Essays by NPR's pop critic on the intersections between music and everything else.
by Ann Powers
Canadian pop Singer Emm Gryner has known astronaut Chris Hadfield for years, which made her a perfect collaborator on his cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity." It doesn't hurt that Gryner has worked with Bowie himself, as well.
by Ann Powers
The dance music scene that has risen in the past decade owes a debt to the heavy beats of Daft Punk's music. But the long-awaited album from the Parisian duo turns its back on EDM to bask in the smooth sounds — and liberation —of the 1970s.
by Ann Powers
Does perfect technique make a good singer? Can emotion be learned? American Idol, on shaky legs with viewers this season, has recently had interesting things to say about this long-running debate.
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As a pop star, no one comes close to dominating culture and conversation the way Beyonce does. Because she exerts such control over her image — from advertisements to films, politics to pop songs — should we think of her differently?
by Ann Powers
Some music feels so personal, it's hard to think about sharing it with anyone else. A new tribute album of songs by the folk singer Nick Drake (featuring many musicians who themselves hold Drake dear) tests the limits of one critic's ability to share that love.
by Ann Powers
Still best known as the singer for the grunge-era group Screaming Trees, Mark Lanegan has stayed busy. Here's a survey of many of the recent releases that have made good use of his unmistakable baritone.
by Ann Powers
Big names and Next Big Things dominate coverage of Austin's festival, but there's quality music between the two poles. Ann Powers says the skill and subtlety those acts bring to the party interest her more than the sure bet of a legend or the sugar high of watching a baby band with buzz.
by Ann Powers
After 10 years out of the public eye, the new album from Bowie, The Next Day, proves he's still a compelling pop star in today's music world.
by Ann Powers
The Harlem Shake can be called many things — a rewriting of history, theft, a cultural bridge — but it's not the first time a dance craze has taken the world by storm. About a century ago, nearly the same thing happened.
by Ann Powers
The nominees may seem to reflect our era of infinite playlists, but where the Grammys are concerned, some surprisingly traditional ideas still endure.
