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All Songs Considered Robin Hilton spins new music from emerging bands and musical icons.

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Neil Young singing into a microphone and playing guitar on stage.

Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young performs live on stage at Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands on 13th December 1989. Rob Verhorst/Redferns hide caption

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Rob Verhorst/Redferns

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NPR Music+: "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young

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By the time Neil Young reached 1989, he’d already achieved all the highs and lows that could come with a successful rock ’n’ roll career. But then he made the album “Freedom,” and ended it with a song that challenged what people thought about his personal politics and that would catapult him back into the mainstream and the top of the rock charts. It would become something of a rock standard, and curiously adopted by people all over the political spectrum.  

NPR Music+: "Rockin' in the Free World" by Neil Young

Lizzy McAlpine, Víkingur Ólafsson plays Bach, and more of the week's best songs

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Lizzy McAlpine, Víkingur Ólafsson plays Bach, and more of the week's best songs

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Our latest mix of the week’s best new songs swings from the shoegaze rock of rising LA band untitled (halo) to Bach’s “Air on the G String” performed by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. We’ve also got singer Lizzy McAlpine’s breathtaking ode to her late father, the laid-back grooves of polymath Sen Morimoto, the extraordinary voice of Scottish singer Beth Taylor and more.

Lizzy McAlpine, Víkingur Ólafsson plays Bach, and more of the week's best songs

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18

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Beck. Carly Rae Jepsen. Beabadoobee. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 18 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Robert Moore from 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City, Amelia Mason from WBUR in Boston, and Brian Burns from WUNC in Chapel Hill. Plus, a handful of of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18

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M83, Shygirl, FKJ and the best songs we heard this week

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M83, Shygirl, FKJ and the best songs we heard this week

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We’re back with another round of the best new songs out now, including the universe-splitting “Blister Sunrise” from M83, Shygirl’s bone-rattling, euphoric track “Alyse,” subversive funk from Asher White and more.

M83, Shygirl, FKJ, Asher White, more

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This Is Lorelei

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 11

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Sylvan Esso. This Is Lorelei. Ezra Collective. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 11 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Brian Burns from WUNC in Chapel Hill, Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville, and John Morrison from WXPN in Philadelphia. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 11

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Earth, Wind & Fire performing on stage.

Earth, Wind & Fire and Maurice White (C) performing on stage. Rob Verhorst/Redferns hide caption

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NPR Music+: "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

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It’s the time of the season for this party playlist favorite. But what makes “September” a standout among Earth, Wind & Fire’s many other hits? And why is September the most popular month in song?  

NPR Music+: "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

More cover songs that are better than the originals

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More cover songs that are better than the originals

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We share more reimagined and reinterpreted songs that rival the originals, including Janis Joplin’s iconic take on Kris Kristofferson’s “Me and Bobby McGee,” a reggae version of The Beatles' “Don’t Let Me Down,” and more.

More cover songs that are better than the originals

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 4

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 4

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Rebecca Black. Paris Paloma. Button Masher. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 4 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Nastia Voynovskaya from KQED in San Francisco, Julie Bee from Marfa Public Radio in west Texas, and DeShun Nance from WJSU in Jackson, Miss. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 4

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Dahi, Kendrick and Amber Mark, Dominic Fike, more

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Reed Bennett

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Dahi, Kendrick and Amber Mark, Dominic Fike, more

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After nearly two decades of producing works by other musicians, including Kendrick Lamar and Vampire Weekend, the artist known as Dahi has just released his debut solo album. He describes it as “African Radiohead,” with kaleidoscopic soundscapes, intricate polyrhythms and a breathtaking list of collaborators. We open this week’s show with the song “How to Pray,” featuring both Kendrick Lamar and singer Amber Mark.

Dahi, Kendrick and Amber Mark, Dominic Fike, more

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 28

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 28

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Alabama Shakes. Mike D. Interpol. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Sean Carolan of WBJB in New Jersey about their favorite albums out Friday, August 28. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 28

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Carly Simon singing into a microphone on stage.

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NPR Music+: "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon

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With celebrity gossip and “spilling tea” ruling the culture more than ever, it’s time to honor a landmark in confessional songwriting. In 1972, singer-songwriter Carly Simon made the undisputed template for coy songs about real people and events that never name their subjects outright, and are all the more juicy for it.  

NPR Music+: "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon

The best Sunday morning albums

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The best Sunday morning albums

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Is Sunday morning the best time for music? Whether you prefer solitude, get-togethers with family or friends, or steeling yourself for the week to come, we’ve got the perfect album to score your early hours.  

The best Sunday morning albums

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Jorja Smith

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 21

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Brennan Wedl. Jorja Smith. Brandon Flowers. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, August 21. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 21

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Weezer, Colin Stetson, Jlin, Meredith Monk more

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Ibe Van Bouchaute

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Weezer, Colin Stetson, Jlin, Meredith Monk more

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On this week’s show, Weezer gives the people what they want, plus a breathless “dirt dance” from saxophonist Colin Stetson and bagpiper BrÃŽghde Chaimbeul, the scruffy cello-pop of yeemz, works by composer and vocalist Meredith Monk, electronic artist Jlin and more.  

Weezer, Colin Stetson, Jlin, Meredith Monk more

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 14

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Frank Ockenfels/Dead Oceans

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 14

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Phoebe Bridgers. Jungle. Hovvdy. It's a surprisingly stacked Summer Friday this week, and you can hear all about it with New Music Friday host Stephen Thompson and guest Samantha Hval from WMNF in Tampa, Fla. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 14

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Florence Welch singing into a microphone.

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NPR Music+: “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine

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When Florence and the Machine debuted this song in the winter of 2008, they and it were not an overnight sensation. Instead, the song slowly rose up the charts after a series of enigmatic live performances that showcased how rock and dance have long been connected and how, when merged together, that sound could soar. And they invited everyone to join in with them—to clap hands, to sing along, to dance.  

NPR Music+: “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine

Cover songs that are better than the originals

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Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

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Cover songs that are better than the originals

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Sometimes a cover song is so good, so singular that it completely eclipses the original version.  Think SinÃĐad O'Connor doing Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Jimmy Hendrix lighting up Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” or, of course, Whitney Houston’s defining take on Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”  On this week’s show, we share some of our picks for cover songs that are better than the originals, talk about why, and what, exactly, a cover song needs to become a classic.

Cover songs that are better than the originals

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7

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Ravyn Lenae. Margaret Glaspy. Overmono. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Liz Warner from WDET in Detroit about their favorite albums out Friday, August 7. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7

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King Princess covers Neil Young's "Helpless."

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Connor Cunningham

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Slayyyter, King Princess covers Neil Young, and remembering Glen Hansard

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We open this week’s show by reflecting on the loss of Glen Hansard, an artist who was critical to shaping the sound and spirit of All Songs Considered in its earliest days. We then share some of our favorite new tracks of the week, including a King Princess cover of Neil Young’s “Helpless,” cheeky pop from Coco & Clair Clair, a stunning ambient track from Adam Wiltzie and the late composer JÃģhann JÃģhannsson, and more.

Remembering Glen Hansard, plus Slayyyter, King Princess covers Neil Young, more

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New Music Friday: The best albums out July 31

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out July 31

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The Durutti Column. Arca. MOLIY. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Olive Kimoto of member station KCRW in Los Angeles about their favorite albums out Friday, July 31. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out July 31

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Jerry Garcia playing guitar on stage, Mickey Hart playing drums.

With Mickey Hart backing him up on drums, Jerry Garcia plays lead guitar during a Grateful Dead concert at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, California. Philip Gould/Corbis via Getty Images hide caption

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Philip Gould/Corbis via Getty Images

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NPR Music+: “Touch of Grey” by Grateful Dead

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Despite having more than a dozen studio albums, thousands of live recordings you can find online and an impassioned fan culture that’s endured over six decades, the Grateful Dead have never quite been a mainstream band. But there was one song that managed to break through to become a top-40 hit. How did it happen? And why this song?  

NPR Music+: “Touch of Grey” by Grateful Dead

How to love the Grateful Dead

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Roger Ressmeyer / Corbis / VCG via Getty Images

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How to love the Grateful Dead

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest places, if you look at it right. And if you get confused, just listen to the music play. This week, resident Deadheads Isabella Gomez Sarmiento and Felix Contreras help host Robin Hilton hear what he’s been missing in the music of the Grateful Dead.

How to love the Grateful Dead

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