Sixty-six tracks that tell the story of the year: a posthumous political statement, a hyperpop star finding his footing, an emerging force’s debut smash and a superstar’s 10-minute redo. By Jon ...

In a year that has proved just as unpredictable as the last, the best songs of 2021 haven’t been just background noise, but a whole other world to escape into. Sure, there have been hits to herald our ...

“Too much pain,” Young M.A. offers on her second LP, “could barely notice the beauty in things.” Not only did these albums provide comfort and commiseration, they also taught me new ways to listen, to ...

Back in January, dance music was still in a deep funk: Clubs remained shuttered, the prospect for summer festivals was iffy, and everyone was burned out on livestreams. But then, miraculously—and ...

We've spent the past couple of weeks sharing a whole bunch of incredible music that came out in 2021, including NPR Music's picks for the 50 Best Albums and 100 Best Songs. But despite our best ...

We have many things to be grateful for: vaccines, a steady return to live events and a plethora of great tunes. We've already listed the best albums and songs of the year, so let's talk about the best ...

A pair of rappers pulling off the best Tom Tom Club sample since Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” (G Perico & Rucci), an iconic New Wave band trafficking in tongue-in-cheek nostalgia (Duran Duran), a ...

It’s brutal out there, and that’s why, more than ever, we needed the consoling and prodding pleasures of popular music to help everything make sense in here. [Stage direction: taps chest, knowingly.] ...