Music News

Herbert Blomstedt conducts the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig in April 2026, at the age of 98.

Music

Herbert Blomstedt, conductor of great orchestras for seven decades, dies at 99

Tom Huizenga

Modest in his demeanor but remarkably enduring, the American-born, Swedish conductor continually fell in love with music, leading orchestras with no-nonsense insight and integrity well into his 90s.

Music

Richard O'Brien's 'The Rocky Horror Show': Tiny Desk Concert

Mitra I. Arthur

When you welcome The Rocky Horror Show to the Tiny Desk, it's only fitting to fill the audience with Frank-N-Furters, Magentas, Eddies, Riff Raffs, Brads, Janets, and various other creatures of the night.

Music

Social Distortion's 'Born to Kill' is the punk band's first album in 15 years

Stephen Kallao, Will Loftus

The Orange County punk rockers' latest album comes after a turbulent period that included singer Mike Ness'cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Music

How Aaron Dessner became pop music's authenticity whisperer

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Dessner, best known as a member of the rock band The National, has become a sought-after producer for pop stars and singer-songwriters, including Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Noah Kahan.

Petter Mattei portrays stars in the Metropolitan Opera production of Lincoln in the Bardo, adapted from George Saunders' surreal novel about the president grieving the loss of his son in the midst of the Civil War.

Music

'Lincoln in the Bardo' takes a distinctly American grief to the Met stage

Jeff Lunden

With music by Missy Mazzoli, George Saunders' award-winning Civil War novel comes to surreal life in a stage adaptation making its world premiere at The Metropolitan Opera.

In its 30-year history, the Los Angeles record label Stones Throw has released generational classics by J Dilla, MF DOOM and Madlib, and launched newer stars including Sudan Archives, Knxwledge and Anderson .Paak.

Music

To Madvillainy and beyond: How Stones Throw Records created a galaxy of taste

Sheldon Pearce

From generational classics like J Dilla's Donuts to the star turns of Sudan Archives and Anderson .Paak, one small LA label has made history for 30 years — without losing its roots.

Ray Brown (left) and Christian McBride (right) in 1993

Music

Two Bass Hit: Ray Brown at 100 with Christian McBride and John Clayton

Sarah Geledi, Simon Rentner

Christian McBride and John Clayton celebrate the centennial of their mentor, the legendary bassist Ray Brown, with stories and music.

"We're in a glorious age of distraction," says Grian Chatten, the lead singer of the Irish band Fontaines D.C. "I just want to make people really feel things about the world that they live in. Because it's such a terrifying world at the moment."

Music

Fontaines D.C.'s decadent, dystopian vision of our time

Ann Powers

"I just want to make people really feel things about the world they live in," Grian Chatten says of Dopamine Chamber, which he describes as the band's attempt to map the tensions of our moment.

Troye Sivan's new album is called She's the Best

Music

Interview: Troye Sivan is leaning into loneliness

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

Troye Sivan’s 2023 album, 'Something to Give Each Other,' marked a turning point in the Australian singer-songwriter’s career.

Music

Discursive Verses: Vic Mensa and the rise of a rap manosphere counterculture

Rodney Carmichael

NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: an unbothered, radically different, equal but opposite response to rap's podcast bros.