Neil Young

After having its premiere at the recent Sundance Film Festival, Heart of Gold is arriving in theaters around the country. The film is directed by Jonathan Demme and was shot in Nashville, Tenn., last August.

Neil Young's new album, Prairie Wind, is being hailed as a return to the wistful, wind-blown vistas of his most popular work, from Harvest and Harvest Moon.

In 1966, Neil Young joined L.A. rock band Buffalo Springfield; they split up three albums later due to inter-band fighting and their lack of commercial success. Young's new album is Praire Wind, considered a follow-up to his Harvest records.

Singer-songwriter Neil Young discusses his latest album, Prairie Wind. It was recorded as Young was being treated for a brain aneurysm earlier this year.

Neil Young may be the hardest man in rock 'n' roll to pin down. Biographer Jimmy McDonough tried his best, but as he tells Scott Simon on Weekend Edition Saturday, he couldn't do it, even in 800-plus pages. But it sure was fun trying.

A new collection, titled Demos, features a series of demo recordings of mostly solo songs by David Crosby, Graham Nash and Stephen Stills, as well as a track from Neil Young. Listen to the album in its entirety.

It's been a great year for the quiet and the subtle: The harmonies of Fleet Foxes, the fiery gentleness of Bon Iver and the African kora of Toumani Diabate were all calming company. We all need and want different things from music at different times, and gentility won out this year.

2008 has been a milestone year for music. Neil Young has released new solo albums in each of the past three years, and Paul McCartney is back this year with a surprising new album. Bob Boilen talks with Michele Norris about these stunning recordings, both new and old.

Neil Young was just a few days shy of his 23rd birthday when he took the stage at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Mich., for what would become a legendary performance. It was 1968, and Young was about to release his self-titled debut solo album. His old band, Buffalo Springfield, had split up six months earlier, and few people even knew who Young was. But to his own surprise, Young drew a sold-out audience. Now, 40 years later, the recording of that performance is finally being made available. Hear it here in its entirety.

Here's a look at the 10 CDs from the past year that are virtually guaranteed to impress friends, relatives and potential lovers. You don't even have to listen to them — just put them in your collection and memorize what's written here.

Host Bob Boilen looks at some of the most anticipated CDs coming out before the end of the year, with NPR reviewers Meredith Ochs, Tom Moon and Robert Christgau. Hear new music from Radiohead, Neil Young, Youssou N'Dour and more.

Countless music fans have attempted to craft the perfect mix CD — just the thing to put a soundtrack on special occasions. But an hour of love-themed dinner music for a wedding reception isn't as easy to assemble as it may seem.

Neil Young was just a few days shy of his 23rd birthday when he took the stage at the Canterbury House in Ann Arbor, Mich., for what would become a legendary performance. It was 1968, and Young was about to release his self-titled debut solo album. His old band, Buffalo Springfield, had split up six months earlier, and few people even knew who Young was. But to his own surprise, Young drew a sold-out audience. Now, 40 years later, the recording of that performance is finally being made available. Hear it here in its entirety.

Being a Neil Young fan isn't always easy. There have been lean years, puzzling political stances and quite a few less-than-satisfying concept albums. But most fans are determined to stick it out. In many ways, the gargantuan Neil Young Archives, Vol. 1: 1963-1972 is payback.

A concept album about fuel-efficient cars may not sounds like the most promising idea for lively music, but that's what Neil Young has done with his new collection of songs. Ken Tucker reviews Fork in the Road.

2008 has been a milestone year for music. Neil Young has released new solo albums in each of the past three years, and Paul McCartney is back this year with a surprising new album. Bob Boilen talks with Michele Norris about these stunning recordings, both new and old.

Mary J. Blige, Justin Timberlake and the Dixie Chicks are just a few of the big names in contention at the 49th annual Grammy Awards. But this year's list of nominees also offers plenty of gems beyond the obvious blockbusters.

Living With War, the new album from Neil Young, features a 100-voice choir that backs the singer/songwriter's musings on President Bush, the conflict in Iraq and families on the home front.