New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6
March 6, 2026
The episode primarily reviews five new albums released on March 6th: *
Alt.Latino: From church basement to salsa immortality: Remembering Willie Colón
March 4, 2026
The episode honors the late salsa pioneer Willie Colón, whose music, often released on Fania Records, was pivotal in transforming Afro-Caribbean dance music into worldwide salsa.
All Songs Considered: Even more songs to calm the nerves
March 3, 2026
This episode of All Songs Considered, "Even more songs to calm the nerves," continues the series by curating music specifically intended to lower anxiety, featuring ambient, instrumental, and emotionally resonant tracks.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 27
February 27, 2026
The February 27th 'New Music Friday' release date was exceptionally 'stacked' with major albums from artists like Bruno Mars, Mitski, and Gorillaz.
Alt.Latino: Chicano soul, Canary Islands merengue and a percussion supergroup
February 25, 2026
The *
All Songs Considered: U2 meets the moment, Lana Del Rey goes 'True Detective,' James Blake croons
February 24, 2026
U2 surprised listeners with the EP ‘Days Of Ash,’ featuring the scorching, politically charged track “American Obituary,” which the hosts praised as a vital, anthemic rallying cry for the band,”
Special announcement
February 21, 2026
The podcast feed for *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20
February 20, 2026
The episode of "All Songs Considered," "New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20," focuses heavily on left-field music, including classical, punk, jazz, and Turkish psychedelic rock, while also noting major releases from WILLOW and Baby Keem.
Alt.Latino: A Brazilian summer and a lost Mexican masterpiece
February 18, 2026
The episode of *
Andrew Bird on ‘The Pitt,’ Gia Margaret and more of the best new songs
February 17, 2026
The episode features a discussion and playback of five new songs, highlighting Draag's shoegaze sound, Mandy, Indiana's glitchy industrial style, Andrew Bird's score for 'The Pitt,' Ratboys' strong album opener, and Gia Margaret's layered vocals.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 13
February 13, 2026
Charli XCX is pivoting creatively following the success of *
Alt.Latino: Puerto Rico takes the field at the Bad Bunny Super Bowl
February 11, 2026
Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance was interpreted as a powerful, time-traveling cultural statement that visually recreated Puerto Rico and reclaimed Latin American identity for a global audience.
Why everyone is still talking about Geese
February 10, 2026
The intense polarization surrounding Geese stems from their unconventional trajectory, lack of a clear scene origin, and the juxtaposition of vulnerable, beautiful lyrics with nonsensical or jarring moments.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 6
February 6, 2026
The Chicago band Ratboys' new album, *
Alt.Latino: Bad Bunny makes history at the Grammys. Up next, the Super BBowl
February 4, 2026
Bad Bunny's Grammy win for *
Beck, Asher White, Friko and more of the week’s best new songs
February 3, 2026
The hosts opened the episode by discussing their mixed feelings about the recent Grammy Awards, citing historical snubs and controversial comments from past leadership.
Recapping a historic Grammys night
February 2, 2026
Bad Bunny's Album of the Year win for a Spanish-language album marks a major breakthrough moment for Latin music at the Grammys, signaling a shift away from requiring crossover into English.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 30
January 30, 2026
The January 30th edition of "New Music Friday" on "All Songs Considered," featuring Dre Castillo of KVNF, highlighted new albums that are generally "headier" and more intentional releases compared to later in the year.
Alt.Latino: Venezuelan producer Ella Bric spins songs with a 'teardrop of optimism'
January 28, 2026
Venezuelan producer Ella Bric curated a playlist of socially, culturally, and politically impactful Venezuelan music from the last half-century, emphasizing that this art often contains a "teardrop of optimism" despite reflecting hardship.
Best new songs: Mitski, Father John Misty, Kim Gordon, more
January 27, 2026
The episode highlights a flurry of new music releases from established artists, including Mitski's new single "Where’s My Phone?" from her upcoming album *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23
January 23, 2026
The episode of "All Songs Considered," "New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23," features discussions on new releases including Lucinda Williams' protest album *
Alt.Latino: Rawayana on their new album and a changing Venezuela
January 21, 2026
The opening line of Rawayana's album '¿Dónde Es El After?' was intended as a general expression of feeling and a desire for toxic people to leave, but it gained intense, real-time significance following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shortly after the album's release.
What are the greatest videos of MTV’s golden era?
January 20, 2026
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16
January 16, 2026
The episode of *
Alt.Latino: Our Love Letter to Bob Weir
January 14, 2026
The episode celebrates the life and cosmic musical legacy of Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead who recently passed away, by exploring his career and influence.
Big Thief’s Buck Meek, Joji and more of the week's best songs
January 13, 2026
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 9
January 9, 2026
The *
Alt.Latino: Music as protest in Venezuela
January 8, 2026
Venezuelan music has historically reflected the nation's political turmoil, evolving from mainstream songs addressing inequality in the 90s to overtly frustrated rap during the 2010s censorship era.
The best 2026 albums we've heard so far
January 6, 2026
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: A roundup of December albums
January 2, 2026
The January 2nd episode of "All Songs Considered" presents an abbreviated, lightning-round edition of "New Music Friday" focusing on significant album releases from December that were previously missed.
Viking's Choice 2025: The Guitar
December 30, 2025
The 2025 Viking's Choice retrospective on *
Our no. 1 songs: 2024
December 29, 2025
The hosts, Stephen Thompson and Robin Hilton, are concluding their retrospective series on the best songs from the past 25 years by focusing specifically on the year 2024 in this episode of All Songs Considered, "Our no. 1 songs: 2024."
A very tolerable Christmas, 2025
December 23, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" embark on a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin to find the 'true spirit of the season,' encountering several musical guests along the way.
Our No. 1 songs: 2023
December 22, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are discussing their personal number one songs from 2023 as part of a series celebrating the show's 25th anniversary, emphasizing these choices reflect personal meaning over commercial success.
Listener Poll: Your Favorite Albums of 2025
December 19, 2025
The episode of All Songs Considered reveals the results of a listener poll, counting down the top 10 favorite albums of 2025, with Rosalia's *
Alt.Latino: What We Missed In 2025
December 17, 2025
The hosts of *
Songs that hit hard in 2025
December 16, 2025
The annual 'Songs that hit hard' feature on "All Songs Considered" centers on listener submissions detailing songs from the year that evoked strong emotional responses, often revolving around themes of gratitude, reflection, and the passage of time.
Our No. 1 songs: 2022
December 14, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are revisiting their favorite music from past years as part of a series celebrating the show's 25th anniversary, focusing specifically on 2022 in this segment.
The Best Albums of 2025
December 12, 2025
The NPR Music team celebrated 2025 as a year where the album format proved its vitality, featuring 12 dazzling albums discussed by Stephen Thompson, Ann Powers, and Daoud Tyler-Ameen.
Alt.Latino: What Were Felix and Ana's 2025 Favorites?
December 10, 2025
The 2025 music year in Spanish language music was defined by major, culture-shifting releases from Bad Bunny (DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS) and Rosalía (LUX), which served as bookends to the year.
The Best Songs of 2025
December 9, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are recording this episode of "The Best Songs of 2025" together in the same room for the first time, acknowledging that the featured songs represent only a small, unranked selection from a larger NPR Music list of 125 tracks.
Our No. 1 songs: 2021
December 8, 2025
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Dec. 5
December 5, 2025
The episode focuses on new music released on December 5th, featuring in-depth discussions on albums by Dove Ellis, Melody's Echo Chamber, and Tom Smith, alongside a lightning round of other releases.
Alt.Latino: Zen and the art of new music
December 3, 2025
The episode of "Alt.Latino: Zen and the art of new music" from "All Songs Considered" focuses on new music releases still coming out near the end of the year, featuring artists from Mexico, New York, and Colombia.
The year in review, 2025
December 2, 2025
The consensus among the hosts of *
Our no. 1 songs: 2020
December 1, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" found selecting their number one songs for 2020 surprisingly difficult, despite being in the final, more recent years of their retrospective series.
New Music Friday: Record Store Day Black Friday 2025
November 28, 2025
The episode of *
A Thanksgiving playlist: songs of joy and gratitude
November 25, 2025
The episode of "All Songs Considered," titled "A Thanksgiving playlist: songs of joy and gratitude," centers on listeners sharing songs that inspire gratitude, reflection, or upliftment, contrasting with the lack of dedicated music for Thanksgiving compared to Christmas.
Our No. 1 songs: 2019
November 24, 2025
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 21
November 21, 2025
The episode of *
Alt.Latino: Roots and unity at the Latin Grammys
November 19, 2025
The Latin music industry is experiencing a massive, sustained growth, surpassing the general English-language market, with a current trend emphasizing artists returning to and celebrating their specific national roots and heritage.
The Contenders, Vol. 25: Robyn, Rosalía, Nothing, Snocaps, more
November 18, 2025
The final contenders episode of *
Our no. 1 songs: 2018
November 17, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are celebrating the show's 25th anniversary by revisiting their number one songs from past years, focusing specifically on 2018 in this episode.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 14
November 14, 2025
The episode of *
Alt.Latino: Rosalía in her own words
November 12, 2025
Rosalía's new album, "LUX," is interpreted by the hosts as an ambitious, innovative work aiming to fit the entire world into a record, incorporating global sounds and structured around four thematic parts reminiscent of John Coltrane's "Love Supreme."
The Contenders, Vol. 24: JADE, S.G. Goodman, Cleo Reed, more
November 11, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" opened the episode by debating the surprising appeal and vocal talents of artist Benson Boone, noting his energetic stage presence and vocal comparisons to Adele and Freddie Mercury.
Our no. 1 songs: 2017
November 10, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" focused their discussion for the episode "Our no. 1 songs: 2017" on Kendrick Lamar's album *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 7
November 7, 2025
Rosalía's new album, 'Lux', is described as a jaw-dropping, career-defining project featuring collaborations with the London Symphony Orchestra and Björk, showcasing technical excellence across 13 languages.
Alt.Latino: Portraits of Jazz and Identity in Latin America
November 5, 2025
Contemporary Latin American jazz musicians are actively blending traditional folk elements from their home countries with the jazz form, creating a unique, hybrid sound.
New songs to calm the nerves: 2025
November 4, 2025
This fourth installment of music to slow the blood focuses exclusively on new releases, contrasting with previous mixes that included older material.
Our no. 1 songs: 2016
November 3, 2025
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 31
October 31, 2025
The episode of *
Alt.Latino: Salsa, bossa nova, and Argentina's next big thing
October 29, 2025
Argentine artist Milo J, despite being a stadium-selling rapper, released the stunning album *
The Contenders, Vol. 23: Brandi Carlile, Blood Orange, Magdalena Bay, more
October 28, 2025
The episode focuses on new music that features unpredictable musical adventures and constant sonic shifts, echoing a trend the hosts observed in artists like The Beatles.
Our no. 1 songs: 2015
October 27, 2025
The hosts of *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 24
October 24, 2025
The episode focuses on new albums released on October 24th, featuring in-depth discussions on releases from Brandi Carlile, Miguel, Tortoise, Daniel Caesar, and Yasmin Lacey.
“I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder
October 23, 2025
This episode launches a new recurring series on *
Alt.Latino: The beauty of simplicity
October 22, 2025
The episode of *
Redefining the Halloween canon
October 21, 2025
The central goal of the episode of "All Songs Considered," "Redefining the Halloween canon," is to establish an expansive, non-novelty-based canon of Halloween music that goes beyond established staples like "Monster Mash."
Our no. 1 songs: 2014
October 20, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" in the episode "Our no. 1 songs: 2014" highlighted Sylvan Esso's debut song as an immediate, perfect track that set a high bar for the duo.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 17
October 17, 2025
The episode features guest host Anamaria Sayre and KCRW's Travis Holcombe reviewing five new albums released on October 17th, including Tame Impala's polarizing new pop-leaning record, 'Deadbeat'.
Alt.Latino: Silvana Estrada's stunning sophomore album
October 15, 2025
Mexican vocalist and composer Silvana Estrada's sophomore album, "Vendrán Suaves Lluvias," was a deeply personal and challenging project that she chose to self-produce after overcoming creative blocks and immense personal pressure following her successful debut, "Marchita."
The Contenders, Vol. 22: Geese, Dijon, Juana Molina, more
October 14, 2025
The episode of All Songs Considered, "The Contenders, Vol. 22: Geese, Dijon, Juana Molina, more," features NPR Music's Dora Levite joining host Robin Hilton to update their running list of the year's best songs.
Our no. 1 songs: 2013
October 13, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are celebrating the show's 25th anniversary by reviewing their number one songs, focusing specifically on the year 2013 in this segment.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 10
October 10, 2025
The episode of *
Our no. 1 songs: 2012
October 9, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" found 2012 to be a particularly difficult year to narrow down their favorite songs due to an overwhelming number of great options, including inescapable pop hits and significant discoveries.
Alt.Latino: A conversation with Gloria Estefan
October 8, 2025
The episode features an in-depth interview with the legendary Gloria Estefan immediately following her Tiny Desk performance, highlighting her pioneering role in Latin music crossover.
A conversation with David Gilmour
October 7, 2025
David Gilmour is actively releasing new material, including the solo album *
Taylor Swift: 'The Life Of A Showgirl'
October 6, 2025
The album *
New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 3
October 3, 2025
The episode of "All Songs Considered," "New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 3," intentionally sidelines the highly anticipated Taylor Swift album to focus on five other new releases recommended by guest Skylar Rochelle of 90.9 The Bridge.
Alt.Latino: The return of El Tiny
October 1, 2025
The hosts dedicate the episode to discussing the lineup for the annual El Tiny series, which features concerts from exciting and legendary Latin artists, running from September 15th to October 15th.
The Contenders, Vol. 21: Tame Impala, Dominic Fike, Amber Mark, more
September 30, 2025
The episode features songs selected for the running list of the year's best songs, highlighting Tame Impala's deliberate shift toward club-oriented music inspired by Australian rave culture.
Our No. 1 songs: 2011
September 29, 2025
The hosts of "All Songs Considered" are revisiting 2011 to discuss the songs that stood out most to them personally and for the show, marking a look back at that year's music.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 26
September 26, 2025
The episode of *
Alt.Latino: New songs from Spain, the D.R. and more
September 24, 2025
The Alt.Latino episode "New songs from Spain, the D.R. and more" showcases a diverse range of Latin music, from Spanish indie pop and honky-tonk to Dominican Caribbean sounds and a tribute to Latin jazz legends.
How Jeff Tweedy finds joy in troubled times
September 23, 2025
Jeff Tweedy's triple album 'Twilight Override' is an intentional artistic response to a difficult world, aiming to overwhelm negativity with music that explores life's miracles, fragility, and the simple joy of connection.
Our No. 1 songs: 2010
September 22, 2025
The podcast "All Songs Considered" is celebrating its 25th anniversary by revisiting the number one songs from each year of its run, focusing on songs that were significant to the show and its hosts, rather than chart performance.
The best new albums out Sept. 19
September 19, 2025
The podcast "New Music Friday" from NPR Music, hosted by Stephen Thompson and Kyle Meredith, provides in-depth reviews and discussions of new album releases, highlighting artists like Joan Shelley, Lola Young, Wednesday, Sarah McLachlan, and Yasmeen Hamdan.
Alt.Latino: Bad Bunny Closes Out His Residency
September 17, 2025
Bad Bunny's historic San Juan residency transcended a concert, becoming a powerful catalyst for Puerto Rican pride, economic revitalization, and a profound sense of community, deeply resonating with both locals and visitors.
The Contenders, Vol. 20: The Beths, Dustin O’Halloran, Nicholas Payton, more
September 16, 2025
The podcast "All Songs Considered" features a "contenders" episode where hosts Robin Hilton and Kiana Faircloth discuss and play songs that could make their year-end "best of" list, highlighting themes of nostalgia, mental health, and the search for joy.