All Songs Considered

We celebrate spring and new beginnings with a perfect mix of songs for starting over.  This can take many forms: songs that spark a good, cleansing cry; songs that offer wisdom, or just a sure-fire jolt of adrenaline. But in the end, all of the tracks can help reconfigure your mood, your day or even your life.    Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music’s Noah Caldwell and Dora Levite. Featured artists and songs: (00:00) Intro (02:05) Nina Simone: “Feelin’ Good” from I Put a Spell on You (06:02) Cassandra Jenkins: “Hard Drive” from An Overview of Phenomenal Nature (10:29) Cajmere: “Brighter Days” from Brighter Days (15:42) Beastie Boys: “Sabotage” from Ill Communication (18:54) Wednesday: “Reality TV Argument Bleeds” from Bleeds (22:43) Gregory Alan Isakov: “Second Chances” from The Weatherman (27:09) Bob Marley: “Three Little Birds” from Exodus (30:56) LCD Soundsystem: “Oh Baby” from American Dream (35:18) Ryuichi Sakamoto: “Zure” from async (41:02) Amy Shark: “Amy Shark” from Cry Forever (45:26) Sluice: “Beadie” from Companion (50:05) The Allman Brothers Band: “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” from Eat a Peach Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The British act Jungle had a big hit with “Back on 74” — and its unforgettable dance video — in 2023. Now, the group is back with “Carry On,” a breezy, sun-dappled song about surviving a broken heart. We give it a spin to open the show, along with a study on optimism from one of José González’s best albums, a celestial ambient cut from throat singer Tanya Tagaq and more. NPR classical critic Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton as they update their running list of the year’s best songs. (00:00) Intro (01:03) Jungle: “Carry On” from ‘SUNSHINE’ (07:42) Gabriel Kahane & Roomful of Teeth: “Not Even the Dead” from ‘Elevator Songs’ (14:23) Quiet Light: “Self Tape” from ‘Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2’ (23:34) Tanya Tagaq: “Imiq” from ‘Saputjiji’ (31:13) José González: “Etyd” from ‘Against the Dying of the Light’ (37:49) Giya Kancheli: “Middelheim” from ‘Kancheli: Ex contrario, Middelheim & Tsutisopeli’ Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend! Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

More than 6,000 artists entered this year’s Tiny Desk Contest, hoping to win their very own performance behind the actual Desk. We’ll announce the winner soon, but in the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite entries, from the riff-rock group Pump Action, to soul singer Les Greene, loop artist Jackie Marchal, singer-songwriter Yuri Shin and more. Tiny Desk series producer Bobby Carter joins All Songs Considered host Robin Hilton. (They’re also the two lead judges for the Contest.) Featured entries: (00:00) Intro (00:51) Pump Action: “Supernova” (03:34) Lily Talmers: “Big Idea” (07:18) Walker Burroughs: “Open Skies” (10:53) Les Greene and the Swayzees: "Long Story Short" (14:08) Nicolosi: “Are You Coming To The Ivy?” (17:20) Jackie Marchal: “Excavate The Girl” (21:43) the King will come: “welcome” (24:33) Yuri Shin: “Falling Rabbit” (27:54) Lauren Frihauf: “One Thing Always Leads To Another” (31:41) Meira: “Make Me Go” Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend! Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Our latest mix of the best new songs out now includes a stunning live version of Bon Iver’s “Heavenly Father,” a track the band originally wrote for the 2014 film Wish I Was Here, but never made available to stream before now. We’ve also got a stirring new ballad from Tori Amos, Luxembourg indie rocker Francis of Delirium (who assures us this is, in fact, a beautiful life), the long-awaited (if complicated) return of influential metal band Neurosis and more. NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton. (00:00) Intro (01:41) Bon Iver: “Heavenly Father” from VOLUMES: ONE (SELECTIONS FROM MUSIC CONCERTS 2019-2023) (08:25) Souled American: “Freeing Wheels” from Sanctions (13:58) Francis of Delirium: “It’s a Beautiful Life” from Run, Run Pure Beauty (20:28) Tara Clerkin Trio: “Somewhere Good” from Somewhere Good (28:58) Tori Amos: “Stronger Together” from In Times of Dragons (35:36) Neurosis: “Untethered” from An Undying Love for a Burning World Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend! Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We check back in with our running list of the best songs of the week, including Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of The Magnetic Fields classic “The Book of Love,” Noah Kahan’s anthemic new single “Porch Light,” one of Aldous Harding’s boldest songs to date and more.  NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton. (00:00) Intro (01:29) Noah Kahan: “Porch Light” from ‘The Great Divide’ (09:09) Olivia Rodrigo: “The Book of Love” from ‘Help (2)’ (16:48) Ages and Ages: “Feel Amazing” from ‘Fine Thanks and You’ (24:30) Aldous Harding: “One Stop” from ‘Train on the Island’ (31:23) Ryan Lott: “Discontent” from ‘Marathon’  (38:20) underscores: “Tell Me (U Want It)” from ‘U’ Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Will this finally be Diane Warren’s year at the Oscars, when she goes up against “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and “I Lied to You” from Sinners? (Probably not.) Host Robin Hilton is joined by New Music Friday’s Stephen Thompson to cruelly rank those nominees along with “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams and “Sweet Dreams of Joy” from Viva Verdi!. (00:00) Intro (02:37) Fifth place (08:45) Fourth place (16:55) Third place (24:25) Second place (33:31) First place and our pick to win the Oscar Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend! Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

This week we're obsessing over the hilarious and harrowing “Where’s My Phone,” from Mitski, a slightly softer solo cut from Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon, the confounding but wondrous wordplay of Father John Misty and more.NPR Music editor Hazel Cills joins host Robin Hilton.Featured songs and artists:Mitski: “Where’s My Phone,” from ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’Robber Robber: “The Sound It Made,” from ‘Two Wheels Move the Soul’Tinariwen: “Sagherat Assani (feat. Sulafa Elyas),” from ‘Hoggar’Kim Gordon: “NOT TODAY,” from ‘PLAY ME’Father John Misty: “The Old Law” (single)Vero: “100 Calls,” from ‘Razor Tongue’Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

This week on All Songs Considered: U2 surprise-dropped a new EP that opens with a scorching critique of the government crackdown on immigration; Lana Del Rey inched closer toward releasing her long-awaited album with a haunting and strange ode to love and obsession, while singer Arlo Parks takes a bold step out onto the dance floor. All that and more as host Robin Hilton and NPR Music’s Sheldon Pearce share their picks for the best new songs of the week. Featured artists and songs: (00:00) Intro (01:50) U2: “American Obituary,” from ‘Days Of Ash’ (10:24) Arlo Parks: “Heaven,” from ‘Ambiguous Desire’ (17:37) Lana Del Rey: “White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” (Single) (25:22) Baby Rose & Leon Thomas: “Friends Again” (Single) (31:58) James Blake: “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand,” from ‘Trying Times’ (39:08) Bella Kay: “Steady,” from ‘a couple minutes out’ And here's a link to Sheldon's piece on Jill Scott and Brent Faiyaz that was discussed during the show's intro: https://www.npr.org/2026/02/19/nx-s1-5713600/jill-scott-brent-faiyaz-rnb-review Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend! Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

If you watch HBO’s The Pitt, you might have heard the gorgeous new song called “Need Someone” that Andrew Bird wrote for a recent episode. We’ve got that on this week’s show along with reflections on fitting in by letting go, from Gia Margaret and Ratboys; shoegaze from Draag, the twitchy glitchy sounds of Mandy, Indiana and more.NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton to share the best new songs they’re obsessing over this week.Featured songs and artists:(00:00) Intro(02:18) Draag: “Finding Fear,” from ‘Miracle Drug’(09:35) Mandy, Indiana: “Try Saying,” from ‘Urgh’(14:59) Andrew Bird: “Need Someone” (single as featured in ‘The Pitt’)(20:38) Ratboys: “Open Up,” from ‘Singin’ To An Empty Chair’(28:49) Gia Margaret: “Everyone Around Me Dancing,” from ‘Singing’(35:30) By Storm: “Can I Have You For Myself,” from ‘My Ghost Go Ghost’Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

With the arrival of the Geese Tiny Desk, we thought we’d try to break down what it is about this band that has made them one of the most talked about and polarizing acts of the past six months. Yasi Salek, host of the Bandsplain podcast, joins NPR Music’s Ann Powers and host Robin Hilton to try to make sense of it all.  Full disclosure: We all love Geese.  At the same time... we get it.Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The Beck rarity “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime” has finally hit streaming services and we can’t get enough of it. We’ve also got new (not-yet-announced) projects from Friko and Asher White, a witchy new cut from the duo Sibyl, the Polish composer and guitarist Szymon Wójcik and more.NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton.Featured songs and artists:(00:00) Intro and The Grammys(03:31) Beck: “Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime,” from ‘Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometime’(12:29) Rat Penat: “Kijiji,” from ‘Over Easy’(18:26) Friko: “Seven Degrees,” from ‘Something Worth Waiting For’(25:27) Sibyl: “Witch Wife,” from ‘Sibyl’(30:42) Asher White: “Casper,” from ‘Jessica Pratt’(38:22) Szymon Wójcik: “it’s only begun,” from ‘when you rub your eyes, you see things you can’t describe’Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Enjoy Pop Culture Happy Hour's late-night recap of the 2026 Grammy Awards, featuring NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Hazel Cills, as well as pop culture journalist (and former NPR intern) Reanna Cruz. (00:00) Intro(00:46) Album of the year: Bad Bunny(05:24) Record of the year: Kendrick Lamar(08:51) Best new artist medley(13:52) Lady Gaga's three Grammys(18:44) Song of the year: Billie Eilish(21:05) Milestone moments and In Memoriam CreditsHost: Stephen ThompsonGuests: Hazel Cills, Reanna CruzProducers: Carly Rubin, Mike KatzifEditor: Jessica ReedyExecutive Producer, NPR Music: Suraya MohamedExecutive Director, NPR Music: Sonali Mehta See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

Reports from late last year about the demise of MTV were overstated; but it got us thinking about the network’s legacy and most memorable moments. So, on this episode, we remember the best of MTV with a list of our top 20 videos from its golden era.Support the show by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

NPR’s Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton for our first spin of the best songs we’re hearing in 2026, including new ones from Big Thief’s Buck Meek, the genre-hopping artist Joji, “fragile hope” from composer Daniel Bjarnason and more.Featured artists and songs:Buck Meek: “Gasoline,” from ‘The Mirror’Pekka Kuusisto & Sam Amidon: "Way Go, Lily" (Arr. by Nico Muhly / Adapted for orchestra by Bernard Rofe), from ‘Willows’Joji: “Love You Less,” from ‘P*** In The Wind’Joyce DiDonato & Time for Three: “Because I could not stop for Death," from ‘Emily - No Prisoner Be’Jana Horn: “Don’t think,” from ‘Jana Horn’Daniel Bjarnason & The Iceland Symphony Orchestra: “Fragile Hope,” from ‘The Grotesque and the Sublime’ Support the show by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We look ahead to some of the albums we’re most excited about for the new year, from sure bets like Dry Cleaning, Ásgeir and Beverly Glenn-Copeland to rumored releases from Noah Kahan, Robyn, The xx and more.Dry Cleaning: “Cruise Ship Designer,” from ‘Secret Love’Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore: “Perpetual Adoration,” from ‘Tragic Magic’Ásgeir: “Smoke,” from ‘Julia’Joyce Manor: “All My Friends Are So Depressed,” from ‘I Used To Go To This Bar’Beverly Glenn-Copeland: “Laughter In Summer (with Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland),” from ‘Laughter In Summer’gobbinjr: “Just a dream,” from ‘crystal rabbit moon’Danny L Harle, Oklou & MNEK: “Crystallise My Tears,” from ‘Cerulean’August Ponthier: “Handsome,” from ‘Everywhere Isn’t Texas’Mumford & Sons: “Rubber Band Man (with Hozier),” from ‘Prizefighter’Support the show by leaving a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

On the last episode of All Songs Considered for 2025, NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich takes host Robin Hilton through an exceptional year in guitar music. From Gwenifer Raymond's beautiful and brash fingerstyle to Rafael Toral's stretched-out jazz standards, not to mention William Tyler's glitched hymns and Vernon Reid's ecstatic shred, there's so much diversity to be found in six strings. Featured songs and artists: • Gwenifer Raymond: "Bleak Night in Rabbit's Wood," from 'Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark'• Hayden Pedigo: "Houndstooth," from 'I'll Be Waving As You Drive Away'• TAKAAT: "Isghmar," from 'Is Noise, Vol. 1'• Rafael Toral: "You Don't Know What Love Is," from 'Traveling Light'• Laura Snowden: "This Changing Sky," from 'This Changing Sky'• Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba: "Wemfana," from 'kwaNTU'• William Tyler: "Star of Hope," from 'Time Indefinite'• Jorge Espinal: "ají de pollería," from 'Bombos y Cencerros'• Vernon Reid: "Meditation on the Last Time I Saw Arthur Rhames," from 'Hoodoo Telemetry'Want more? See the full Viking's Choice list for the best guitar music of 2025.Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

In our final look back at our number one songs from the past 25 years, we visit Modesto, take an existential stroll through Petco, and find it all so confusing.Note: This is a recurring series in celebration of All Songs Considered’s 25th anniversary. A shorter version of this episode ran earlier in the year.Leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with a friend.Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We take a motorcycle road trip to Wisconsin in our annual search for the true spirit of the season. And, of course, we meet some special guests along the way. Thanks for another amazing year, and happy holidays!Tell a friend about the show and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We get in our fast car, drive like a red wine supernova, and run into Kristine from the 7th grade.  Bad idea, right?Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

We asked and you answered. Earlier this month, we opened the polls and invited All Songs Considered's listeners to tell us their top 5 records of the year. We tabulated all of the ballots, determined the top 10, and gave the results a proper countdown in this episode of All Songs. And while we usually include the albums we discuss in our episode notes, this time you'll have to listen to find out what made the list. (OK, fine, you can click here to see the top 50 vote-getters.) NPR Music critic Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton. Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: [email protected] See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy