Kacey Musgraves, Conor Oberst and more special guests join All Songs hosts Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton on a steam engine to the North Pole.

The All Songs Considered Journey To The North Pole

Since launching in 2000, All Songs Considered has been NPR's flagship program for music discovery, artist interviews and conversations with friends and fellow music lovers about the really big questions, like what was the best decade for music, are there albums everyone can agree on, and what do you put on when you need a good cry? Weekly, with host Robin Hilton and the NPR Music family.

Music

This week's update to our list of the year's best songs includes thunderous shoegaze from Wisp, a classic Cuban piano piece from Dánae Olano, a deeply moving story from Pedro The Lion and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. Pedro The Lion: "Modesto," from 'Santa Cruz'
2. Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti & Frank Rosaly: "Destejer," from 'Mestizx'
3. Sheila E.: "Bemba Colorá (feat. Gloria Estefan)," from 'Bailar'
4. Lizzy McAlpine: "I Guess," from 'Older'
5. Dánae Olano: "Danzón para la abuela" from 'Children's Corner'
6. Wisp: "Pandora" from 'Pandora' EP

Questions, comments, feedback, suggestions? Emaill us: allsongs@npr.org

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The Contenders, Vol. 7: The songs we can't stop playing this week

NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce and WRTI's Nate Chinen take you through the biggest new releases of the week, including Maggie Rogers, Shabaka Hutchings and more.

Featured albums:
- Shabaka, 'Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace'
- Maggie Rogers, 'Don't Forget Me'
- Lizz Wright, 'Shadow'
- Leyla McCalla, 'Sun Without the Heat'

Other notable albums out April 5:
- METZ, 'Up On Gravity Hill'
- Caroline Davis & Wendy Eisenberg, 'Accept When'
- girl in red, 'I'M DOING IT AGAIN BABY!'
- Future & Metro Boomin, 'We Still Don't Trust You'
- Nia Archives, 'Silence is Loud'
- V/A, 'My Black Country - The Songs of Alice Randall'
- Still House Plants, 'If I don​'​t make it, I love u'
- Clarissa Connelly, 'World of Work'
- Meshell Ndegeocello, 'Red Hot and Ra: The Magic City'
- Bad Bad Hats, 'Bad Bad Hats'
- Dave Douglas, 'GIFTS'
- BODEGA, 'Our Brand Could Be Yr Life'
- English Teacher, 'This Could Be Texas'
- James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg, 'All Gist'
- Mark Knopfler, 'One Deep River'
- The Ophelias, 'Ribbon' EP
- Tusks, 'Gold'
- Raphael Schön, 'Heart Times'
- Sunburned Hand of the Man, 'Nimbus'
- Rejoicer, 'This Is Reasonable'
- Aaron Lee Tasjan, 'Stellar Evolution'
- Dolo Percussion, 'DOLO 6'
- Baby Blue, 'Of My Window'
- The Reds, Pinks & Purples, 'Unwishing Well'
- Water Damage, 'In E'
- Will Hoge, 'Tenderhearted Boys'
- Jess Ribeiro, 'Summer of Love'
- Sunbeam Sound Machine, 'Soft Signal' EP

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New Music Friday: The best albums out April 12

"Weird Al" Yankovic helps curate a mix of some of the funniest songs of all time, from classics like Tom Lehrer's "The Elements," to more fringe discoveries from The Hazzards, Tonio K. and more.

Featured artists and songs:
1. Tonio K: "H-A-T-R-E-D"
2. Robbie Fulks: "Fountains of Wayne Hotline"
3. Tenacious D: "Tribute"
4. Spike Jones: "Der Fuehrer's Face"
5. Bill Oddie: "BLIMPHT"
6. The Hazzards: "Just A Temp"
7. Garfunkel and Oates: "Google"
8. Tom Lehrer: "The Elements"
9. Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Erika Henningsen, Ashley Park & Busy Philipps: "Famous 5eva"
10. Flight of the Conchords: "Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenocerous (featuring Rhymenocerous And The Hiphopapoatumus)"
11. Shel Silverstein: "Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out"
12. Weird Al: "One More Minute"
13. Weird Al: "The Saga Continues"
14. Bad Lip Reading: "Seagulls! (Stop It Now)"
15. Fun With Animals: "Goin' To Pasadena"
16. Spinal Tap: "Big Bottom"
17. The Lonely Island: "Lazy Sunday"

Feedback, questions, comments, suggestions? Email us: allsongs@npr.org

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Songs to make you laugh, with 'Weird Al' Yankovic

It's a big week for fans of early aughts rock bands, with new releases from The Black Keys and Vampire Weekend hitting streaming services. Kick back with NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and World Cafe host Raina Douris as they run through the new albums you need to know about.

Featured albums:
1. The Black Keys, 'Ohio Players'
2. Vampire Weekend, 'Only God Was Above Us'
3. Katie Pruitt, 'Mantras'
4. Khruangbin, 'A La Sala'

Other notable releases for April 5, 2024:
• Phosphorescent, 'Revelator'
• Grace Cummings, 'Ramona'
• Young Miko, 'att.'
• Adam Wiltzie, 'Eleven Fugues For Sodium Pentothal'
• Fabiana Palladino, s/t
• Vegyn, 'The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions'
• Benson Boone, 'Fireworks and Rollerblades'
• Jane Weaver, 'Love in Constant Spectacle'
• José James, '1978'
• Lizzy McAlpine, 'Older'
• Melissa Aldana, 'Echoes of the Inner Prophet'
• Mount Kimbie, 'The Sunset Violent'
• Pernice Brothers, 'Who Will You Believe'
• Sheila E., 'Bailar'
• Sinkane, 'We Belong'
• TisaKorean, 'MUMU 8818'


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New Music Friday: The best albums out April 5

The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt.Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country?

This week, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras travel to Austin, Texas to speak with AmeriChicana musician Carrie Rodriguez about the difference between violin and fiddle, strings and "strangs," and who gets to play country music.

Songs featured:
•Carin Leon, Leon Bridges: "It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tu)"
•Cuco Sanchez: "La Cama de Piedra"
•Merle Haggard: "Big City"
•Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: "San Antonio Rose"
•Robert Earl Keen: "Feelin' Good Again"
•Chip Taylor, Carrie Rodriguez: "Dirty Little Texas Story"
•Eva Garza: "Quiero Verte Una Vez Mas"
•Rick Trevino: "Doctor Time"
•Ruben Ramos: "Crying Time"
•Sammy Arriaga: "Tennessee Whiskey - Spanglish"
•The Mavericks: "There Goes My Heart"
•Louie TheSinger: "Come and Take It"
•Carrie Rodriguez: "I Dreamed I Was Lola Beltran"
•
Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.

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The All Songs Considered Journey To The North Pole

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