Welcome to the sound of public radio in 2025. Our list of the best 125 songs of the year was curated by more than 60 writers and DJs across the NPR Music Network, and runs the gamut of sounds, scenes ...

It’s axiomatic in the commercial theater that two shows always sell: “Fiddler on the Roof” and “The Sound of Music.” Why? Both are beloved works of genius that are generous when it comes to human ...

The sound will grab you first — Hayden Pedigo's arpeggios electrified in echo, Cap'n Ron's swinging drumbeat bashed out in the distance, Raygun Busch's blunt-force vocals softened into melodic ...

On first listen, “total euphoria” sounds like the product of eight people playing completely out of sync with one another. The drums enter and exit the mix of their own accord; the guitars speed up ...

Movies are the great escape. “Optimistic endings, passionate romances,” sings the incarcerated dreamer of “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” who looks to old Hollywood movies as an oasis of beauty and faith.

If there's one question that professional music lovers hear most often, it's some variation on: "Heard any good albums lately?" We always have, of course, but when it came time to highlight the cream ...

In these 100 songs, you’ll hear lusty dubstep, quietly subversive electronic pop, regional rap bangers, alt-country odysseys, ubiquitous chart-toppers, and much more. We were drawn to songs this year ...

End-of-year music season has arrived.

Listen to 48 tracks that broke new artists, blew apart genres and revived beloved sounds. By Jon Caramanica and Lindsay Zoladz Jon Caramanica On the one hand, living in an environment in which sounds ...