Current Playlist
Deceptive Cadence
Deceptive Cadence un-stuffs the world of classical music, which is both fusty and ferociously alive.
- What did the beginning of time sound like? A new string quartet offers an impressionby Olivia Hampton on January 17, 2024 at 10:11 am
Nokuthula Ngwenyama's Flow is on a 13-city tour of performances by the celebrated Takács Quartet.
- Napoleon's piano lends authenticity to Ridley Scott's biopicby Olivia Hampton on December 4, 2023 at 10:04 am
British composer Martin Phipps discusses how he used an 1808 French piano that once belonged to Napoleon in the score for Ridley Scott's biopic of the one-time emperor.
- Finding a place at the Met, this opera sings in a language of its ownby Luis Trelles on November 27, 2023 at 5:15 pm
Florencia gives star Ailyn Pérez a rare chance to sing in Spanish. As the bilingual daughter of Mexican immigrants, she learned early on that language had the power to shape her experience and voice.
- A disciplined plea for peace – and quiet – from composer Arvo Pärtby Tom Huizenga on November 10, 2023 at 5:28 pm
A new album of music by the 88-year-old Estonian mystic seems to put an arm around you and whisper, "In troubled times, music can help."
NPR Music
In-depth stories from NPR Music staff and radio programs.
- Jay-Z and Beyoncé's blank spaceby Sheldon Pearce on March 28, 2024 at 5:00 pm
The Carters have it all — wealth, influence, critical cred — but they've never stopped chasing the approval of exclusive institutions like the Grammys. At this point, who are they fighting for?
- Tyla is the new face of African pop. She's aiming to take over the whole worldby Sidney Madden on March 28, 2024 at 9:08 am
The South African singer brought a homegrown genre, amapiano, to new ears with a viral hit and a Grammy. With her debut album, she wants to prove the world is ready for a full-blown African pop star.
- Víkingur Ólafsson: Tiny Desk Concertby Tom Huizenga on March 28, 2024 at 9:00 am
The thoughtful pianist from Iceland plays a set of gentle pieces — from Bach to Bartók — evoking nostalgic memories of his childhood.
- "Music is a need for me" why this violinist composed an album under ISISby Ari Shapiro on March 27, 2024 at 8:52 pm
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with musician and composer Ameen Mokdad, about his album The Curve, which he composed while living under ISIS occupation in Mosul, Iraq.