NPR Music

Victoria Monét. Meshell Ndegeocello. Sons of Sevilla. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 2, with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Ayana Contreras from KUVO in Denver, Evan Miller from WYSO in Ohio and DJ Llu from Vermont Public. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:53) Album No. 1
- Victoria Monét, 'Frequency Of Love'

(08:40) Album No. 2
- Meshell Ndegeocello, 'Synonym'

(15:28) Album No.3 
- Helen, 'Linda's Head'

(22:09) Album No. 4
...

Jazz has often been called America's musical gift to the world. This week's guests remind us not only of the well-documented ways that Cuba revolutionized that gift, but also how it blossomed in South America.

Chilean tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana and Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba stopped by after their recent Tiny Desk performance to chat about their own personal histories with jazz and its lineage in their respective countries. The memories Rubalcaba shares about Havana's jazz scene in the 1980s adds another layer to a story we've talked a lot about on Alt.Latino. And Aldana looks back...

We get big and loud this week with a surprise drop from Phoebe Bridgers and her song “On Video,” from the Primetime soundtrack; the monstrously disjointed “Placeholder” from Gilla Band; widescreened shoegaze from the Danish artist Trentemøller and more.  

NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton as they share their picks for the best new songs out now.

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and so...

Leon Bridges. Blondshell. Joy Oladokun. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 18 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee, Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville and Liz Warner from WDET in Detroit. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:53) Album No. 1
- Blondshell, 'Violins'

(07:43) Album No. 2
- Julia Jacklin, 'The Gem'

(15:13) Album No. 3
- Joy Oladokun, 'Hope Is A Heavy Thing'

(22:33) Album No. 4
...

YEИDRY's music is almost as diverse she is. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Italy, the singer’s repertoire of genre and sound pulls from multiple continents, and even more unique cultural roots. It’s complicated to explain so many mixed identities, but, as we know quite well at Alt.Latino, music is an easy way to tell a complex story. From the first song she ever heard to a track that brings her peace, we’re presenting a playlist of YEИDRY, the artist and the person. It’s raw, unprepped, and just like YEИDRY: alive and c...

Our latest mix of the week’s best new songs swings from the shoegaze rock of rising LA band untitled (halo) to Bach’s “Air on the G String” performed by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. We’ve also got singer Lizzy McAlpine’s breathtaking ode to her late father, the laid-back grooves of polymath Sen Morimoto, the extraordinary voice of Scottish singer Beth Taylor and more.

NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton.

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or fe...

In September 2025, the electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso made headlines with the announcement that it was removing its catalog from Spotify. The world’s most popular music streamer wasn’t new to criticism, but the temperature changed last year with the revelation that then-CEO Daniel Ek was a major investor in Helsing, an AI software company that designs military weapons systems. A year later, the band has returned bearing new music and another small bombshell: A week after the release of 'Ow ∞,' Sylvan Esso’s fifth studio album, came the news that all of its music was returning to Spotify beginning...

Beck. Carly Rae Jepsen. Beabadoobee. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 18 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Robert Moore from 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City, Amelia Mason from WBUR in Boston, and Brian Burns from WUNC in Chapel Hill. Plus, a handful of of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:01) Album No. 1
- Beck, 'Ride Lonesome'

(07:10) Album No. 2
- beabadoobee, 'Pylon'

(13:01) Album No.3
- Carly Rae Jepsen, 'Day and Night'

(21:32) Album...

Shortly after Los Texmaniacs did what they do best at the Tiny Desk, I pulled them into a studio to chat with them about the traditions they represent with their music. It turned into a master class on the accordion-fueled style known as conjunto, a mix of European folk music and Spanish-language storytelling. Plus, the group shared some love for one of the iconic artists who taught the world how to love conjunto, Flaco Jimenez, and how their personal connection to him also inspired them to move the music forward.  - Felix

Don't miss NPR Music's full coverage o...

We’re back with another round of the best new songs out now, including the universe-splitting “Blister Sunrise” from M83, Shygirl’s bone-rattling, euphoric track “Alyse,” subversive funk from Asher White and more.

NPR Music writer and editor Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton.

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(02:02) M83: “Blister Sunrise”

(07:51) Shygirl: “Alyse”

(15:13) FKJ & Labrinth: “Litt...

Sylvan Esso. This Is Lorelei. Ezra Collective. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 11 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Brian Burns from WUNC in Chapel Hill, Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville, and John Morrison from WXPN in Philadelphia. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:35) Album No. 1
- Sylvan Esso, 'Ow 8'

(06:57) Album No. 2
- Ezra Collective, 'Here Because of Hope'

(13:36) Album No. 3
- This Is Lorelei, 'The Singer...

This week Ana features two very different Brazilian artists that both draw heavily on the '60s and '70s Tropicália genre. Felix presents two very different approaches to Colombian folkloric music and a new Spanish-language singer-songwriter who turns sadness into light.

Artists and albums featured in this episode:

(01:52) Maglore, 'Fluxo Natural'
(07:13) Indus, 'El Mangle'
(12:42) Candelabro, 'Deseo, Carne y Voluntad'
(17:11) Araña, 'Araña'
(21:07) Lucas Bezerra, 'EU MANDEI MEU AMOR PRO ESPAÇO'
(25:21) Luca de Dios, 'De Amor y Desamor

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Sura...

We share more reimagined and reinterpreted songs that rival the originals, including Janis Joplin’s iconic take on Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee,” a reggae version of The Beatles' “Don’t Let Me Down,” and more.

NPR Music’s Dora Levite and Lars Gotrich rejoin host Robin Hilton for another round.

Leave us a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(04:30) Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris: N...

Rebecca Black. Paris Paloma. Button Masher. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 4 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Nastia Voynovskaya from KQED in San Francisco, Julie Bee from Marfa Public Radio in west Texas, and DeShun Nance from WJSU in Jackson, Miss. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:55) Album No. 1
- Rebecca Black, 'Age of the Exhibitionist'

(08:26) Album No. 2
- Paris Paloma, 'The Fatal Flaw'

(16:40) Album No. 3
- Sharp...

I like to think I’m the one who keeps things fresh on the show — or at least that’s what I tell everyone. But this week Felix once again proved that false, bringing in a fresh corridos tumbados duo from Guadalajara who takes a something-old-turned-new genre and smashes it together with metal. It's something I’ve never heard before. What can I say, Felix keeps us all young. I went back to Brazil with some up-and-coming artists whose albums I’ve been excitedly awaiting. And, of course, Felix had to balance things out with one of his favorite jazz vocalists...

After nearly two decades of producing works by other musicians, including Kendrick Lamar and Vampire Weekend, the artist known as Dahi has just released his debut solo album. He describes it as “African Radiohead,” with kaleidoscopic soundscapes, intricate polyrhythms and a breathtaking list of collaborators. We open this week’s show with the song “How to Pray,” featuring both Kendrick Lamar and singer Amber Mark.

Our other picks for the best new tracks of the week include Dominic Fike’s heady “Wallflower,” dancefloor beats from singer Jorja Smith, an 8-bit instrumental from composer Emily A. Sprague and more.

NPR Musi...

Alabama Shakes. Mike D. Interpol. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Sean Carolan of WBJB in New Jersey about their favorite albums out Friday, August 28. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 

The Starting 5

(03:37) Album No. 1
- Mastodon, 'Marrow Deep'

(08:56) Album No. 2
- Mike D 5D, 'Thank You'

(15:41) Album No. 3
- Alabama Shakes, 'I Must Be Dreaming'

(21:43) Album No. 4
- Interpol, 'This Mirror Weighs a Ton'

(27:47) Album No. 5
- The Linda Lindas, 'Gotta Get O...

Latin identity has been at the core of Cypress Hill's music from the very beginning -- their 1991 track "Latin Lingo" gave voice to the Latin roots of hip hop with its funky Spanglish callouts. But it took the band thirty-five more years to make an album of original songs written in Spanish: 'Dios Bendiga,' which was just released. In this episode, Felix chats with the band -- B-Real, Sen Dog and Eric Bobo -- about the influences behind the album, and why this moment felt right to finally make it. Plus, a cameo from the band's longtime producer and...

Dolly Parton was more than just a country music superstar. She was a songwriter for others, a philanthropist, a businesswoman, an actress and more. As a pop icon across seven decades, Parton sat down with a number of NPR hosts to tell the stories of her life and art. In this episode, NPR Music’s Ann Powers takes listeners through a number of those interviews to hear Parton tell her story, in her own words.

Want more Dolly? Head to the NPR app’s music tab for a Dolly Parton playlist from our archives. Download the app at npr...

Is Sunday morning the best time for music? Whether you prefer solitude, get-togethers with family or friends, or steeling yourself for the week to come, we’ve got the perfect album to score your early hours.  

NPR Music’s Hazel Cills and Lars Gotrich join host Robin Hilton.

Leave us a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured songs and artists:

(00:00) Intro / Miles Davis: “So What”

(02:32) Astrud Gilberto: “Once I Loved”

(06:29...

Brennan Wedl. Jorja Smith. Brandon Flowers. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, August 21. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:23) Album No. 1
- Brennan Wedl, 'Brennan Wedl'

(08:34) Album No. 2
- Squirrel Flower, 'Say a Prayer to the Gods of Getting Going'

(16:07) Album No. 3
- Westside Cowboy, 'It Goes On'

(22:45) Album No. 4
- Brandon Flowers, 'THRASHER'

(28:50) Album No. 5
- Jorja Smith...

Mexico isn't the first place you think of as the cutting edge of experimental electronic music. But two new projects show that might be changing. LATIN MAFIA recently teamed up with British producer Fred again.. to make a bold new album featuring collaborators like Mabe Fratti and Lil Yachty. And the up-and-coming duo RØZ -- comprised of producers Manolo Cabrera and Hugo Lara -- just released their debut album, spinning a dazzling mix of hip hop, gospel and glitchy electronica. This week's episode also features a comically brilliant track from El David Aguilar, cumbia jam rockers Dos Santos, a c...

On this week’s show, Weezer gives the people what they want, plus a breathless “dirt dance” from saxophonist Colin Stetson and bagpiper Brìghde Chaimbeul, the scruffy cello-pop of yeemz, works by composer and vocalist Meredith Monk, electronic artist Jlin and more.  

NPR Music’s Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton as we share our picks for the best new songs of the week.

Leave us a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and...

Phoebe Bridgers. Jungle. Hovvdy. It's a surprisingly stacked Summer Friday this week, and you can hear all about it with New Music Friday host Stephen Thompson and guest Samantha Hval from WMNF in Tampa, Fla. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.


The Starting 5

(00:00) Phoebe Bridgers
'Lost Weekend' (Dead Oceans)

(10:25) Jungle
'Sunshine' (AWAL)

(19:38) Hovvdy
'Big World' (Arts & Crafts)

(27:08) Sweeping Promises
'You Say I Romanticize' (Sub Pop)

(32:59) L'Rain
'fata morgana' (Mexican Summer)
<...

Harry Styles just finished a 5-night run in Mexico City. You know who else had a 5-night run in Mexico City? Michael Jackson in 1993.

Mainstream artists have a long history of being enticed by the energy of performing for a Latin American crowd … which means there’s also a long and less-known history of big pop stars making music for that audience.

Did you know Michael Jackson has a Latin track? So does Madonna. A few actually.

As early as the '50s, Nat King Cole experimented with Spanish and released an entire record, Cole...

Sometimes a cover song is so good, so singular that it completely eclipses the original version.  Think Sinéad O'Connor doing Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Jimmy Hendrix lighting up Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” or, of course, Whitney Houston’s defining take on Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”  On this week’s show, we share some of our picks for cover songs that are better than the originals, talk about why, and what, exactly, a cover song needs to become a classic.

NPR Music’s Dora Levite and Lars Gotrich join host Robin Hilton.

Leav...

At the outset of The Ripple Effect, NPR Music’s series on the Grateful Dead, we asked fans to share stories about how they fell in love with the band. The response was overwhelming: wry, emotional and personal. It was overflowing with shared experiences that underline exactly how crucial the community that surrounds the Dead is to the band’s legacy.

Now that we’ve reached the end of Days Between, we’re closing The Ripple Effect by listening to voice memos from you: Deadheads and people who love Deadheads, lifelong fans and late converts. We’ll hear about firs...

Ravyn Lenae. Margaret Glaspy. Overmono. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Liz Warner from WDET in Detroit about their favorite albums out Friday, August 7. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:54) Album No. 1
- Ravyn Lenae, 'Blue Island'

(08:03) Album No. 2
- Overmono, 'Pure Devotion'

(15:26) Album No. 3
- Margaret Glaspy, 'I Am Both'

(21:42) Album No. 4
- Man/Woman/Chainsaw, 'Cannonball'

(27:36) Album No. 5
- Arun Sood & Angeline Morrison, 'Donn/Dubh'

(32:43) The Lightning...

To celebrate Ana's world premiere as a DJ -- a gig playing for 5,000 people in Central Park, which she definitely, absolutely prepared for -- this week we present her summer playlist. We've got song of the summer contenders (Aitana's "SUPERESTRELLA"), sleeper hits we missed when they dropped (Quevedo's "EL BAIFO"), and bubbly classics-in-the-making we keep coming back to (Rawayana's "Se Vienen Cositas"). Plus, Felix balances the bangers with chill-out room Uruguayan jazz, a psychedelic guitar jam and a trio of sisters from Austin.

Artists and songs featured in this episode:

(02:23) Quevedo, "EL BAIFO"
(05:07) Camilo y...

We open this week’s show by reflecting on the loss of Glen Hansard, an artist who was critical to shaping the sound and spirit of All Songs Considered in its earliest days. We then share some of our favorite new tracks of the week, including a King Princess cover of Neil Young’s “Helpless,” cheeky pop from Coco & Clair Clair, a stunning ambient track from Adam Wiltzie and the late composer Jóhann Jóhannsson, and more.

NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton.

Support the show with a review on Apple or Spotify wher...

Death never stopped the Grateful Dead before.

Since Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, a sprawling collection of musicians and fans across generations have kept the band’s legacy alive in different ways. But without members Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, Deadheads are experiencing their first summer where there’s no clear inheritor of the Grateful Dead’s mantle.

Where does the music, and the dedicated community that has grown up around it, go from here? NPR Music's resident Deadheads Felix Contreras and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento took a cue from the Dead itself: They hit the road, interviewing musici...

The Durutti Column. Arca. MOLIY. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Olive Kimoto of member station KCRW in Los Angeles about their favorite albums out Friday, July 31. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(01:34) Album No. 1
- The Durutti Column, 'Renascent'
 
(08:49) Album No. 2
- Arca, 'XXXXX'

(17:20) Album No. 3
- DOMi & JD Beck, 'WHO ASKED?'

(22:17) Album No. 4
- Shearwater, 'The New World'

(29:13) Album No. 5
- MOLIY, 'BADDIES

Bill Evans might not be techno. But in this week's episode, the slow-building angst and tension of electronic producer Debit's new music reminded Ana of the beloved jazz piano master. And that kind of genre cross-pollination is everywhere in this week's showcase of new music: Brazilian field recordings remixed for the club, multiple reinterpretations of the Cuban guaguancó, and Spanish producers channeling -- as Ana puts it -- "experimental Boricua stuff."

Featured artists and albums:

(00:45) Various Artists, 'Candomblé: Sacred Rhythms in Brazil'
(04:24) Ítallo, 'CATATAU'
(11:25) Debit, 'Potpourri'
(16:41) Calequi y Las Panteras, 'TRES'
(21:07) Carolina Oli...

Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest places, if you look at it right. And if you get confused, just listen to the music play. This week, resident Deadheads Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Felix Contreras help host Robin Hilton hear what he’s been missing in the music of the Grateful Dead.

Are you a Deadhead? Share your memories about the Grateful Dead and we may include them in a big series about the band we're launching Aug. 1.

Support the show with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to...

Charli xcx. Tyla. Shania Twain. Guest host Ann Powers chats with Nastia Voynovskaya of member station KQED in San Francisco about their favorite albums out Friday, July 24. Plus, some NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(02:06) Album No. 1
- Charli xcx, 'Music, Fashion, Film'

(08:16) Album No. 2
- Willow, 'The Thread'

(14:59) Album No. 3
- Tyla, 'A*Pop'

(20:39) Album No. 4
- Shania Twain, 'Little Miss Twain'

(27:50) Album No. 5
- Portraits Of Tracy: 'Q: From Where Do Our...

We'll take any excuse to talk about the insane quality of music coming out of Spain these days. This week, we got one: Spain defeated Argentina on Sunday to win the 2026 World Cup Final. So, this episode is a celebration of the multitude of music scenes across Spain that we can't get enough of. Catch boundary-pushing electronic and hip hop producers in Madrid, indie rockers and songwriters in Barcelona, and some old favorites whose voices never stop (looking at you, Buika!). 

Artists featured in this episode:

(01:22) C. Tangana
(04:19) Ralphie Choo
(06:28) Mora
(10:10) Bikôkô
...

We share our picks for the best new tracks out now, including the laid-back dystopia of Sylvan Esso’s “Concrete Glen,” an acoustic take on Phoebe Bridgers’ “Lost Boys,” the glitched-out chaos of feeble little horse and more.

NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton.

Support the show with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(01:28) Sylvan Esso: “Concrete Glen”

(07:49) feeble little horse: “DMT”

Gracie Abrams. Nia Archives. Steve Lacy. On a release day full of catchy earworms, host Stephen Thompson chats with Tshego Letsoalo of KALW in San Francisco about their favorite albums out Friday, July 17. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:58) Album No. 1
- Gracie Abrams, 'Daughter from Hell'

(08:13) Album No. 2
- Steve Lacy, 'Oh Yeah?'

(16:38) Album No. 3
- Nia Archives, 'Emotional Junglist'

(22:27) Album No. 4
- Lido Pimienta, 'Caribenya'

(28:04) Album No. 5
...

With last week's best-of show behind us, we've got a clean slate to dive into our favorite new music kicking off the second half of the year. Felix brings a batch of country tracks, while Ana -- to absolutely no one's surprise -- continues her exploration of Brazil's endless supply of captivating music. Catch a mesmerizing indie-ambient album from João Carvalho, some posthumous crooning from Raul Malo, the twangy return of Oklahoma's rising star Wyatt Flores, and much more.

Artists and albums featured in this episode:

(01:13) Cruz Contreras & The Black Lillies, 'Gold and Roses (Live...

On her stellar new single, “Switchblade,” beabadoobee shreds ‘90s style. The Rolling Stones have still got it on their latest album, Foreign Tongues. And Four Tet surprises us with a new “wingdings” project. We’ve got all that and more as we share our picks for the best new songs of the week.

NPR Music’s Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton.

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) beabadoobee: “Switchblade”

(08:31) Bonobo & Arooj Aftab: “Fire on the Water”

(15:09) The Rolling Stones: “Ringing Hollow”

(25:31) L’rain: “borderline”

(33:02) Four Tet: "track 3"

(40...