It was a year of staggering losses, from David Bowie and Prince to Leonard Cohen and George Michael. But it was also a year of monumental new music, including Beyonce’s 'Lemonade' and a mountain-sized rock anthem from Mitski.


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.

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A Waxahatchee side project. Guided By Voices. keiyaA. Marfa Public Radio's Julie Bee joins NPR Music's Stephen Thompson to break down the best albums out on Halloween.

The Starting 5:

- Snocaps (Katie and Allison Crutchfield), s/t (Stream)

- Guided By Voices, Thick Rich and Delicious (Stream)

- Chat Pile & Hayden Pedigo, In The Earth Again (Stream)

- keiyaA, hooke's law (Stream)

- Anna von Hausswolff, Iconoclasts (Stream)

The Lightning Round:

- Florence + The Machine, Everybody Scream

- The Charlatans, We Are Love

- Saintsenaca, Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs

- Hilary Woods, Night CRIÚ

- Lily Lyons, Re-Open The World

See the long list of albums out Oct. 31 and sample dozens of them via our New Music Friday playlist on NPR.org.


Follow Julie Bee's weekly Marfa Public Radio show on Mixcloud.

Credits:

Host: Stephen Thompson

Guest: Julie Bee, Marfa Public Radio

Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell

Digital Producer: Elle Mannion

Editor: Otis Hart

Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed


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Not to sound like a broken record, but I'll say it again: the variety of creative expression in what is inadequately labeled "Latin music" continues to astound me.

From the bossa nova-by-way-of-Guatemala of Fabuloso and Los Skeepers, to the evolving torch singing of the Chilean-via-Mexico vocalist Mon Laferte, to the ‘Western noir’ of California singer Andrés Miguel Cervantes, to Nathy Peluso’s Argentine take on Seventies New York City salsa, to jazz from southern Spain’s Chano Domínguez... how do we even try to keep up with this kind of output?

Someone has to do it, and we’re glad it’s us. 

Featured artists and songs:

- Milo J, 'OLIMPO', 'Bajo De La Piel', 'Jangadero'

- Fabuloso & Los Skeepers, 'Si Te Gusta'

- Mon Laferte, 'Las Flores Que Dejaste En La Mesa', '1:30'

- Chano Domínguez & Emaginario, 'March Of The Siguiriyas'

- Nathy Peluso, 'ÁNGEL'

- Andrés Miguel Cervantes, 'Dreams of Jacumba'


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

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It’s a week of surprises as we update our running list of the year’s best music, with a mix of songs that refuse to be any one thing. Plus, singer Brandi Carlile drops a stunning, stadium-sized rock anthem.

NPR Music editor Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton.

Featured artists and songs:

1. Brandi Carlile: “Church & State,” from ‘Returning to Myself’
2. Hannah Frances: “The Space Between (feat. Daniel Rossen),” from ‘Nested in Tangles’
3. Kelly Moran: “Don’t Trust Mirrors,” from ‘Don’t Trust Mirrors’
4. Blood Orange: “The Last of England,” from ‘Essex Honey’
5. Magdalena Bay: “Second Sleep” (single)

Weekly reset: A family of bears rummage through a forest on an autumn afternoon.

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Guitar rock comes roaring back, a monumental tear-jerker wrecks legions of fans, hip-hop hits Broadway and more.

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.

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Brandi Carlile. Miguel. Tortoise. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Ayana Contreras from KUVO in Denver about their favorite albums out Friday, Oct. 24.

The Starting 5:

- Brandi Carlile, 'Returning To Myself'
- Miguel, 'Caos'
- Tortoise, 'Touch'
- Daniel Caesar, 'Son Of Spergy'
- Yazmin Lacey, 'Teal Dreams

The Lightning Round:

- iLe, 'Como Las Canto Yo'
- Natural Information Society, 'Perseverance Flow'
- Hannah Jadagu, 'Describe'
- Hether, 'Holy Water'
- Joyer, 'On the Other End of the Line'

See the long list of albums out Oct. 24 and sample dozens of them via our New Music Friday playlist on NPR.org.

Credits:

Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Ayana Contreras, KUVO
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Elle Mannion
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed


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This is the first episode of a new series on All Songs Considered, hosted by NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Daoud Tyler-Ameen. Most of what you hear on All Songs is focused on new music, but now, every other Thursday, Ann and Daoud will pick an old song and discuss how it has managed to stand the test of time and why we still care about it. This week’s song: “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder, from 1972.

This episode is available for everyone, but upcoming episodes in this series will be just for NPR Music+ supporters. NPR Music+ is a new way to support NPR and public radio. When you join, you’ll get access to every episode in this new series, and you’ll get to hear every episode of All Songs Considered and Alt.Latino sponsor-free. Sign up at plus.npr.org/nprmusic

Follow Ann and Daoud's work at NPR Music
Subscribe to the NPR Music newsletter
Follow NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts

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The past month has been a whirlwind. The El Tiny takeover of the Tiny Desk... interviews with some of the most exciting artists in Latin music... and, of course, puppets! So, for today's episode, we emerge from the craziness and dig into our neglected mailbag, which is brimming with new music. What did we find? Simple beauty. A young songwriter from Veracruz whose spare compositions have wowed his elders. An offbeat producer from Madrid. And, a joyful ode to a city half a millennium old. 

Featured artists and songs:

- Arath Herce, "Musas en Mi" and "Quien Pensaría"

- iLe, "Si Te Contara"

- TRISTAN!, "Voyage" and "Ártico"

- Venezonix ft. Pahua, "La Soledad"

- Meme de Real, "Estaba Sentado" and "Embeces"

- Bomba Estereo ft. Carlos Vives, "La Samaria"


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

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Who’s the Mariah Carey of Halloween? Labels and artists are trying to capitalize on spooky season, but these are the songs that belong in the canon, from the truly terrifying to autumnal and nostalgic.

Featured songs:
1. Phoebe Bridgers: “Killer” from ‘Stranger in the Alps’
2. Fever Ray: “If I Had A Heart,” from ‘Fever Ray’
3. Sufjan Stevens: “John Wayne Gacy, Jr” from ‘Illinois’
4. Jack Lenz: “Goosebumps” (theme from the TV show)
5. Disneyland Records: “Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House”
6. Alice Cooper: “Welcome to My Nightmare,” from ‘Welcome to My Nightmare’
7. Oksana Linde: “Horizontes lejanos,” from ‘Travesias’
8. Florence + the Machine: “Everybody Scream,” from ‘Everybody Scream’
9. Ethel Cain: “Housofpsychoticwomn,” from ‘Perverts’
10. girl in red: “We Fell In Love In October” (single)
11. Mimicking Birds: “Bloodlines,” from ‘EONS’
12. Van Morrison: “Moondance,” from ‘Moondance’
13. The Cramps: “I Was A Teenage Werewolf,” from ‘Songs the Lord Taught Us’
14. Dead Man’s Bones: “My Bodies a Zombie for You,” from ‘Dead Man’s Bones’
15. Vince Guaraldi: “The Great Pumpkin Waltz,” from ‘The Great Pumpkin’

Weekly reset: Chilling, thrilling sounds from the haunted house

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A new synth-pop duo comes out of the gate with a perfect song and country gets metaphysical, but a surprise drop from the tail end of 2013 dominates the year.

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.

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