NPR Music

Reports from late last year about the demise of MTV were overstated; but it got us thinking about the network’s legacy and most memorable moments. So, on this episode, we remember the best of MTV with a list of our top 20 videos from its golden era.


If you’re listening on Spotify, tell us your favorite classic music video in the episode’s comments.

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Ya Tseen. The Sha La Das. A mesmerizing collaboration between Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Alex Newman from KMHD in Portland to chat about the best albums out Friday, January 16.


The Starting 5

(00:00) Intro & A$AP Rocky, 'Don't Be Dumb'
(02:36) Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore, 'Tragic Magic'
(07:43) The Sha La Das, 'Your Picture'
(15:33) Ya Tseen, 'Stand On My Shoulders'
(21:53) Shaking Hand, 'Shaking Hand'
(27:43) Tyler Ramsey & Carl Broemel, 'Celestun'


The Lightning Round

• Craig Taborn, Tomeka Reid & Ches Smith, 'Dream Archives'
• Courtney Marie Andrews, 'Valentine'
• Diogo Strausz, 'Dance Para Se'
• Oxis, 'Oxis 8'
• Nate Smith, 'LIVE-ACTION (Deluxe)'

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

Credits: 
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Alex Newman, KMHD
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Elle Mannion
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed


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Over the weekend, we lost a musician who shaped the lives of countless people: the late, great Bob Weir. He was a founding member of the Grateful Dead who played guitar, wrote and sang in the band for 30 years. After Jerry Garcia died and the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir kept the spirit of the music alive for three more decades, creating new Deadheads for generations to come — he brought John Mayer, Billy Strings and even the National Symphony Orchestra into the Grateful Dead universe. The Deadhead slogan proved to be true: Weir everywhere.

At Alt.Latino, we’re big fans of Bob Weir and his immensely cosmic musical legacy. Over the years, we’ve learned that many Latin musicians are also, metaphorically speaking, on the bus. Today on the show, we celebrate Bob Weir’s life by hearing some of his past interviews on NPR, exploring the Grateful Dead’s influence on artists like Devendra Banhart, and of course, revisiting his magnetic Tiny Desk concert from 2019. We’re incredibly grateful that Bobby came down to this world for a little while to tell us his stories – we hope to see him in the next one. 

(00:00) Intro
(01:38) Bob Weir's early life and Grateful Dead career
(08:05) Grateful Dead at the National Symphony Orchestra
(14:30) Felix and Isa reflect on 'American Beauty'
(20:35) Grateful Dead's impact on Latin musicians
(26:33) Bob Weir at the Tiny Desk

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

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NPR’s classical critic Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton for our first spin of the best songs we’re hearing in 2026, including new ones from Big Thief’s Buck Meek, the genre-hopping artist Joji, “fragile hope” from composer Daníel Bjarnason and more.


Featured artists and songs:

1. Buck Meek: “Gasoline,” from ‘The Mirror’

2. Pekka Kuusisto & Sam Amidon: "Way Go, Lily" (Arr. by Nico Muhly / Adapted for orchestra by Bernard Rofe), from ‘Willows’

3. Joji: “Love You Less,” from ‘P*** In The Wind’

4. Joyce DiDonato & Time for Three: “Because I could not stop for Death," from ‘Emily - No Prisoner Be’

5. Jana Horn: “Don’t think,” from ‘Jana Horn’

6. Daniel Bjarnason & The Iceland Symphony Orchestra: “Fragile Hope,” from ‘The Grotesque and the Sublime’


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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


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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.

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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!


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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




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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.


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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.


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