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Stephin Merritt

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The Magnetic Fields' '100,000 Fireflies' Sounds The Way Being Lonely Feels

Detail view of Wendy Smith's cover art for Distant Plastic Trees, The Magnetic Fields' debut album, on which the song "100,000 Fireflies" was released in 1991. Wendy Smith/Courtesy of Merge Records hide caption

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Wendy Smith/Courtesy of Merge Records

Editors' Picks

The Magnetic Fields' '100,000 Fireflies' Sounds The Way Being Lonely Feels

September 22, 2021 • Susan Anway, the singer on The Magnetic Fields' early albums, died this month. For many, her legacy is the remarkable "100,000 Fireflies," a desolate love song that finds the comfort in emptiness.

Hear Stephin Merritt, Katie Crutchfield Sing On Superchunk's 'Erasure'

Superchunk's What A Time To Be Alive comes out Feb. 16. Lisa Gottwals/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Lisa Gottwals/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Hear Stephin Merritt, Katie Crutchfield Sing On Superchunk's 'Erasure'

January 9, 2018 • When you've got nearly 30 years of bombastic power-punk behind you, it's fairly easy to convince people to join you in a sing-along.

Favorite Sessions

Stephin Merritt: Musical Polymath

KEXP

September 23, 2008 • Calling Stephin Merritt a reluctant performer is putting it lightly. Nevertheless, the Magnetic Fields leader bellied up to a microphone by himself in a KEXP session. Here, he surveys his expansive catalog and answers questions in the deadpan style that makes his songs so great.

Stephen Merritt in Studio on KEXP 3/11/08

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Review

Music Reviews

The Magnetic Fields' 'Noise' from New York

Fresh Air

February 1, 2008 • Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the New York City rock group The Magnetic Fields' eighth album, Distortion. Front man and producer Stephin Merrit uses feedback between instruments to create distorted white noise — hence the album's title.

The Magnetic Fields' 'Noise' from New York

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Review

Music Interviews

Assisted Listen: The Magnetic Fields' 'Distortion'

January 29, 2008 • Stephin Merritt and The Magnetic Fields have quietly made some of the most groundbreaking pop music in recent history. LD Beghtol, who sang and played on the Fields' epic 69 Love Songs, presents a guide to the band's new record, Distortion.

Assisted Listen: The Magnetic Fields' 'Distortion'

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Review

Song Of The Day

A Cold-Weather Anthem for the Cold-Hearted

March 28, 2008 • The Magnetic Fields' "California Girls" hums and reverberates with defiled surf-rock — a fitting response to Brian Wilson, if a few decades late. With its unexpected mantra ("I hate California girls"), it invites listeners to huddle up in front of a fire and hate the West Coast.

California Girls

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Review

Music Reviews

The Magnetic Fields: Dourness and 'Distortion'

January 15, 2008 • The band's new album, Distortion, was influenced heavily by the feedback-laden guitars of The Jesus and Mary Chain. Songwriter Stephin Merritt and his band set typically glum lyrics to loud, fast, and fuzzy instrumentals.

The Magnetic Fields: Dourness and 'Distortion'

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Music Interviews

Merritt, Snicket and the 'Tragic Treasury'

December 3, 2006 • A performance and chat with musician Stephin Merritt and author David Handler (a.k.a Lemony Snicket) about The Tragic Treasury: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events. Merritt, of The Magnetic Fields, contributed his talents to the soundtrack.

Merritt, Snicket and the 'Tragic Treasury'

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Concerts

The Magnetic Fields in Concert

May 31, 2005 • The Magnetic Fields started as a cult phenomenon, but singer Stephin Merritt has taken the band well beyond its indie beginnings in Manhattan's Lower East Side. At Zankel Hall, the group plays songs from its acclaimed CDs, 69 Love Songs and i.

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt On World Cafe

Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt On World Cafe

XPN

May 31, 2012 • Hear the singer-songwriter play ukulele versions of songs from Love at the Bottom of the Sea.

The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt On World Cafe

15:21

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Stephin Merritt: A Few Ways To Off Your Ex

Joe Grimaldi/WFUV

Favorite Sessions

Stephin Merritt: A Few Ways To Off Your Ex

WFUV

May 15, 2012 • The Magnetic Fields' frontman stops by the WFUV studio to perform his song "Your Girlfriend's Face," armed only with a ukulele. Along the way, the song's wit and dark humor get an intimate showcase.

Stephin Merritt's New, Magnetic and Polarizing Documentary

Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images North America

All Songs Considered

Stephin Merritt's New, Magnetic and Polarizing Documentary

November 1, 2010 • Bob Boilen reviews the new documentary about Merritt, Strange Powers. He says the film will make longtime fans love the artist even more, while others new to his music may be left scratching their heads.

All Songs Considered

Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt Subject Of New Documentary

October 8, 2010 • See the trailer for the new documentary Strange Powers , about The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt. The film is set to be released on Oct. 27 at the Film Forum in New York City.

All Songs Considered

A Holiday Mix from All Songs Considered

December 13, 2007 • It's time to gather 'round the warm glow of your computer and get cozy with some holiday fare from All Songs Considered.

A Holiday Mix from All Songs Considered

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Stephin Merritt: Two Days, 'A Million Faces'

Stephin Merritt records a Project Song for NPR. NPR hide caption

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NPR

Project Song

Stephin Merritt: Two Days, 'A Million Faces'

November 4, 2007 • From a group of six photos and six words, Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt picked "1974" — and an image of a man wearing a suit covered with dolls. Two days later, the song they inspired was finished.

All Songs Considered

Youngblood Brass Band, Van Morrison, The Magnetic Fields

December 8, 2003 • Ethiopian roots music from Abyssinia Infinite, Clarinetist Aker Bilk and Van Morrison, A singing cat from The Weakerthans, San Francisco chanteuse Noe Venable, and more.

Youngblood Brass Band, Van Morrison, The Magnetic Fields

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