Dry Cleaning. Jenny on Holiday. An introspective debut from Mon Rovîa. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville to talk about their favorite new albums out Friday, January 9.

The Starting 5

(00:00) Intro
(00:31) Dry Cleaning, 'Secret Love'
(06:53) Jenny on Holiday, 'Quicksand Heart'
(15:12) Mon Rovîa, 'Bloodline'
(21:22) Home Star, 'A Binding Life'
(27:07) Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet, 'The Solastalgia Suite'

The Lightning Round

• Zach Bryan, 'With Heaven On Top'
• The Cribs, 'Selling A Vibe'
• Pullman, 'III'
• Clémentine March, 'Powder Keg'
• Rawayana, '¿Dónde Es El After?'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist on NPR.org.

Credits
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Celia Gregory, WNXP
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Elle Mannion
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed


Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Venezuela has a deep tradition of reflecting political change through music. This week, as the country reels from the seizure of its president by American forces, we explore the recent history of Venezuelan protest music, and from the Nineties right up until the present. First, we share an excerpt of an episode we made at another moment of political turmoil in Venezuela, in the summer of 2024. Then, we'll walk up to the present and see how some musicians across Latin America are responding to this moment. And a big thanks to NPR Music's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento for being our guide.

(00:00) Intro
(02:06) A history of Venezuelan protest music
(13:39) Social and economic changes under Nicolas Maduro
(14:53) Venezuelan protest music in recent years
(22:21) How artists across Latin America are responding

This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

We look ahead to some of the albums we’re most excited about for the new year, from sure bets like Dry Cleaning and Beverly Glenn-Copeland to rumored releases from some pretty big names.

(00:00) Intro

(01:26) Dry Cleaning: “Cruise Ship Designer,” from ‘Secret Love’

(05:03) Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: “Perpetual Adoration,” from ‘Tragic Magic’

(07:48) Ásgeir: “Smoke,” from ‘Julia’

(12:27) Joyce Manor: “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” from ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’

(17:45) Beverly Glenn-Copeland: “Laughter In Summer (with Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland),” from ‘Laughter In Summer’

(21:06) gobbinjr: “Just a dream,” from ‘crystal rabbit moon’

(24:59) Danny L Harle, Oklou & MNEK: “Crystallise My Tears,” from ‘Cerulean’

(28:08) August Ponthier: “Handsome,” from ‘Everywhere Isn’t Texas’

(31:14) Mumford & Sons: “Rubber Band Man (with Hozier),” from ‘Prizefighter’


Support the show by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!


Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

It's a slow release day to start the new year, so this week NPR Music's Stephen Thompson brings us an abbreviated episode highlighting a few of the new albums you might have missed in December. 

Artists and albums featured in this episode:

- Pink Floyd, 'Wish You Were Here 50'
- Fred Again.., 'USB002'
- This Is Lorelei, 'Holo Boy'
- HEALTH, 'CONFLICT DLC'
- Juliana Hatfield, 'Lightning Might Strike'
- DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ, 'Fantasy'
- Daniel Lopatin, 'Marty Supreme (Original Soundtrack)'

Credits:

Host: Stephen Thompson
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Elle Mannion
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed




Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

On the last episode of All Songs Considered for 2025, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich takes host Robin Hilton through an exceptional year in guitar music. From Gwenifer Raymond's beautiful and brash fingerstyle to Rafael Toral's stretched-out jazz standards, not to mention William Tyler's glitched hymns and Vernon Reid's ecstatic shred, there's so much diversity to be found in six strings.


Featured songs and artists: 
• Gwenifer Raymond: "Bleak Night in Rabbit's Wood," from 'Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark'

• Hayden Pedigo: "Houndstooth," from 'I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away'

• TAKAAT: "Isghmar," from 'Is Noise, Vol. 1'

• Rafael Toral: "You Don't Know What Love Is," from 'Traveling Light'

• Laura Snowden: "This Changing Sky," from 'This Changing Sky'

• Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba: "Wemfana," from 'kwaNTU'

• William Tyler: "Star of Hope," from 'Time Indefinite'

• Jorge Espinal: "ají de pollería," from 'Bombos y Cencerros'

• Vernon Reid: "Meditation on the Last Time I Saw Arthur Rhames," from 'Hoodoo Telemetry'


Want more? See the full Viking's Choice list for the best guitar music of 2025.


Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]


Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

In our final look back at our number one songs from the past 25 years, we visit Modesto, take an existential stroll through Petco, and find it all so confusing.


Note: This is a recurring series in celebration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary. A shorter version of this episode ran earlier in the year.


Leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a friend.


Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

We take a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin in our annual search for the true spirit of the season. And, of course, we meet some special guests along the way.

Thanks for another amazing year, and happy holidays!

Listen to the songs featured on this episode and more in our holiday playlist in Apple Music and Spotify.

Tell a friend about the show and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

We asked and you answered. Earlier this month, we opened the polls and invited All Songs Considered's listeners to tell us their top 5 records of the year. We tabulated all of the ballots, determined the top 10, and gave the results a proper countdown in this episode of All Songs. And while we usually include the albums we discuss in our episode notes, this time you'll have to listen to find out what made the list. (OK, fine, you can click here to see the top 50 vote-getters.)

NPR Music critic Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton.

Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected]

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The sheer volume and variety of Spanish-language music released every year is breathtaking. Even those of us with our ears to the ground are bound to miss things. So, in this episode we travel back through the year to resurface some of the remarkable albums that somehow didn't make it on the show. Catch Afro-Caribbean jazz, a history-spanning classical strings project, the return of Juana Molina and much, much more.

Artists and albums featured in this episode:

- Alex Cuba, 'Índole'
- Enyel C, 'Nuevo Caribe'
- Berta Rojas, 'La Huella de las Cuerdas'
- Cazzu, 'Latinaje'
- Conrad Herwig, Eddie Palmieri and Luques Curtis, 'Reflections-Facing South'
- Juana Molina, 'DOGA'

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. The executive producer of NPR Music is Suraya Mohamed.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy