Music Features

Howard's vocal malleability allows her to access a whole spectrum of contradictory emotions and gender expressions.

Music & Culture

On 'What Now,' Brittany Howard is a virtuoso in pursuit of a flow state

11:31am February 09, 2024

by Jill Mapes

The former Alabama Shakes leader is in total control of her new album's genre-defying odyssey through this thing called life, evoking the mastery of another do-it-all maestro: Prince.

When Usher performs on Sunday evening in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium during the city's very first Super Bowl, he'll also be graduating from two years as one of its busiest and most successful working residents.

How the pandemic ushered in a maximalist new era for Las Vegas residencies

3:35pm February 08, 2024

by Bilal Qureshi

In the post-pandemic market for maximalist entertainment, America's "capital of entertainment" has found itself at the center of a cultural revival with A-list residencies at its core.

Usher performs at the grand opening his Las Vegas residency, "My Way," on July 15, 2022, at the Dolby Live amphitheater at the Park MGM Hotel and Casino.

The lonely throne of Usher, modern R&B's greatest showman

11:34am February 08, 2024

by Sheldon Pearce

This year's Super Bowl halftime star is a rare species in pop: More entertainer than celebrity, his enduring stage presence has eclipsed his melodramas, and perhaps even his music.

Jay-Z (left) accepts the honorary Dr. Dre Global Impact Award alongside his daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, during the 66th Grammy Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, Calif.

Music & Culture

When will Black artists be ready to break up with The Grammys?

8:18pm February 06, 2024

by Sidney Madden

On Sunday, Jay-Z accepted an honorary Grammy by taking gentle aim at the awards' failure to support Black musicians. "We want y'all to get it right — at least get it close to right" he said.

André 3000's "New Blue Sun Live" tour spent three nights at the Blue Note jazz club in New York.

Music & Culture

Is André 3000 in his jazz era?

3:12pm February 06, 2024

by Hank Shteamer

During his residency of the famed Blue Note jazz club in New York, the OutKast-rapper-turned-flutist showed us why New Blue Sun is both less and more than that question.

View of an embroidered sheet of music from the piece Organ2/ASLSP by John Cage. Artist Sabine Groschup expands the embroidery with each change of sound. After two years, the sound of the slowest piece of music in the world, has changed for the 16th time. This means that the six-sound piece that has been played in the Burchardi Church since February 2022 has become a seven-sound piece.

A 639-year-long John Cage organ performance strikes a new chord in Germany

11:32am February 06, 2024

by Rob Schmitz

The late American composer John Cage left it up to the performer to decide how long his work, Organ2/ASLSP, should take. A group in Germany is testing the limits.

Queue Listen Now

Nigeria's global superstar Burna Boy (center) is nominated in the new Grammy category "best African music performance." Nominees are all from Nigeria or South Africa. Other African musicians feel neglected. Mulatu Astatke (left) is a pioneer of Ethio-jazz in Ethiopia, which has never earned a Grammy nod. North African musicians have rarely been nominated. At right: Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi.

New Grammy category for African music ignores almost all of Africa

10:12am February 04, 2024

by Ian Brennan

Grammy is unveiling an award for "Best African Music Performance." Do the nominees fulfill the goal of "recognizing recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the ... continent"?

Laufey performs during the December 2023 event A New York Evening With Laufey, at The Greene Space in downtown Manhattan.

Music & Culture

Laufey is a trad-pop superstar (and that's enough)

5:00am January 31, 2024

by Ann Powers

The young Icelandic-Chinese singer, now a Grammy nominee, has been pegged by some as her generation's jazz savior — a burdensome role that arguably misreads her talents.

Unionized staff picket outside the Condé Nast offices in New York on Jan. 23. The company is merging the popular digital music publication Pitchfork with the men's magazine GQ, which has triggered anger over the resulting layoffs and concern for the outlet's future.

With Pitchfork in peril, a word on the purpose of music journalism

4:17pm January 24, 2024

by Ann Powers

At its best, the influential online music pub — which Condé Nast announced last week will be folded into GQ — created a rare and precious space to slow down, pay attention and really listen.

An NPR music critic's take on the Grammy nominees for best new artist

5:36pm January 14, 2024

by Stephen Thompson

A review of the category ahead of the 2024 Grammys.