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We update our list of the year’s best songs with new obsessions from The Antlers, polymath Keaton Henson, pianist Julia Hamos, Estonian composer Arvo Pärt and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. Julia Hamos: “Ellis Island,” from Ellis Island
2. The Antlers: “Carnage,” from Blight
3. Gabriela Ortiz: “El olo del Jaguar,” from Yanga
4. Keaton Henson: “Lazy Magician (feat. Julia Steiner)” (single)
5. Arvo Pärt: “Nunc dimittis,” from And I heard a voice

All Songs Considered 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2023 

Weekly reset: Crows in a D.C. suburb on a summer afternoon. 

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Newcomer Emily Hines. Hardcore collective The Armed. A Susumu Yokota boxset. WDET's Liz Warner joins NPR Music's Stephen Thompson to dive into their favorite albums out this week.

The Starting 5:

• Emily Hines, 'These Days'

• The Armed, 'THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED'

• Mal Devisa, 'Palimpsesa'

• Caimin Gilmore, 'BlackGate'

• Susumu Yokota, 'Skintone Edition Volume 1' (box set)

The Lightning Round:

• Buddy Guy, 'Ain't Done With The Blues'

• René Najera, 'Painted Life'

• Hieroglyphic Being, 'The Sound Of Something Ending'

• Spafford Campbell, 'Tomorrow Held'

See our long list of albums out August 1 and sample dozens of new records via our New Music Friday playlist on npr.org.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Liz Warner, WDET
Audio producer: Noah Caldwell
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive producer: Suraya Mohamed

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Global superstar Bad Bunny is hosting an unprecedented 30 concert residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Fans are calling it a defining cultural moment for the island. Anamaria Sayre attended two recent shows and shared her reflections.

Music featured in this episode:

• Bad Bunny, "Callaita"
• Bad Bunny, "Baile Inolvidable"
• Los Pleneros de la Cresta, "Los de la Isla"
• Gilberto Santa Rosa,"La Agarro Bajando"
• Bad Bunny, "Lo Que Le Paso A Hawaii"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Noah Caldwell. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed.

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You asked, we listened: Roséwave is back! Our summer playlist series returns with syrupy sweet songs from the likes of Amerie, Wednesday, Addison Rae, Marvin Gaye, and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. The Jamies: "Summertime Summertime"
2. The Lijadu Sisters: "Come on Home," from 'Horizon Unlimited'
3. Amerie: "Why Don't We Fall in Love," from 'All I Have'
4. Waxahatchee: "Much Ado About Nothing," from 'Tigers Blood (Deluxe)'
5. Wednesday: "Elderberry Wine," from 'Bleeds'
6. Katie Gavin: "Aftertaste," from 'What a Relief'
7. Marvin Gaye: "Ain't That Peculiar"
8. Haku.: "Looking Through My Subtle Double Eyelids," from 'Catch'
9. Labi Siffre: "My Song," from 'Crying Laughing Loving Loving'
10. Azymuth: "Faça de Conta," from 'Azimuth'
11. Linda Ronstadt: "How Do I Make You," from 'Mad Love'
12. Addison Rae: "Diet Pepsi," from 'Addison'

'All Songs Considered' 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2022

Weekly reset: Sailing on the high seas.

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Tyler Childers. Patty Griffin. Indigo De Souza. Joe Kendrick of WNCW in North Carolina joins us to discuss the best albums out on July 25.

Intro:

• Tyler, The Creator, 'DON'T TAP THE GLASS'

The Starting 5:

• Tyler Childers, 'Snipe Hunter'

• Patty Griffin, 'Crown of Roses'

• Indigo De Souza, 'Precipice'

• Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band, 'New Threats from the Soul'

• Yoshika Colwell, 'On The Wing'

The Lightning Round:

• Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist, 'Alfredo 2'

• Cory Hanson, 'I Love People'

• quinnie, 'Paper Doll'

• Unspoken Tradition, 'Resilience'

• MC Yallah & Debmaster, 'Gaudencia'

See our long list of albums out July 25 and sample more than 50 albums via our New Music Friday on npr.org.

Credits

Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Joe Kendrick, WNCW
Producer: Simon Rentner
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed

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Before Ana heads off to see Bad Bunny's unprecedented residency in Puerto Rico, we chat a little about why the celebration is significant to the island and Latin music in general.

We also dig deep into new releases that include four different approaches to the guitar and a musician from Peru who defies genre to create his own musical language.

Music heard in this episode:

• Hermanos Gutiérrez, "Elegantly Wasted (ft. Leon Bridges)"
• Bebo Dumont, "Hoy"
• Eljuri, "Karma"
• Yamil Quiere Ser Artista & Oliver Berg, "Bandido," "Gatito Miau Miau Miau"
• Yasser Tejeda, "Una Cascada de Miel"
• Yerai Cortés, "Sonar por Bulerías,"
• Judeline & Yerai Cortés, "Un puente por la Bahía, la Cruz del Campo"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Noah Caldwell. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed.


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Can music save the world? The songs in this week's mix consider the power of creativity as we update our running list of the year's best tracks, with new ones from Jay Som, Jeff Tweedy and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. Jay Som & Jim Adkins: "Float," from 'Belong'
2. Google Earth (John Vanderslice & James Riotto): "meow meow," from 'For Mac OS X 10.11'
3. Goon: "For Cutting The Grass," from 'Dream 3'
4. Jeff Tweedy: "One Tiny Flower," from 'Twilight Override'
5. Kassa Overall: "Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like That)," from 'Cream'

'All Songs Considered' 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2021

Weekly reset: Twilight at Nags Head, with crickets and barking dog in the distance

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

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

Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.

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Alex G. Paramore's Zac Farro. Lord Huron. It's a packed release week, and we've got Chelsea O from Buffalo/Toronto Public Media on the show to unpack all the greatness.

Intro:

• Sly & The Family Stone, 'The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967'

The Starting 5:

• Alex G, 'Headlights' (Stream)

• Jim Legxacy, 'black british music (2025)' (Stream)

• Zac Farro, 'Operator' (Stream)

• Lord Huron, 'The Cosmic Selector Vol. 1' (Stream)

• Disiniblud, s/t (Stream)

The Lightning Round:

• Cam, 'All Things Light'

• Forth Wanderers, 'The Longer This Goes On'

• Jess Ribeiro, 'Mixtape'

• Billie Marten, 'Dog Eared'

• Two Shell, 'Iicons'

See our long list of albums out July 18 and sample more than 50 of them via our New Music Friday playlists on npr.org.

Credits:

Host: Stephen Thompson
Guest: Chelsea O (BTPM)
Producer: Simon Rentner
Editor: Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed


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This week Ana and I share some of our long time favorites. While Ana leans into music discovery, I tend to bring more of the classics. In fact, I build playlists on a streaming service to mix music much like I did back in the era of the cassette tape. There is wide swath of music presented in the show this week. —Felix Contreras

• Maestro Espada, "La despedida," "Tres gotas de rocío," and Peretas del Tío Vicente"
• Lido Pimienta, "Ahora"
• X Alfonso, Eme Alfonso & Síntesis "Rezo a Changó"
• Simon Diaz, "Tonada De Luna Llena"
• Raúl Rodríguez, Chano Domínguez & Martirio, "En Esta Tarde Gris"
• Rita Payés & Silvia Pérez Cruz, "El Panadero"
• Maria José Llergo, "Aprendiendo a Volar"
• Amaia Miranda, "Canción para Amama"
• Ataquemos, "Vilo"
• incluso si nunca despiertas, "la lluvia no mata las flores"
• Malo, "Suavecito"
• Tommy James & The Shondells, "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
• Hugh Masekela, "Grazing In The Grass"
• War, "All Day Music"
• El Chicano, "Viva Tirado"

Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Noah Caldwell. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed.

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