band Yo La Tengo will be in the NPR studios, accompanying the show while it's live on the air.
The One Real Problem With Rolling Stone's 'Greatest Songwriters Of All Time'
There are many valid gripes with the magazine's selections — who was left out, who was included — but taken as a whole, the list reveals something disappointing about the way it was conceived.
Why Is 'Billboard' Asking Industry Execs If They Believe Kesha?
After an anonymous questionnaire circulated to "top music-industry executives" leaked online, questions arise about the industry publication's ethics and objectives.
10 Years After Katrina, New Orleans' Brass Bands March On
One of New Orleans' signature traditions is the second line — the weekly brass band parades. But after Hurricane Katrina, a lot of people worried the tradition would become history.
'8 CDs For A Penny' Company Files For Bankruptcy
The parent company of Columbia House, the music-subscription king of the '80s and '90s, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Two NPR music editors remember the good and the bad.
A Witness To History: Guest DJ Arturo O'Farrill
Alt.Latino talks to a bandleader with deep roots in Cuban music and a role in current events. O'Farrill just released a new album called Cuba: The Conversation Continues.
A Rational Conversation: Does Anybody Even Have Time For An 80-Minute Album?
In a musical environment that prizes economy and the listener's ability to shuffle, skip and create playlists, is there still a place for ambitious, sprawling albums meant to be consumed all at once?
Stop The Foreign Music! African Pop Stars Ask For Government Help
Musicians in Kenya want a law forcing radio stations to play 70 percent local music. Nigeria and South Africa have similar rules. But this kind of protectionism could backfire.