All Music
Musician Fantastic Negrito wants to spread the light. He first had to face his past.With “Son of a Broken Man,” Grammy winner Fantastic Negrito tackles his relationship with his father, and considers how to overcome the darkness in our lives.
People turn to ‘CircleSinging’ to raise their voices – and joyBelting out a tune in front of strangers is a big ask for most people. CircleSinging participants regularly take that risk, and among their rewards are friendship and acceptance.
Cover StoryHe hears America singing. Jake Xerxes Fussell brings new life to folk music.Jake Xerxes Fussell has been seeking forgotten American folk songs his entire life. His fifth album, “When I’m Called,” releases July 12.
With hit ‘Girl, So Confusing,’ pop stars offer a model of conflict resolutionMusic history is full of feuds between musicians. But pop singers Charli XCX and Lorde just released a hit that opts for reconciliation over vitriol.
First LookWynton Marsalis and Bryan Stevenson fuse jazz, protest, and justice on Juneteenth albumCivil rights lawyer and jazz pianist Bryan Stevenson and Pulitzer-winning jazz artist Wynton Marsalis collaborated on a new live performance album of historic jazz records to honor Juneteenth and Black history.
Ann Powers was writing Joni Mitchell’s life story. She found her own.With her new biography about Joni Mitchell, NPR music critic Ann Powers says she wanted to challenge the idea that there’s only one definitive story of a life.
First LookDOJ sues Live Nation for muscling out competition in ticket salesThe U.S. Department of Justice announced an antitrust lawsuit against the entertainment company Live Nation. Ticketmaster, which merged with Live Nation in 2010, has been blamed for inflated ticket prices by both consumers and artists.
First LookOnce a ‘bedroom pop’ crooner, Billie Eilish is wide awake on her latest albumA once-in-a-generation performer, Billie Eilish rewrites the rules yet again on “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” her ambitious third release. It’s a project meant to be enjoyed in full, rich with sonic depth and emotional maturity.
First LookNemo, Eurovision’s first nonbinary winner, gets a hero’s welcome in SwitzerlandEurovision has long been embraced as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s competition struck a particular victory for acceptance, crowning the contest’s first nonbinary winner with an eclectic anthem about being true to oneself.
First LookMamma Mia! Here we go again. Eurovision wraps up in Sweden with pomp and protests.Eurovision’s 2024 competition is bringing flashy and theatrical pop music to Malmo, Sweden. It’s also bringing thousands of protesters who are criticizing Israel’s participation in the contest.
Singer Laura Veirs finds creativity everywhere – bikes, skates, power sawsFor some artists, inspiration comes when ideas flow naturally, rather than being demanded. With the release of her latest album, songwriter Laura Veirs reflects on how creativity manifests itself.
OK, she’s worth $1 billion, but can Taylor Swift write poetry? We ask the experts.Taylor Swift’s new album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” will be released on April 19. In advance, we asked poets what they think of the pop star’s wordsmithing.
André 3000 trades hip-hop for the flute – and still resonates with listenersOur commentator says that even if the artist, one-half of the hit duo Outkast, doesn’t say a word in his new music, he’s still able to impact culture in a way that invokes creativity and healing.
Not ‘country enough’? Beyoncé proudly proclaims her Texas roots in ‘Cowboy Carter.’Houston native Beyoncé offers her takes on everybody from the Beatles to Dolly Parton in a clarion call of an album, “Cowboy Carter.”
First LookConductor Seiji Ozawa remembered as a kind and thoughtful humanitarianSeiji Ozawa, who died Feb. 6 in his native Japan, was a world-renowned conductor with a 29-year career with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The BSO described Mr. Ozawa as “a musical genius” with “a balletic grace at the podium.”
First LookTikTok and a major label are in a standoff. How does this song end?TikTok videos featuring major artists’ music are being muted after Universal Music Group terminated its licensing deal on the platform. It’s part of a larger conflict over fair compensation for creators’ work – as well as questions about the use of AI.
First LookWomen win big at Grammy Awards: Swift, Cyrus, EilishThe Grammy Awards showcased wins for women, including Taylor Swift’s fourth album of the year, Miley Cyrus’s record of the year, and Victoria Monét as best new artist. The stage was lit up with performances by Tracy Chapman and Billy Joel, among others.
First LookSingin’ in the rain? At 2023 concerts, extreme weather was no joke.Dozens of concerts were impacted by extreme weather in 2023, with at least two involving fatalities. As climate hazards intensify, the live music industry, and other outdoor venues, have struggled to adapt large-scale events to a new safety landscape.
First LookChanges at Pitchfork signal a slower tempo in music criticismLayoffs at Pitchfork, an online music publication, aren’t just a symptom of media consolidation. The website’s absorption into GQ speaks to a world in which independent criticism and offbeat experiments are getting harder to find – or sustain.
First LookOates tried to sell his half of the business. Hall can’t go for that.Hall & Oates is in court. Daryl Hall is suing to stop John Oates from selling his stake of a shared business partnership. The ’80s pop-rock duo has accused each other of inflammatory statements and even betrayal.
