Durham musician Joe Westerlund has given us three terrific albums since 2020, and what’s been especially rewarding is hearing him build his sound in stages. After all, it’s not that obvious how to ...

Why do our playlists shrink as we age, even as algorithms flood us with endless new music? A new study tracks listening habits across decades and shows how our tastes evolve—and how streaming ...

For centuries, music has been a symbol of culture. Artists from The Beatles to Bad Bunny unify listeners under the shared ...

From a song by a certified superstar that came out in the very first week of January to breakthroughs from lesser-known indie acts, here are selections from NPR Music's list of the best songs of 2025.

In 1986, the appeal of “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” was delightfully uncomplicated. The Beastie Boys had turned the simple art of rebelling against authority figures—teachers, ...

IT SOUNDS LIKE a typical country tune, for a few seconds at least. “Country Girls Make Do” opens with a toe-tapping beat and twangy strains of fiddles and guitar. You expect a song about whisky or ...

In 2024, 20% of the Recording Industry Association of America's gold- and platinum-selling albums and singles claimed Nashville's music industry in their development. That surge has balanced the music ...

Music lovers, are you ready to revisit your favorite songs and artists of 2025? On Dec. 2, Apple Music rolled out its 2025 Apple Music Replay. Like Spotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay compiles Apple ...

There are plenty of ethical reasons to dump Spotify. In recent months, a number of artists—Xiu Xiu, Deerhoof, and Durham’s own Sylvan Esso—have done just that. Over the years, none of those reasons ...

Brigitte Bardot never tried to build a music career, and that is precisely why her songs still matter. Overshadowed by her status as one of the most photographed actresses of the 20th century, ...