Latin Roots: 13 Alternative Tracks To Jumpstart 2020
With the first month of 2020 in the books, we're excited to share a fresh spectrum of sonidos alternativos from all over Latin and South America
Music & Culture
An Intro To Hip-Hop, For The Uninitiated
NPR's David Folkenflik speaks to Briana Younger, music editor and writer at the New Yorker, about song recommendations for those who might not be hip-hop fans, but might want to give the genre a shot.
X Alfonso Is A Cuban Hip-Hop Pioneer Still Making Vibrant Music
X Alfonso comes from a storied musical family in Cuba and continues to make music with an impact. Alt.Latino's Felix Contreras shares a few singles off Alfonso's forthcoming album.
From White Supremacy To Opioids, Drive-By Truckers Confronts 'The Unraveling'
NPR's Renee Montagne speaks to songwriter Patterson Hood about his band's new album, which threads dark tales of our perilous times and tries to end on a note of optimism.
Jessie Reyez On The Power Of Sad Songs
Singer Jessie Reyez is a rising star; she's sold out shows, appeared on TV and received her first Grammy nomination for her EP, Being Human in Public. The producers of Latino USA have the profile.
A Code Switch Playlist For Black History Month
Black History Month is here, and it's the perfect time to catch up on stories about the hidden heroes and buried history of black America.
Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing
Hear the latest from Doja Cat, Tame Impala, a collaboration between Leon Bridges and Khruangbin and more.
NPR Music's Top 20 Songs Of January
Phony Ppl and Megan Thee Stallion finally released the studio version of their Tiny Desk premiere. Hear that, plus Thundercat and Paramore's Hayley Williams on a playlist of the month's best tracks.
NPR Music's Top 10 Albums Of January
One month into 2020 and it already feels like we've got strong contenders for albums of the year.
Pills, Police And Endless War: 20 Years Ago, Primal Scream Saw Our Future
The Scottish band's 2000 album XTRMNTR isn't as well remembered as its thematic twin, Radiohead's Kid A. But its dark premonition of a world in socioeconomic crisis looks startlingly accurate today.