The 'Jingle Bells' Song Has Roots In Minstrelsy
The Christmas staple "Jingle Bells," has been the subject of many arguments about its provenance. Researcher Kyna Hamill, who did some more digging, talks with NPR's Ailsa Chang.
Music
Amy Grant On Faith, Songwriting And Christmas Blues
The pop songwriter says she wants her album, Tennessee Christmas, "to feel like a good, steady companion, whether you're at the top of your game or struggling."
Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals! Here's Run The Jewels' New Album.
Run The Yules! Killer Mike and El-P dropped off RTJ3 three weeks early.
What 2016 Sounded Like
NPR Music editor and reviewer Stephen Thompson reflects on the year through the lens of music and shares the songs that impressed him most.
Encore: 'It Wasn't Alternative To Us': Chazmere On Making Your Own Entertainment
For his new album, Chaz Van Queen has opted to go by the moniker, Chazmere. He tells host Linda Wertheimer why he changed his name, and how to use the word "bae."
Alternative Classical Christmas Music Recommendations
If traditional Christmas songs are burning a hole in your brain, we'll help expand your repertoire with alternative classical Christmas music served up by author and critic Colin Fleming.
In Gritty Sao Paulo, Samba Reinvents Itself With An Introspective Sound
A hundred years after the first recorded samba, São Paulo is pioneering the genre's second act. The city's introspective anthems couldn't be more different than Rio's optimistic, breezy samba beat.
How That Holiday Song Becomes An Inescapable Earworm
There's a reason why certain songs get stuck in our brains, scientists say. They interrupt the musical patterns we expect with surprises that we can't help but notice.
André Previn On Piano Jazz
The conductor, composer and pianist plays a special treatment of "Stormy Weather" in a 1990 session.
Songs We Love: Dwight Yoakam, 'Santa Can't Stay'
A divorced dad tries to visit his kids on Christmas Eve under the guise of St. Nick in a honky-tonkin' rock 'n' roller.