Music

Stevie Wonder, photographed arriving in London on Jan. 25, 1974 — almost directly in the middle of what many refer to as the artist's "classic period."

Half a century ago, Stevie Wonder defined what an 'artist's classic run' could mean

5:08am March 02, 2022

For the occasion of its half-centennial, cultural critic and poet Hanif Abdurraqib takes the measure of Stevie Wonder's unmatchable artistic achivements in the early-to-mid '70s.

Dave Bartholomew's "Carnival Day" was part of a wave of 1950s Mardi Gras recordings that give us a window into the forces that influence the soundtrack of Carnival to this day.

Music & Culture

The soundtrack to Mardi Gras, from its first wave to its golden age

2:00pm March 01, 2022

by Molly Reid Cleaver

After Louis Armstrong reigned as King Zulu in 1949, musicians began writing music specifically for and about Mardi Gras. These early songs paved the way for the sounds of Carnival for decades to come.

Music & Culture

Pušča, 'ça brûle'

1:02pm March 01, 2022

by Lars Gotrich

On Friday, after Russian military forces struck around Kyiv, the Lviv-based black-metal band Pušča — stylized as пуща in Cyrillic script — self-released the album war is hell.

Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato's new album, Eden, is a meditation on the natural world.

Joyce DiDonato's 'Eden' beckons humanity back to the garden

12:04pm March 01, 2022

by Tom Huizenga

On her new album, the opera star suggests Mother Nature has a lot to teach us, if we'd only listen.

Warren Easton Charter High School's marching band members line up in formation. Their instruments, among many, include sousaphones, cymbals, and a drum section with snare, tenor and bass drums.

With the return of Mardi Gras marching bands, New Orleans' streets are full of magic

11:36am March 01, 2022

by Aubri Juhasz

The bands may be smaller this year, but students say they're prepared to keep the culture alive and entertain hundreds of thousands of revelers.

Queue Listen Now

Conductor Semyon Bychkov, conducting the Vienna Philharmonic in a performance in Vienna in 2017.

Some Russian performing artists are speaking out against Putin

2:17pm February 28, 2022

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

A number of Russian stars from the performing arts world are using their voices and international platforms to denounce the invasion of Ukraine and speak up against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

World Cafe celebrates 30 years with a 2009 playlist.

Music & Culture

World Cafe 30th Anniversary Playlist: 2009

12:19pm February 28, 2022

by Bruce Warren

2009 was a big year for really big pop stars, like Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas and Jay-Z; indie rock artists like Wilco, Dirty Projectors and Animal Collective also put out standout records.

Music & Culture

Claremont Trio, 'Serenata'

9:00am February 28, 2022

by Tom Huizenga

Violin and cello are sparkling stand-ins for the Andean charango in an evocative serenade by Gabriela Lena Frank.

"What Emergent Strategy taught me is this emphasis on relationship," Hurray for the Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra tells the book's author, adrienne maree brown.

Music & Culture

Hurray for the Riff Raff's Alynda Segarra, a 'recovering lone wolf,' in conversation

5:00am February 28, 2022

by Ann Powers

NPR Music's Ann Powers moderates the first-time meeting of far-flung soulmates. Hurray for the Riff Raff's new album was inspired, in part, by adrienne maree brown's book Emergent Strategy.

Star Russian soprano Anna Netrekbo singing in Metz, France in February 2020.

Metropolitan Opera says it will sever ties with Putin-allied artists

11:22pm February 27, 2022

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Star performers at the famed New York opera house, including soprano Anna Netrebko and conductor Valery Gergiev, have been closely associated with Russian President Vladimir Putin.