Music Interviews

For our interview, Risa, Naoko and Atsuko changed into their signature outfits: geometric-patterned dresses, designed by Atsuko, reminiscent of a Mondrian painting.

Ramen Rock: These Japanese Punk Legends Sing About Food

9:22am May 26, 2017

by Maria Godoy

For over 35 years, the all-female Shonen Knife has been serving up catchy punk titles like "Wasabi," "Hot Chocolate" and "Sushi Bar." But don't mistake them for bubblegum pop. These ladies are legit.

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Music & Culture

All Songs +1: Why We're Still Obsessed With Tupac

8:40am May 26, 2017

by Rodney Carmichael

NPR Music hip-hop reporter Rodney Carmichael talks with Ben Westhoff, author of Original Gangstas, about the enduring legacy and influence of Tupac Shakur, more than 20 years after his death.

Kansas City musician Krystle Warren, whose forthcoming album is titled Three the Hard Way, has lived in France for nine years.

Music & Culture

From Paris With Love: A Kansas City Musician Gets Distance And Perspective

6:38pm May 25, 2017

Missouri native Krystle Warren digs into American history on her new album Three The Hard Way. She talks about what it's like to observe the U.S. from France, her home for the past nine years.

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Pinegrove's latest release is Elsewhere.

Music & Culture

Pinegrove On World Cafe

2:41pm May 25, 2017

by Talia Schlanger

Listening to this band's music gives you that warm feeling of spending time with old friends. Hear a performance of songs from 2016's Cardinal, recorded live for World Cafe.

ÌFÉ performs at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Music & Culture

Meet Me At The World Cafe: ÌFÉ Performs Live In Philadelphia

12:26pm May 25, 2017

by Felix Contreras

Alt.Latino joins forces with WXPN'S World Cafe to host an electric performance by the Puerto Rican band. Back in the studio, we speak with the band about its innovative approach to Yoruba culture.

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Mac DeMarco's latest album is This Old Dog.

Music & Culture

Mac DeMarco On World Cafe

4:28pm May 24, 2017

by David Dye

The Canadian rocker has always been known for bringing the party, but his latest album includes more sober reflection on his relationship with his father.

The Strokes backstage in San Francisco in October 2001, the month the band released its debut album, Is This It in the United States.

Music & Culture

This Was It: Inside The Whirlwind That Was The NYC Rock Revival

10:47am May 24, 2017

by Eric Ducker

Author Lizzy Goodman talks about living through — and revisiting — the explosive rock scene in New York during the early 21st century to write her oral history, Meet Me In The Bathroom.

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever inside the World Cafe studio.

Music & Culture

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever On World Cafe

2:21pm May 23, 2017

by Talia Schlanger

The Melbourne band consists of a pair of brothers and a pair of cousins, plus one. Hear its Cinderella story — from playing bedroom jams to signing with Sub Pop — in this session.

The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Music & Culture

Why Remix 'Sgt. Pepper's'? Giles Martin, The Man Behind The Project, Explains

9:00am May 23, 2017

by Bob Boilen

Why would anyone remix one of the most important and influential albums of all time? Giles Martin explains how and why he did it for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Music & Culture

By Any Name, Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda Was A Force

3:34pm May 22, 2017

by Anastasia Tsioulcas

Some unearthed recordings from this musician-turned-spiritual-leader reveal the many layers of Alice Coltrane's artistic — and personal — identity.

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