Music

Music & Culture

'Black Swans': New Collection Features Recordings Of Early Black Classical Musicians

3:51pm December 08, 2020

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Saïs Kamalidiin, a Howard University professor, about a new collection showcasing 25 recordings of early Black classical musicians, called Black Swans.

Bob Gruen calls this 1970 photograph of Tina Turner "one of the best pictures I've ever taken."

Cameras, Chaos And Cognac: How Bob Gruen Photographed The Spirit Of Rock 'N' Roll

1:39pm December 08, 2020

by Dave Davies

Gruen has photographed countless rock stars, including the Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Tina Turner and John Lennon. "For me, rock 'n' roll is all about freedom," he says.

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Chloe x Halle plays a Tiny Desk (home) concert.

Music & Culture

Chloe x Halle: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

12:00pm December 08, 2020

by Abby O'Neill

The most exciting sister act in contemporary pop performs five songs for our Tiny Desk quarantine series.

Music & Culture

2020 Was The Year Of Dancing By Ourselves

10:39am December 08, 2020

As dance floors stood empty, a wide spectrum of dance music transformed bedrooms into clubs, kitchens into discotheques and backyards into glow-stick raves.

Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan in 1965, when he was at the epicenter of the counterculture.

Bob Dylan Sells Songwriting Catalog In 9-Figure Deal

6:50pm December 07, 2020

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Universal Music Publishing Group announced Monday that it had bought the lucrative publishing rights to over 600 Bob Dylan songs. The deal is worth a reported $300 million.

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Music & Culture

2020 Was The Year Of Protest Music

5:12pm December 07, 2020

2020 was defined by the sounds of rage, resolve, mourning and solidarity. Here are 20 songs and albums that represent the best protest music of the year.

From left to right: Megan Thee Stallion, Bad Bunny, Mickey Guyton, Christine and the Queens, Cardi B.

Music & Culture

Join NPR Music's Listening Party For The Top 5 Songs Of 2020

3:07pm December 07, 2020

by Lars Gotrich

This Thursday at 3 p.m. ET, NPR Music critics and contributors take us from Bad Bunny's dizzying opus "Safaera" to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's gloriously raunchy "WAP."

Black Pumas play a Tiny Desk (home) concert.

Music & Culture

Black Pumas: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

11:19am December 07, 2020

by Felix Contreras

The Austin-based rock band is nominated for the album and record of the year at next year's Grammys. See why in this Tiny Desk quarantine concert.

Hand-drawn vector drawing of a Vote Text On a Ballot Box. Black-and-White sketch on a transparent background (.eps-file). Included files are EPS (v10) and Hi-Res JPG.

Music & Culture

Vote For Your Favorite Albums Of 2020

5:00am December 07, 2020

by Robin Hilton

It wasn't a great year. But, as it often does, music made it better – or at least helped us get through the long days. So, before we put 2020 behind us, tell us your favorite albums of the year.

Music & Culture

'Oxford American Magazine' Highlights Southern Music

7:55am December 06, 2020

NPR's Debbie Elliott speaks to Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes, who is this year's guest editor of the Oxford American Southern Music Issue.