Charley Crockett. Twin Shadow. Throwing Muses. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Matt Reilly of Austin public radio station KUTX to discuss the best new releases we heard this week. Featured albums: • Charley Crockett, Lonesome Drifter ( Stream ) • Twin Shadow, Georgie ( Stream ) • Courting, Lust for Life, Or: 'How To Thread The Needle And Come Out The Other Side To Tell The Story ( Stream ) • Étienne de Crécy, WARM UP ( Stream ) • Throwing Muses, Moonlight Concessions ( Stream ) Check o...
Mar 14, 2025•37 min
Alt.Latino hosts share six songs that they've had on repeat over the past month. Featured artists and songs: • Edison Machado & Boa Nova, "Naquela Base" • Michi, "Memmy (Recuerdo)" (feat. Gabriel da Rosa) • Adam O'Farrill, "Nocturno, 1932" • Vivir Quintana, "Más Libre Que En Casa" • Lucia Sarmiento, "Look Up" • Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, "#T****" Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya M...
Mar 12, 2025•22 min
We've got just what you need for that stubborn case of existential dread in a looming dystopia as we update our running list of the year's best songs, with new ones from yeule, Raveena and more. Also, we continue to celebrate the 25th anniversary of All Songs Considered by looking back at our number one songs from each year. On this episode: the songs that take us back to 2005 Featured artists and songs: 01. Everything Is Recorded: "Never Felt Better (feat. Sampha, Florence + The Machine)," from...
Mar 11, 2025•42 min
Lady Gaga. Jason Isbell. Newcomer Annie DiRusso. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Celia Gregory from Nashville public radio station WNXP to discuss these records and much more. Featured albums: • Annie DiRusso, 'Super Pedestrian' ( Stream ) • Jason Isbell, 'Foxes in the Snow' ( Stream ) • Sasami, 'Blood on the Silver Screen' ( Stream ) • Divorce, 'Drive To Goldenhammer' ( Stream ) • ASTROPICAL (Bomba Estéreo + Rawayana), 'ASTROPICAL' ( Stream ) Read our feature on 'ASTROPICAL' here . Check ...
Mar 07, 2025•46 min
This week Alt.Latino hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre balance their passion for new discoveries with reissued music from an iconic Latin American songwriter. Featured artists and songs: • Ezra Collective, "Body Language" (feat. Sasha Keable) • Patti LaBelle, "Teach me Tonight (Me Gusta Tu Baile)" • Teri Gender Bender, "SANAR" • Kevin Kaarl, "recuérdame x siempre" • Violeta Parra, "Cantores Que Reflexionan" • Ben Aler, "Honest" • Jose Luiz Martins, "Cravo e Canela" Learn more about sponso...
Mar 05, 2025•21 min
As we celebrate a quarter century of music nerdom and buffoonery, we remember the songs that shaped the show and our lives, with 25 No. 1 tracks from our first 25 years (and whatever else we can manage to recall). We aren't going to ruin the fun with a tracklist — listen along as All Songs Considered host Robin Hilton and New Music Friday's Stephen Thompson try to guess each other's favorite cuts. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to pod...
Mar 04, 2025•47 min
Animal Collective's Panda Bear. Nicolás Jaar's DARKSIDE. Newcomer Hope Tala. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson discusses these albums and more with KCRW's Travis Holcombe . Featured albums: • Panda Bear, 'Sinister Grift' • Mdou Moctar, 'Tears of Injustice' • DARKSIDE, 'Nothing' • Hope Tala, 'Hope Handwritten' • Marie Davidson, 'City of Clowns' Check out the longer list of albums out Feb. 28 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org/music . Credits: • Host: Stephen Thompson • Guest: Travis H...
Feb 28, 2025•32 min
Alt.Latino host Felix Contreras speaks with Grammy Award-winning Puerto Rican saxophonist Miguel Zenón about the Afro-Latino legacy on the island. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Feb 26, 2025•28 min
We update our running list of the year's best songs with the cinematic pop of Oklou, Icelandic composer Anna Thorvaldsdottir, the experimental hip-hop group clipping. and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Oklou: "family and friends," from 'choke enough' 2. Anna Thorvaldsdottir: "Part V" and "Part VIII," from 'UBIQUE' 3. clipping.: "Keep Pushing," from 'Dead Channel Sky' 4. Sandbox Percussion: "Don't Look Down," from 'Cerrone: Don't Look Down' 5. Lucrecia Dalt: "cosa rara (feat. David Sylvian)...
Feb 25, 2025•45 min
Sam Fender. The Drive-By Truckers' Patterson Hood. Jesse Welles. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson discussed these new albums and more with country star Kathy Mattea, who hosts NPR's weekly show ' Mountain Stage .' Featured albums: • Sam Fender, 'People Watching' • Patterson Hood (of Drive-By Truckers), Exploding Trees & Airplane Scream • Jesse Welles, 'Middle' • Sunny War, 'Armageddon In A Summer Dress' • Saya Gray, 'SAYA' Check out the long list of albums out Feb. 21 and stream our New Music Friday...
Feb 21, 2025•38 min
With Oscar season here, we review the nominees for Original Song and Original Score, prognosticate who will win the statues on March 2, and look at the Academy's biggest snubs. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] Hear the songs in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify . Learn more about sponsor message choices: pod...
Feb 18, 2025•48 min
Bartees Strange. Denison Witmer. The Sun Ra Arkestra's Marshall Allen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Nate Chinen of Philadelphia's WRTI to discuss the best new releases out on Valentine's Day. Featured albums: • Bartees Strange, 'Horror' • Denison Witmer, 'Anything At All' • Marshall Allen, 'New Dawn' • Sullivan Fortner, 'Southern Nights' • John Patitucci, 'Spirit Fall' Check out our longer list of albums out Feb. 14 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org/music . Credits: • ...
Feb 14, 2025•39 min
'Alt.Latino' hosts Felix Contreras and Anamaria Sayre are back with six new songs that span the spectrum of Latinidad. Featured artists and songs: • Christian Nodal, "A Solas con la Botella" • Las Trompas de Falopium, "JARRE" • pablopablo, Carín León & Ralphie Choo, "Eso Que Tú Llamas Amor" • The Mexican Standoff & Flaco Jimenez, "Tu Dirás" (feat. Los Texmaniacs) • Amaia, "C'est La Vie" • Angie K, "Red Dirt on Mars" Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentner. Our ...
Feb 12, 2025•25 min
The latest update to our running list of the year's best songs includes the shredded guitars of girlpuppy, solo material from from TV On The Radio's Tunde Adebimpe and more. Featured artists and songs: • Tunde Adebimpe: "Drop," from 'Thee Black Boltz' • girlpuppy: "Champ," from 'Sweetness' • Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: "Into Your Eyes" from 'GUSH' • Lonnie Holley: "Protest With Love," from 'Tonky' • The Weather Station: "Lonely," from 'Humanhood' • Ólafur Arnalds & Talos: "We Didn't Know We Were Read...
Feb 11, 2025•44 min
Sharon Van Etten headlines this week's new releases, but she's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. On this episode, NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Robert Moore of Kansas City public radio station 90.9 The Bridge , where Robert hosts the underground rock show Sonic Spectrum . Featured Albums: • Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, s/t • Adrian Crowley, 'Measure of Joy' • Heartworms, 'Glutton for Punishment' • Nadia Reid, 'Enter Brightness Now' • Squid, 'Cowards' Check out our long...
Feb 07, 2025•29 min
This week, we hear from a Colombian-Venezuelan super group, a new Afro-Brazilian band, and Ana gets another jazz lesson from a Latin jazz orchestra. Songs featured in this episode: • XIXA, "Xolo de Galáxia" • Meme del Real, "Princesa" • Jessie Reyez, "GOLIATH" • Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, "Dia de los Muertos III Mambo Cadaverous" • Trinka, "Grego" • Astropical, "Me Pasa (Piscis)" Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 05, 2025•26 min
Making a playlist or mixtape for that special someone? We've got you covered this Valentine's Day with these off-the-radar love songs. Featured artists and songs: 1. Linda Diaz: "Watching Ourselves Die (feat. Solomon Fox)" (single) 2. Gal Costa: "Baby," from 'Gal Gosta' 3. Mirah: "Engine Heart," from 'You Think It's Like This, But Really It's Like This' 4. Paloma Murphy: "me faltas tú" (single) 5. Stretch Arm Strong: "For Now," from 'Rituals of Life' 6. Tender Forever: "Then If I'm Weird, I Want...
Feb 04, 2025•38 min
We break down the winners, surprise shutouts and more from what's billed as "music's biggest night," courtesy of our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour. Ten take-aways from this year's Grammys A complete list of 2025 Grammy winners Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Feb 03, 2025•27 min
The Weeknd may be the biggest release of the week, but is it the best? We run down five other albums you should hear, with NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and John Morrison, host of Culture Cypher Radio on partner station WXPN. Featured albums: • Cymande, 'Renascence' • Ambrose Akinmusire, 'honey from a winter stone' • Lilly Hiatt, 'Forever' • Pink Siifu, 'BLACK'!ANTIQUE' • Damon Locks, 'List of Demands' See our long list of albums out Jan. 31 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org . L...
Jan 31, 2025•37 min
Do not come on Alt.Latino if you don't have good chisme! Ana and Felix talk about their favorite songs of the week, including some psychedelic cumbia, Cuban folk music and more. Songs featured on the episode: •Combo Chimbita, "Dímelo" •Cortadito, "Yemaya" •Joaquina, "desahogo" •Joaquina, "aeropuerto" •The Altons, "Waiting" •Thee Midniters, "It'll Never Be Over For Me" •Majo Aguilar, "el beso" •Carrie Rodriguez, "Miles Away" Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Simon Rentn...
Jan 29, 2025•34 min
We update our list of the year's best songs with a Tamino-Mitski collaboration, Son Lux's first new music since scoring Everything Everywhere All At Once , new Circuit des Yeux and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Shura: "Recognise," from I Got Too Sad For My Friends 2. Tamino, Mitski: "Sanctuary," from Every Dawn's a Mountain 3. Julien Baker & Torres: "Sugar in the Tank" (single) 4. Flora From Kansas: "The Ghost is Me," from Homesick 5. Circuit des Yeux: "Megaloner," from Halo On The Inside...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min
FKA twigs. Central Cee. It's a big week for new releases, and we've got you covered. Host Stephen Thompson welcomes Desiré Moses of Virginia public radio station WNRN to break it all down. Featured albums: • FKA twigs, 'EUSEXUA' • Central Cee, 'Can't Rush Greatness' • Sam Amidon, 'Salt River' • Mogwai, 'The Bad Fire' • Anna B. Savage, 'You & i are Earth' Check out our long list of albums out Jan. 24 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org . Learn more about sponsor message choices: p...
Jan 24, 2025•29 min
Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras share their goals for 2025 and the new songs that reflect them. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Jan 22, 2025•28 min
We highlight some of the most anticipated albums of the year, including upcoming ones from Perfume Genius, Lucy Dacus, serpentwithfeet and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Perfume Genius: "It's A Mirror," from Glory (March 28) 2. Florist: "Have Heaven," from Jellywish (April 4) 3. Lucy Dacus: "Ankles," from Forever Is A Feeling (March 28) 4. serpentwithfeet: "Writhing In The Wind," from GRIP Sequel (Feb. 28) 5. Squid: "Building 650," from Cowards (Feb. 7) 6. Jason Isbell: "Bury Me," from Fox...
Jan 21, 2025•52 min
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes aboard Kara Manning of New York City public radio station WFUV to discuss the best new albums hitting streaming services on Friday, Jan. 17. Featured Albums • Mac Miller, 'Balloonerism' • The Weather Station, 'Humanhood' • jasmine.4.t, 'You are the Morning' • Victoria Canal, 'Slowly, It Dawns' • Blue Lake, 'Weft' Check out our long list of albums out today and stream our New Music Friday playlist at npr.org/music . Learn more about sponsor message choices: p...
Jan 17, 2025•39 min
Los Angeles is home for me and always in my heart. Watching the fires from afar in my current city, New York, has me thinking a lot about what makes my hometown great: breathtaking mountains, stunning beaches and above all a hodgepodge, tapestry community that comes together in powerful ways during a painful moment. The good and bad of LA's history — redlining and rebuilding, previous fires and displacement, immigration and annexation — have all been building blocks for an exchange of culture th...
Jan 15, 2025•25 min
Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) is back with her first new album since her memoir, Crying in H Mart , blew up. We've got the first single from it, plus a Sufjan Stevens-produced Denison Witmer track and more. Enjoy the show? Share with a friend and leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] Hear the songs in our Apple and Spotify playlists. Featured artists and songs: 1. Deep Sea Diver: "Shovel...
Jan 14, 2025•41 min
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by KCRW's Travis Holcombe to run down their four favorite albums out today, as well as the revamped version of SZA's 'LANA' project. Featured Albums: • SZA, 'SOS Deluxe: LANA' • Franz Ferdinand, 'The Human Fear' • Ethel Cain, 'Perverts' • zzzahara, 'Spiral Your Way Out' • Moonchild Sanelly, 'Full Moon' See the long list of albums out January 10 and stream our New Music Friday playlist on npr.org/music . Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoic...
Jan 10, 2025•35 min
Alt.Latino hosts Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras, and NPR reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento break down what exactly makes the record so Puerto Rican and why its Bad Bunny's most reflective, ambitious and ingenious album yet. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Jan 08, 2025•31 min
A new year means a new running list of our favorite songs, from the transfixing voice of Anna B Savage and FKA Twigs' moody club beats to the '80s-influenced rock and pop of Sharon Van Etten and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Ela Minus: "Broken," from DIA 2. Anna B Savage: "Lighthouse," from You & i are Earth 3. Horsegirl: "2468," from Phonetics On and On 4. Miya Folick: "This Time Around," from Erotica Veronica 5. FKA Twigs: "Perfect Stranger," from EUSEXUA 6. Sharon Van Etten & The Attac...
Jan 07, 2025•44 min
