Hot 97's Summer Jam: A Referendum On Hip-Hop
The radio station's annual concert is useful because, between the talent and the audience, it's big enough to take a snapshot of what's going on in hip-hop right now.
The Fans
Listeners connect with music in countless ways. Essays and interviews about why we love the music we love and questions about what our choices as fans mean.
What It Means When 'Hip' Albums Top The Charts
by Chris Molanphy
Last week, Vampire Weekend had the best selling album in the country. This week Daft Punk will take that spot. Are these the hippest albums to ever top the Billboard album chart in two back-to-back weeks?
This Was 1993: 20 Years Ago I Heard The Perfect Rap Song
by Kiese Laymon
Writer Kiese Laymon says back then he would have sworn on everything he loved that hip-hop would never be the same after The Coup's "Not Yet Free."
©2013 NPR
The Music Of The Venezuelan Presidential Campaigns
by Jasmine Garsd
In Caracas, emotions run high and there's noise to match. Supporters of both major candidates for Venezuela's president have created soundtracks that are a constant presence on the city's streets.
Justin Timberlake And The AC/DC Rule
by Chris Molanphy
A lesson from the career of the Australian classic rockers explains why the pop star's newest album, which hasn't generated glowing reviews or massive radio hits, still had an explosive opening sales week.
Remembering Paul Williams, Founder Of Rock Magazine 'Crawdaddy!'
by Pat Thomas
Paul Williams started the first American rock magazine as a college student in 1966, and pioneered a style of intelligent music writing from a fan's perspective.
Why I'm Not Going To SXSW This Year
by Andrea Swensson
In the annual Texas showdown between fledgling bands and crushing industry excess, one longtime SXSW attendee has started feeling like she's coming out behind.
Music, The Food Of 'Amour'
by Daoud Tyler-Ameen
The Best Picture nominee about two musicians nearing the end of life uses music sparingly but crushingly.
After 30 Years, I Finally Went To A Barry Manilow Concert
by Danyel Smith
The night wasn't about kitsch for her. Writer Danyel Smith fulfilled the real dreams of her 13-year-old self when she saw the pop singer live on Broadway.
Saving The Sounds Of America
by Tom Cole
It's not easy, even for audio recorded in the last 10 years. The Library of Congress has released a plan for preserving the country's long but fragile archive of recorded audio.
