Music

Kevin Parker of Tame Impala performs at Coachella in 2019. The band's latest album, The Slow Rush, is due out in February.

Music & Culture

An Early 2020 Preview: 5 Upcoming Albums We Can't Wait To Hear

1:42pm January 03, 2020

by Stephen Thompson

From Moses Sumney's upcoming double album to a folk supergroup starring two of the minds behind Hadestown and Fruit Bats, here are some of Stephen Thompson's early picks for 2020.

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'Fresh Air' Favorites: Patti Smith

1:28pm January 03, 2020

by Terry Gross

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. The punk icon reflected on her career and her 22-year friendship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe in 2010.

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'Fresh Air' Favorites: Bruce Springsteen

1:28pm January 03, 2020

by Terry Gross

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. In 2016, Springsteen reflected on how he and his music were shaped by home, roots, family and community.

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Michaela Anne performing at WXPN's Free At Noon Concert, recorded live for World Cafe.

Music & Culture

Michaela Anne's Voice Shines Like A Beacon, Bringing You Back Home

9:00am January 03, 2020

Desert Dove is a country album, but kind of like her life, it doesn't stay settled in just one place. There are cinematic strings, and nods to indie rock and honky-tonk.

Daniel Norgren performs during a Tiny Desk concert, on Sep. 25, 2019. (Catie Dull/NPR)

Music & Culture

Daniel Norgren: Tiny Desk Concert

5:00am January 03, 2020

by Bob Boilen

The Swedish singer sways and writhes as he and his band create a dream state calming enough to slow the day's hectic pace to a crawl. Take a seat on a comfy couch and have a listen.

Billboard chart analyst Chris Molanphy cites Taylor Swift as an artist who effectively differentiates between albums with the help of her video aesthetics.

Music & Culture

Here Comes YouTube: 'Billboard' To Change How It Calculates Top Albums

4:46pm January 02, 2020

Starting Jan. 3, Billboard is changing the way it calculates the top albums of the week. NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Slate writer and critic Chris Molanphy about what the rule changes mean.

Ted Leo performs in Oct. 2010 in New York.

Music & Culture

Forget Eileen: Ted Leo On The Unsung Greatness Of Dexys Midnight Runners

12:03pm January 02, 2020

by Phil Harrell

As part of NPR's series One-Hit Wonders / Second-Best Songs, musician Ted Leo says the British band known for "Come On Eileen" has more to offer — and points to one song as a perfect example.

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The Building performs inside the World Cafe Performance Studio

Music & Culture

'Peace's Eternal Truth Renews All,' Says The Building's Anthony LaMarca

9:00am January 02, 2020

The War On Drugs guitarist explains the meaning behind PETRA, an acronym of his dog's name that he came up with while battling cancer.

Music & Culture

Encore: 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' The Anthem For A Generation That Didn't Want One

5:27pm January 01, 2020

by Joel Rose

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" made Nirvana's Kurt Cobain a reluctant spokesman for Generation X, and the song became an anthem for a generation that didn't want one.

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Music & Culture

'Fresh Air' Favorites: Carolina Chocolate Drops

5:36am January 01, 2020

by Terry Gross

This week, we're listening back to some favorite Fresh Air interviews from the past decade. The Durham, N.C.-based trio showcased their African American string music — with a modern twist — in '10.

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