Music

Bad Bunny (holding flag), singer Ricky Martin (in black hat) and Residente (in blue hat) join demonstrators in protest against Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló in Old San Juan.

Music & Culture

'Afilando Los Cuchillos' Soundtracks Puerto Rico's Social Movement In Real Time

1:38pm July 25, 2019

by Felix Contreras

"Puerto Ricans are waking up." We explore Residente, iLe and Bad Bunny's sharp-edged takedown of Gov. Ricardo Rosselló and its influence on the protesters in the streets.

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram performs live at the 2019 NON-COMMvention in Philadelphia, PA

Music & Culture

Is Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram The Future Of Blues Music?

1:06pm July 25, 2019

Ingram is an absolute beast on guitar who has impressed a lot of different people over the years, including Buddy Guy, Bootsy Collins and Dave Grohl.

Low Cut Connie performs at Battery Park City River & Blues Festival.

Music & Culture

Slingshot City Scenes: Free New York City Concerts

11:45am July 25, 2019

by Laura Fedele

The city offers a few hidden gems for music lovers looking to hear music for free. Check out five spots to explore for a fun summer night.

A$AP Rocky performs in Paris last month. He has been detained in Sweden since early July.

Music & Culture

Rapper A$AP Rocky Charged With Assault In Sweden

10:19am July 25, 2019

by Scott Neuman

The high-profile incident, which the musician and record producer insists is a case of self-defense, has seen celebrities and even President Trump rally to his cause.

Music & Culture

So It's Come To This: BTS Rapper RM Leads Lil Nas X Down 'Seoul Town Road'

10:14am July 25, 2019

by Stephen Thompson

Two powerhouses have teamed up for an inevitable remix, should you need a reminder that "Old Town Road" will remain at the top of the charts until the earth is a charred cinder.

Spotify CEO and co-founder Daniel Ek, photographed in Tokyo on Sept. 29, 2016 on the occasion of his company's Japanese debut.

Music & Culture

The Green New Deal: Where Spotify Stands, And Where Artists Wish It Would

8:20am July 25, 2019

by Marissa R. Moss

Since launching stateside in 2011, the green logo of Spotify has come to be, almost like Kleenex, synonymous with the weird new world of streaming. So, dozens of billions of dollars later, what's up?

Adrian Quesada, photographed on June 3, 2014 in New York.

Music & Culture

The Many Threads And Generations Of Chicano Soul, All In One Place

7:11am July 25, 2019

by Joe Nick Patoski

This Saturday, a legendary group of musicians will converge on Lincoln Center to perform Look at My Soul, a project tying together the myriad musical influences that Chicano Soul has in its DNA.

The halcyon days of Audiogalaxy, an unsanctioned peer-to-peer music sharing platform from the Wild West days of the Internet, were short-lived but deeply impactful, writes Sam Hockley-Smith.

Music & Culture

A Requiem For Audiogalaxy, The Digital Wild West's Best Outlaw Record Store

6:19pm July 24, 2019

by Sam Hockley-Smith

In the wake of Napster's downfall, but before the iTunes Store began to legitimize digital music, Audiogalaxy emerged from the darkness to (illegally) fill the void.

A Pennsylvania appeals court is ordering a new trial for musician Meek Mill, 10 years after he was convicted of drug and weapons crimes. Mill is seen here this week announcing the launch of the Dream Chasers record label, in a joint venture with Jay-Z.

Rapper Meek Mill Is Granted Retrial After Years-Long Legal Fight

4:49pm July 24, 2019

by Merrit Kennedy

Evidence that arose after Meek's trial is "of such a strong nature and character that a different verdict will likely result at a retrial," a three-judge panel in Pennsylvania says.

Masego plays a Tiny Desk Concert on Jan. 8, 2019 (Claire Harbage/NPR).

Music & Culture

Masego: Tiny Desk Concert

4:42pm July 24, 2019

by Sidney Madden

The spirit of Cab Calloway lives on in Masego, the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who surprised NPR's Tiny Desk audience with a zany sense of showmanship.