The Tortured Poets Department, immediately became one of the most anticipated releases of 2024 when she announced it on stage at the Grammy Awards in February.'/> NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Cills dig into Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which hit streaming services last night, and share a handful of other new albums out Friday, April 19. Featured Albums: • Taylor Swift, 'The Tortured Poets Department' • Bbymutha, 'Sleep Paralysis' • claire rousay, 'sentiment' • Pearl Jam, 'Dark Matter' Other notable albums out April 19: • Stephanie Lambring, 'Hypocrite' • Cadence Wea ..read more

This week's update to our list of the year's best songs includes thunderous shoegaze from Wisp, a classic Cuban piano piece from Dánae Olano, a deeply moving story from Pedro The Lion and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Pedro The Lion: "Modesto," from 'Santa Cruz' 2. Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly: "Destejer," from 'Mestizx' 3. Sheila E.: "Bemba Colorá (feat. Gloria Estefan)," from 'Bailar' 4. Lizzy McAlpine: "I Guess," from 'Older' 5. Dánae Olano: "Danzón para la abuela" from 'Children's Corner' 6. Wisp: "Pandora" from 'Pandora' EP Questions, comments, feedback, sugges ..read more

NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce and WRTI's Nate Chinen take you through the biggest new releases of the week, including Maggie Rogers, Shabaka Hutchings and more. Featured albums: - Shabaka, 'Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace' - Maggie Rogers, 'Don't Forget Me' - Lizz Wright, 'Shadow' - Leyla McCalla, 'Sun Without the Heat' Other notable albums out April 5: - METZ, 'Up On Gravity Hill' - Caroline Davis & Wendy Eisenberg, 'Accept When' - girl in red, 'I'M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!' - Future & Metro Boomin, 'We Still Don't Trust You' - Nia Archives, 'Silence is Loud' - V/A, 'My Black C ..read more

"Weird Al" Yankovic helps curate a mix of some of the funniest songs of all time, from classics like Tom Lehrer's "The Elements," to more fringe discoveries from The Hazzards, Tonio K. and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Tonio K: "H-A-T-R-E-D" 2. Robbie Fulks: "Fountains of Wayne Hotline" 3. Tenacious D: "Tribute" 4. Spike Jones: "Der Fuehrer's Face" 5. Bill Oddie: "BLIMPHT" 6. The Hazzards: "Just A Temp" 7. Garfunkel and Oates: "Google" 8. Tom Lehrer: "The Elements" 9. Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Erika Henningsen, Ashley Park & Busy Philipps: "Famous 5eva" 10. Flight of ..read more

It's a big week for fans of early aughts rock bands, with new releases from The Black Keys and Vampire Weekend hitting streaming services. Kick back with NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and World Cafe host Raina Douris as they run through the new albums you need to know about. Featured albums:1. The Black Keys, 'Ohio Players' 2. Vampire Weekend, 'Only God Was Above Us' 3. Katie Pruitt, 'Mantras' 4. Khruangbin, 'A La Sala' Other notable releases for April 5, 2024:• Phosphorescent, 'Revelator' • Grace Cummings, 'Ramona' • Young Miko, 'att.' • Adam Wiltzie, 'Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal ..read more

We update our running list of the year's best songs with Charlotte Day Wilson's beguiling "Canopy," wry punk from Gustaf, a breathtaking new solo work from Adrianne Lenker and more. Featured artists and songs: 1. Gustaf: "Starting and Staring," from 'Package, Pt. 2' 2. Mustafa: "Imaan" (Single) 3. Adrianne Lenker: "No Machine," from 'Bright Future' 4. Charlotte Day Wilson: "Canopy," from 'Cyan Blue' 5. Gary Clark Jr.: "Maktub," from 'JPEG RAW' 6. Nourished by Time: "Hell of a Ride," from 'Catching Chickens' Questions, comments, suggestions, general feedback? Email us: allsongs@npr.org Sig ..read more

Beyoncé's breathlessly-anticipated Act II: Cowboy Carter is finally here, and NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce shares his initial reactions after staying up late to listen to the album as soon as it hit streaming services. But Queen Bey isn't the only artist with a new album worthy of discovery and dissection this week, and Sheldon is joined by Ann Powers to talk about a handful of other albums that deserve celebration. Those include a pair of albums — by Reyna Tropical and Kelly Moran — shaped by tragedy and its aftermath. Featured albums:1. Beyoncé, Act II: Cowboy Carter 2. Reyna Tropical: Male ..read more

Segue to Infinity.'/> It's music to the rescue on this week's All Songs Considered, with a mix of songs to slow the blood, including the one track scientists believe can reduce anxiety by up to 65%. Featured songs and artists: • Marconi Union: "Weightless" • Mary Lattimore: "Wawa by the Ocean" from 'Collected Pieces' • Van-Anh Nguyen and Noshika Masuda: "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt • Brian McBride: "Girl Nap" from 'The Effective Disconnect' • Laraaji: "Meditation No. 1" from 'Day of Radiance' • Arooj Aftab: "Saans Lo" from 'Vulture Prince' • Eluvium: "One" from 'Talk Amongst The Trees ..read more

Tigers Blood is one of the best releases out March 22.'/> Though it isn't quite as packed with huge names as last week, we're digging through another robust assortment of terrific albums. Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Stephen Thompson open by hailing Tigers Blood, the latest album from a singer-songwriter — Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee — who sounds more assured and potent than ever. Plus: inescapably catchy global pop from South African singer Tyla, genre-straddling roots music from Sierra Ferrell, indescribable electronic compositions from Jlin and more. Featured albums: 1. Waxahatchee, Tige ..read more

In C on her latest album.'/> We update our tally of the year's best contenders with the effervescent Bombay Bicycle Club, Residente's epic and profound "313," cellist Maya Beiser's take on Terry Riley's In C and more. Alt.Latino's Anamaria Sayre and NPR Music's Tom Huizenga join host Robin Hilton Featured Artists And Songs: 1. Bombay Bicycle Club: "Willow (feat. Lucy Rose)," from 'Fantasies' 2. Ela Taubert: "Como Paso" (single) 3. Jlin: "Sodalite (feat. Kronos Quartet)," from 'Akoma' 4. Maya Hawke: "Missing Out," from 'Chaos Angel' 5. Residente: "313" from 'LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN' 6. M ..read more