Current Playlist
Deceptive Cadence
Deceptive Cadence un-stuffs the world of classical music, which is both fusty and ferociously alive.
- What did the beginning of time sound like? A new string quartet offers an impressionby Olivia Hampton on January 17, 2024 at 10:11 am
Nokuthula Ngwenyama's Flow is on a 13-city tour of performances by the celebrated Takács Quartet.
- Napoleon's piano lends authenticity to Ridley Scott's biopicby Olivia Hampton on December 4, 2023 at 10:04 am
British composer Martin Phipps discusses how he used an 1808 French piano that once belonged to Napoleon in the score for Ridley Scott's biopic of the one-time emperor.
- Finding a place at the Met, this opera sings in a language of its ownby Luis Trelles on November 27, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Florencia gives star Ailyn Pérez a rare chance to sing in Spanish. As the bilingual daughter of Mexican immigrants, she learned early on that language had the power to shape her experience and voice.
- A disciplined plea for peace – and quiet – from composer Arvo Pärtby Tom Huizenga on November 10, 2023 at 5:28 pm
A new album of music by the 88-year-old Estonian mystic seems to put an arm around you and whisper, "In troubled times, music can help."
NPR Music
In-depth stories from NPR Music staff and radio programs.
- Whether you're merry or miserable, David Byrne's holiday playlist will resonateby Terry Gross on December 24, 2024 at 10:00 am
The singer-songwriter and Talking Heads frontman presents some of his favorite holiday music — including songs by The Pogues, James Brown and LCD Soundsystem. Originally broadcast Dec. 20, 2023.
- A Sound Mirror: Notre Dame Cathedral's Restoration Can Be Heard in Its Resonanceby Eleanor Beardsley on December 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
Notre Dame's longest serving organist Olivier Latry tells of the cathedral's transformed acoustics. After a horrific fire in 2019, craftspeople resurrected the cathedral in just five years. The organist says the thorough cleaning of the instrument and the structure's stone makes the cathedral even more reverberant. Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists. Visit plus.npr.org.
- Songs that hit hard in 2024by Mitra I. Arthur on December 24, 2024 at 8:00 am
We asked listeners to tell us about the one song they couldn't stop listening to in 2024 because of how it made them feel. On this episode we share some of their picks and the stories behind them.Enjoy the show? Tell a friend and leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org
- How Chappell Roan's producer Dan Nigro crafts pop hits for a new generationby Kira Wakeam on December 23, 2024 at 10:25 pm
Working with artists like Chappell Roan and Olivia Rodrigo to distill their personalities and voices into distinctive and personal songs, Nigro has established himself as a producer adept at making pop hits for a new generation.