Accessibility links
All Songs Considered Robin Hilton spins new music from emerging bands and musical icons.

All Songs Considered

Upgrade Your Playlist

Tuesday

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40
Columbia Records

Our Show

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

by 

With the Fourth of July week here, we look at an album all about the messy, complicated and wonderful culture of America: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which recently turned 40 years old.

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

Listen · 30:53
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962792/1255068724" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

Omar Apollo's new album, God Said No, is one of our favorite releases this week. Aitor Laspiur/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Aitor Laspiur/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

by  , 

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Anamaria Sayre give you the lowdown on Omar Apollo's new LP, Lil Yachty's collaboration with James Blake, and the fourth album by Hiatus Kaiyote.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 28

Listen · 34:02
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962354/1254913567" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Nathy Peluso Ivan Resnik/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Ivan Resnik/Courtesy of the artist

The Contenders

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

by  ,  , 

Our updated list of the year's best songs includes a sweet reflection from beabadoobee, Nathy Peluso's wildly infectious "Aprender A Amar," the mind-blowing virtuosity of pianist Yuja Wang and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Listen · 44:31
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962267/1254659528" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

Our Show

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 21

by  , 

The first half of 2024 has been stuffed with blockbuster albums, and as we reach the midpoint of the year, we've got one more to add to the list. On this week's episode of New Music Friday from All Songs Considered, Hazel Cills and Anamaria Sayre discuss the new album from the breakout star of the Mexican Regional movement. Peso Pluma's new Éxodo sees the singer branching out with new sounds and new collaborators.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 21

Listen · 42:41
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962261/1254506020" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

Helado Negro Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist

Our Show

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

by  ,  , 

With the first half of the year almost behind us, we hit pause to reflect on some of the best tracks we've gotten so far, from Chappell Roan, Brittany Howard, Pedro The Lion and more.

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

Listen · 49:50
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962213/1254320428" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 14

Luke Combs's new album, Fathers & Sons, is his first since his cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" became a pop smash in 2023. Zach Massey/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Zach Massey/Courtesy of the artist

Our Show

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 14

by  , 

This week, NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers steer the New Music Friday podcast straight into the oncoming Father's Day weekend, following the lead of country superstar Luke Combs, whose new album Fathers & Sons is a heartfelt meditation on what it means to fill both of those roles. It's Combs' first album since his cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" landed him on the pop charts last year.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 14

Listen · 46:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962203/1254165375" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

Actor, comedian and music superfan Jason Mantzoukas Matt Doyle Photo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Matt Doyle Photo/Courtesy of the artist

Our Show

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

by  , 

Actor, comedian and music superfan Jason Mantzoukas joins us to update our running list of the year's best songs, with lots of crate-digging curiosities. With host Robin Hilton and NPR Music's Lars Gotrich.

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

Listen · 1:02:52
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962126/1253947636" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

Kaytranada's new album, Timeless, is out Friday. Jevi Emir/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Jevi Emir/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

by  , 

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Hazel Cills shepherd you through the many huge albums out today, including new records by Kaytranada, Charli XCX and so much more.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

Listen · 50:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197962074/1253799341" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Janelle Monáe gives a commencement speech at Loyola Marymount University's 2024 Graduate ceremony. JC Olivera/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
JC Olivera/Getty Images

Our Show

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

by  , 

Listeners share songs that take them back to the final days of high school, and the lessons they impart.

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Listen · 48:21
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961991/1253574177" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 31

Arooj Aftab's new album, Night Reign, is one of our favorite albums out May 31. Shreya Dev Dube/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Shreya Dev Dube/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 31

by  , 

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Lars Gotrich are your guides to this week's new releases.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 31

Listen · 48:38
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961869/1253428597" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Lake Street Dive's latest album is Good Together. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

Our Show

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

by  , 

Our biweekly update of the year's best tracks is a mix full of "the hurries and the worries" from Alkaline Trio, wistful reflections from Lake Street Dive, Cindy Lee's sprawling double album and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Listen · 44:51
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961822/1253218551" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 24

Carlos Nino Todd Weaver/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Todd Weaver/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 24

by  , 

On our survey of the week's most exciting new albums, WRTI's Nate Chinen and NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce get all wrapped up in the amniotic embrace of a new album by a guru of the L.A. ambient-jazz scene.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 24

Listen · 42:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961812/1253090702" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Monday

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

Rapsody (left) and Erykah Badu Courtesy of the artists hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artists

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

by  , 

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Hazel Cills discuss new releases by Billie Eilish, Portishead's Beth Gibbons and Rapsody.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

Listen · 37:02
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961689/1251973482" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

WILLOW's latest album, empathogen, includes one of this week's must-hear tracks, "Run." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Our Show

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

by  , 

We update our running list of the year's best songs with new ones from Dominic Fike, WILLOW, Kamasi Washington, Illuminati Hotties and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Listen · 39:15
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1197961670/1250991800" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">