Music Features : NPR

Black Thought, The Voice Of The Roots, Is Ready To Tell His Story

Black Thought of The Roots is ready for his close-up with the release of Streams Of Thought, Vol. 1. Nickolai Hammar/NPR hide caption

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Nickolai Hammar/NPR

Black Thought, The Voice Of The Roots, Is Ready To Tell His Story

May 31, 2018 • On the eve of his first solo release, Streams of Thought, Vol. 1, The Roots' MC sheds light on his darkest inspiration and expanding vulnerability.

J Balvin Won't Settle For Anything Less Than World Domination

"We proved to the world that a completely Spanish song can take over the world," J Balvin says. "This is just the beginning." Orli Arias/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Orli Arias/Courtesy of the artist

Alt.Latino

J Balvin Won't Settle For Anything Less Than World Domination

May 24, 2018 • After cracking the American pop charts last year, the Colombian reggaeton star is following the success of "Mi Gente" with his fifth album, Vibras. And he knows you're still listening.

J Balvin Won't Settle For Anything Less Than World Domination

31:28

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Saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie in concert with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in November 1960. Express/Getty Images hide caption

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Express/Getty Images

Jazz Night In America

What Makes A Jazz Standard?

May 21, 2018 • Christian McBride of Jazz Night in America joins NPR's Audie Cornish with a few criteria for what turns a regular composition into a canonized classic.

What Makes A Jazz Standard?

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'Cello Bae' Sheku Kanneh-Mason Wins Worldwide Fans After Royal Wedding

Sheku Kanneh-Mason performs for millions at the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. YouTube hide caption

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YouTube

Deceptive Cadence

'Cello Bae' Sheku Kanneh-Mason Wins Worldwide Fans After Royal Wedding

May 21, 2018 • Watch the moving performance from 19-year-old award-winner during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

'Cello Bae' Sheku Kanneh-Mason Wins Worldwide Fans After Royal Wedding

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Jade Bird backstage during 2018 Stagecoach Country Music Festival on April 27, 2018 in Indio, Calif. Jason Kempin/Getty Images hide caption

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Jason Kempin/Getty Images

Slingshot

All Bets Are On Jade Bird

KERA News

May 21, 2018 • The British-born artist developed a fondness for American country music in her teens. At just 20 years old, the NPR Music Slingshot artist's new single is starting to break big in the U.S.

All Bets Are On Jade Bird

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This Tiny Desk Contestant Braved The Elements To Pay Tribute To His Grandmother

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YouTube

All Songs Considered

This Tiny Desk Contestant Braved The Elements To Pay Tribute To His Grandmother

May 20, 2018 • Musician Quinn Christopherson shares the story of his original song submission for the 2018 Tiny Desk Contest.

This Tiny Desk Contestant Braved The Elements To Pay Tribute To His Grandmother

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Classical Music Captures A Young Wife's Anxiety In 'On Chesil Beach'

Saoirse Ronan plays newlywed Florence in On Chesil Beach, in theaters now. Bleecker Street hide caption

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Bleecker Street

Deceptive Cadence

Classical Music Captures A Young Wife's Anxiety In 'On Chesil Beach'

May 18, 2018 • Based on the novel by Ian McEwan, the film tells the story of a troubled honeymoon. The new bride is a violinist in a string quartet; the music was composed by Dan Jones and is played by Esther Yoo.

Classical Music Captures A Young Wife's Anxiety In 'On Chesil Beach'

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Anderson .Paak's 'Bubblin' Video Lives Out Frivolous Rap Fantasies

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Review

All Songs Considered

Anderson .Paak's 'Bubblin' Video Lives Out Frivolous Rap Fantasies

May 17, 2018 • Anderson .Paak shares a hilarious, whiplash-inducing video for his new single "Bubblin.' "

Spotify's 'Hateful Conduct' Policy Drags The Music Industry Into The #MeToo Moment

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The Record

Spotify's 'Hateful Conduct' Policy Drags The Music Industry Into The #MeToo Moment

May 16, 2018 • The streaming giant's new policy on artists who engage in "hateful conduct" is a half-measure, but it demonstrates the power the company now wields — and the challenge it now faces.

Spotify's 'Hateful Conduct' Policy Drags The Music Industry Into The #MeToo Moment

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'This Is America' Earns Donald Glover His First No. 1 Hit

Donald Glover's "This Is America" music video earned the song a No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Charley Gallay/Getty Images hide caption

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Charley Gallay/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

'This Is America' Earns Donald Glover His First No. 1 Hit

May 15, 2018 • Donald Glover's latest release as Childish Gambino was a perfect storm, sparking a cultural conversation and expertly wielding his spotlight.

Composer And Leading Avant-Garde Guitarist Glenn Branca Has Died At 69

Glenn Branca, conducting his ensemble in Brooklyn in 2000. Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images hide caption

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Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

The Record

Composer And Leading Avant-Garde Guitarist Glenn Branca Has Died At 69

May 15, 2018 • The composer and guitarist who merged noise and art music in sheer walls of sound died on May 13. His collaborators included a huge range of artists, from David Bowie to Kronos Quartet.

Noah Slee Reaches Back To His Tongan 'Otherland'

Noah Slee's 2017 debut, Otherland, fuses Tongan traditions with beats and R&B riffs he picked up in Berlin. WILK/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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WILK/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Noah Slee Reaches Back To His Tongan 'Otherland'

May 14, 2018 • The Tongan-raised Berlin transplant often finds himself between two worlds that couldn't be more different. In his 2017 debut Otherland, Slee celebrates the community he says once othered him.

Noah Slee Reaches Back To His Tongan 'Otherland'

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Criminal Complaints And Industry Investigations Target Tidal

Jay-Z, on the red carpet to promote the film The Great Gatsby in New York in 2013. Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images hide caption

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The Record

Criminal Complaints And Industry Investigations Target Tidal

May 14, 2018 • This follows accusations that the streaming platform faked plays for Beyoncé and Kanye West. On Monday, Norwegian journalists also accused the company of secretly lowering payouts to artists.

Sweet Lizzy Project started five years ago as a producer-singer duo. It grew from there. Alejandro Menendez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Alejandro Menendez/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Sweet Lizzy Project Brings The Sounds Of Havana To Nashville

WMOT

May 13, 2018 • The Havana seven-piece is a passion project of Raul Malo, lead singer of The Mavericks and son of Cuban exiles. Malo brought the band to Nashville in hopes they'll launch a career and build a bridge.

Sweet Lizzy Project Brings The Sounds Of Havana To Nashville

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Chris Brown, Rapper Young Lo Named In Sexual Assault Suit

Singer Chris Brown in a Los Angeles court for a probation hearing in 2014, after pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna. David McNew/Getty Images hide caption

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The Record

Chris Brown, Rapper Young Lo Named In Sexual Assault Suit

May 10, 2018 • An anonymous woman, represented by high-powered attorney Gloria Allred, filed a civil suit yesterday in Los Angeles with allegations of being repeatedly raped and assaulted at Brown's home.

Thursday May 31, 2018

Thursday May 24, 2018

J Balvin Won't Settle For Anything Less Than World Domination

Monday May 21, 2018

What Makes A Jazz Standard?

'Cello Bae' Sheku Kanneh-Mason Wins Worldwide Fans After Royal Wedding

KERA News

All Bets Are On Jade Bird

Sunday May 20, 2018

This Tiny Desk Contestant Braved The Elements To Pay Tribute To His Grandmother

Friday May 18, 2018

Classical Music Captures A Young Wife's Anxiety In 'On Chesil Beach'

Thursday May 17, 2018

Review

Wednesday May 16, 2018

Spotify's 'Hateful Conduct' Policy Drags The Music Industry Into The #MeToo Moment

Tuesday May 15, 2018

Monday May 14, 2018

Noah Slee Reaches Back To His Tongan 'Otherland'

Sunday May 13, 2018

WMOT

Sweet Lizzy Project Brings The Sounds Of Havana To Nashville

Thursday May 10, 2018