Public Radio’s #1 Songs Of 2015
Looking back on a year filled with great music, these 61 songs are the ones that hat public radio hosts and NPR Music team members loved best.
Category: Music Lists
Someday We’ll All Be Free: 100 Hours Of Soulful Protest Music
R&B music with a message isn’t a recent or strictly American phenomenon. Jason King explores the theme of protest music with an eclectic mix of soulful songs about resistance and revolution.
The Austin 100: A SXSW 2015 Mix
View a list of 100 songs by artists to discover at the 2015 SXSW Music Festival.
10 Favorite Metal Albums Of 2014
In 2014, metal still believes in traditions and keeps the faith, but recognizes that evolution is inevitable — with some of its defenders kicking and screaming.
The Best Unheralded R&B Of 2014
If we’re being honest, there was no consensus in R&B this year. Too many things happened, and we missed some ground-hugging gems, even a couple made by legends. These are ten of those.
Public Radio’s 10 Breakout Artists Of 2014
Hosts from across the country share their favorite new discoveries, from Niia to Hozier.
Recommended Dose: The Best Dance Tracks Of September
The final weeks of summer brought us new music from two of the biggest names in dance music, the return of post-rock, and a remix of Black Box’s “Everybody Everybody.”
Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing
Download new music from Merchandise, Reigning Sound, The Barr Brothers, Field Report and more.
Latitudes: The International Music You Must Hear In August
African psychedelia, funked-up Indian bhangra and haunting music from France by way of Cuba — a deep treasure trove of cuts to end your summer on a high note.
NPR Music’s 25 Favorite Albums Of 2014 (So Far)
A selection of 25 deep, joyful, rewarding albums from every genre, out of every corner of the world, from the first six months months of 2014, picked by NPR Music.
NPR Music’s 50 Favorite Songs Of 2014 (So Far)
Our 50 favorite songs from the first half of the year offer many different pleasures and got stuck in our heads for different reasons, but they all managed to become essential.
Recommended Dose: The Best Dance Tracks Of May
No “may” about it — these definitely were the best electronic jams we heard last month.
Song Premiere: Protect-U, ‘Distored’
After a Parisian thief put their careers in jeopardy, Washington, D.C.’s Mike Petillo and Aaron Leitko are back in business. Hear a great track from the dance duo’s new album, Free USA.
Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing
Check out NPR Music’s latest batch of favorite new songs, including music from tUnE-yArDs, Dan Croll, Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, SZA, Dana Falconberry, Ernest Ranglin and more.
Heavy Rotation: 10 SXSW Discoveries Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing
Download 10 songs from our favorite acts out of SXSW, including Future Islands, PHOX, Sergio Mendoza y la Orkesta, Ages and Ages, and much more.
5 New Bands To Watch At SXSW
To find out the best new bands in Austin for our Sense of Place visit, we went to the source at KUTX Radio.
Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing
Download new music from British rock behemoths Elbow, folk prodigy Parker Millsap, intense indie-songwriter Angel Olsen, svelte Irish singer Hozier, Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux, and much more.
Recommended Dose: The Best Dance Tracks Of The Month
All Songs Considered’s favorite electronic jams from February include a legit underground anthem, African field recordings, and yet another promising producer from Detroit.
Heavy Rotation: 10 Love Songs Public Radio Can’t Stop Playing
Download a Valentine’s Day edition of Heavy Rotation, featuring world premieres from R&B star Jeremih and dance duo The Juan Maclean, as well as music from Mary Lambert, Vampire Weekend and more.
The Other Guys: 5 Bands Missing From The British Invasion
The Beatles may have opened the gates for British acts to find success on the American charts — but Lenny Kaye, guitarist of the Patti Smith Group and curator of the legendary ’60s rock compilation Nuggets, says plenty of worthy groups simply never made the trip.