Music News http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1106&ft=1&f=1106 Current music news, artist interviews, album reviews, and music industry news from NPR Music. Rock, pop, folk, classical, jazz, blues, urban, and world music. Watch video sessions. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Music News http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1106&ft=1&f=1106 Draco Rosa: A Pop Survivor Returns From The Brink, With Friends In the 1980s, he was Robi Rosa, the lead singer of Menudo at the boy band's peak of popularity. Rosa went on to write hits for bandmate Ricky Martin and develop a solo career. When Rosa was diagnosed with cancer several years ago, some of the biggest names in Latin music assembled to support him. Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184771486/draco-rosa-a-pop-survivor-returns-from-the-brink-with-friends?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184771486/draco-rosa-a-pop-survivor-returns-from-the-brink-with-friends?ft=1&f=1106 In the 1980s, he was Robi Rosa, the lead singer of Menudo at the boy band's peak of popularity. Rosa went on to write hits for bandmate Ricky Martin and develop a solo career. When Rosa was diagnosed with cancer several years ago, some of the biggest names in Latin music assembled to support him.

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]]> Giving It Away You can give away almost anything — your time, money, food, your ideas. Giving helps define who we are and helps us connect with others. Thanks to the Internet and a rise in social consciousness, there's been a seismic shift not only in what we're giving, but how. In this hour, stories from TED speakers who are "giving it away" in new and surprising ways, and the things that happen in return. Fri, 17 May 2013 09:56:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/181684003/giving-it-away?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/06/181684003/giving-it-away?ft=1&f=1106 You can give away almost anything — your time, money, food, your ideas. Giving helps define who we are and helps us connect with others. Thanks to the Internet and a rise in social consciousness, there's been a seismic shift not only in what we're giving, but how. In this hour, stories from TED speakers who are "giving it away" in new and surprising ways, and the things that happen in return.

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]]> Andris Nelsons Named Music Director Of The Boston Symphony The announcement that the 34-year-old Latvian conductor is taking the reins of the ensemble puts an end to years of uncertainty at the storied orchestra, following James Levine's 2011 resignation. Thu, 16 May 2013 12:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2013/05/16/184480130/andris-nelsons-named-music-director-of-the-boston-symphony?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2013/05/16/184480130/andris-nelsons-named-music-director-of-the-boston-symphony?ft=1&f=1106 The announcement that the 34-year-old Latvian conductor is taking the reins of the ensemble puts an end to years of uncertainty at the storied orchestra, following James Levine's 2011 resignation.

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]]> Google Launches A Streaming Music Service On Wednesday the company launched All Access, a paid subscription service that will put it in direct competition with Spotify and Pandora. Wed, 15 May 2013 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/15/184249904/google-launches-a-streaming-music-service?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/15/184249904/google-launches-a-streaming-music-service?ft=1&f=1106 On Wednesday the company launched All Access, a paid subscription service that will put it in direct competition with Spotify and Pandora.

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]]> The Canadian Astronaut's Accompanist 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. Wed, 15 May 2013 14:30:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/15/184232912/the-canadian-astronauts-accompanist?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/15/184232912/the-canadian-astronauts-accompanist?ft=1&f=1106 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.

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]]> Robots In Ecstasy: Daft Punk's 'Memories' Embraces The Pleasure Principle 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. Tue, 14 May 2013 15:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/14/183939750/robots-in-ecstasy-daft-punks-memories-embraces-the-pleasure-principle?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/14/183939750/robots-in-ecstasy-daft-punks-memories-embraces-the-pleasure-principle?ft=1&f=1106 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.

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]]> Covering Pop Hits On YouTube Is Starting To Pay Now that YouTube runs advertising on videos of cover songs, musicians like Tyler Ward are working with agencies to negotiate higher shares of that revenue. Mon, 13 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/13/182880665/covering-pop-hits-on-youtube-is-starting-to-pay?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/13/182880665/covering-pop-hits-on-youtube-is-starting-to-pay?ft=1&f=1106 Now that YouTube runs advertising on videos of cover songs, musicians like Tyler Ward are working with agencies to negotiate higher shares of that revenue.

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]]> The MIDI Revolution: Synthesizing Music For The Masses The language used to translate sound into digital information celebrates its 30th anniversary. Today, MIDI is everywhere, including nearly every pop song on the radio and the fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Sun, 12 May 2013 05:34:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/12/182874125/the-midi-revolution-synthesizing-music-for-the-masses?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/12/182874125/the-midi-revolution-synthesizing-music-for-the-masses?ft=1&f=1106 The language used to translate sound into digital information celebrates its 30th anniversary. Today, MIDI is everywhere, including nearly every pop song on the radio and the fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

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]]> Singer Tim Lambesis Arrested In Alleged Plot To Kill Wife Authorities say the vocalist for the Grammy-nominated heavy-metal band As I Lay Dying tried to hire an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife. Wed, 08 May 2013 19:35:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182388394/singer-tim-lambesis-arrested-in-alleged-plot-to-kill-wife?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/08/182388394/singer-tim-lambesis-arrested-in-alleged-plot-to-kill-wife?ft=1&f=1106 Authorities say the vocalist for the Grammy-nominated heavy-metal band As I Lay Dying tried to hire an undercover detective to kill his estranged wife.

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]]> Singer Lauryn Hill Sentenced To Three Months For Tax Evasion The R&B and hip hop artist was sentenced for failing to pay taxes on about $1.8 million in earnings. Mon, 06 May 2013 19:35:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/06/181714555/singer-lauryn-hill-sentenced-to-three-months-for-tax-evasion?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/06/181714555/singer-lauryn-hill-sentenced-to-three-months-for-tax-evasion?ft=1&f=1106 The R&B and hip hop artist was sentenced for failing to pay taxes on about $1.8 million in earnings.

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]]> Harry Connick, 'Idol' And The Pop Charts: Can You Define 'Good' Singing? Does perfect technique make a good singer? Can emotion be learned? <em>American Idol</em>, on shaky legs with viewers this season, has recently had interesting things to say about this long-running debate. Mon, 06 May 2013 14:40:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/06/181586182/harry-connick-idol-and-the-pop-charts-can-you-define-good-singing?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/06/181586182/harry-connick-idol-and-the-pop-charts-can-you-define-good-singing?ft=1&f=1106 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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]]> 20 Years Ago Biz Markie Got The Last Laugh <em></em>After the rapper lost a legal battle with far-reaching consequences over sampling, the mere existence of <em>All Samples Cleared! </em>was a triumph. Mon, 06 May 2013 12:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/01/180375856/20-years-ago-biz-markie-got-the-last-laugh?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/01/180375856/20-years-ago-biz-markie-got-the-last-laugh?ft=1&f=1106 After the rapper lost a legal battle with far-reaching consequences over sampling, the mere existence of All Samples Cleared! was a triumph.

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]]> Big Songs, Big Hype (Oh Yeah, They're Women) Three heavily hyped new bands have little in common, except being led by women. How important is that? Sat, 04 May 2013 16:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/04/180911553/big-songs-big-hype-oh-yeah-theyre-women?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/04/180911553/big-songs-big-hype-oh-yeah-theyre-women?ft=1&f=1106 Three heavily hyped new bands have little in common, except being led by women. How important is that?

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]]> At Jazz Fest, Photographers Have A Culture All Their Own Some of the most iconic images of New Orleans musicians have come from its annual Jazz & Heritage festival — thanks to the scores of photographers who crowd the apron of the stage, vying for the best shots. Eve Troeh, of member station WWNO, tagged along with one of them this year. Sat, 04 May 2013 05:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2013/05/04/180886438/at-jazz-fest-photographers-have-a-culture-all-their-own?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/ablogsupreme/2013/05/04/180886438/at-jazz-fest-photographers-have-a-culture-all-their-own?ft=1&f=1106 Some of the most iconic images of New Orleans musicians have come from its annual Jazz & Heritage festival — thanks to the scores of photographers who crowd the apron of the stage, vying for the best shots. Eve Troeh, of member station WWNO, tagged along with one of them this year.

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]]> 'A Truth Never Told': Remembering Slayer's Jeff Hanneman The guitarist, who died Thursday, understood that metal works in darkness, rooting for something, anything that makes sense of this ugly human existence. Hanneman channeled it into a band that exemplifies pain. Fri, 03 May 2013 16:20:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/02/180702073/a-truth-never-told-remembering-slayers-jeff-hanneman?ft=1&f=1106 http://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2013/05/02/180702073/a-truth-never-told-remembering-slayers-jeff-hanneman?ft=1&f=1106 The guitarist, who died Thursday, understood that metal works in darkness, rooting for something, anything that makes sense of this ugly human existence. Hanneman channeled it into a band that exemplifies pain.

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