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Best Albums Of 2019 (So Far): Aldous Harding To Holly Herndon

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Chelsea Beck for NPR

Best Albums Of 2019 (So Far): Aldous Harding To Holly Herndon

June 25, 2019 • We asked our panel of public radio writers one question: What is your favorite album of 2019 so far? There were so many ways to answer.

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Courtesy of the artists

The 20 Best New Songs We Heard In April

April 30, 2019 • Lil Nas X upended country's traditional gatekeepers, FKA Twigs experienced a phoenix-esque rebirth, Carly Rae Jepsen shimmied into the corners of what-could've-been, plus 17 must-hear songs.

'Homecoming,' From The Bleachers: Members Of Beyoncé's Marching Band Look Back

Members of Beyonce's Coachella marching band talk about Bey's commitment to authenticity and the show's historic legacy. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Coachella

'Homecoming,' From The Bleachers: Members Of Beyoncé's Marching Band Look Back

April 22, 2019 • Beyoncé's historic 2018 Coachella performance has been immortalized thanks to the Netflix film Homecoming. Three members of Beyoncé's Coachella marching band talk about the show's prolonged legacy.

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella

Review

We Celebrate Beyoncé's 'Homecoming'

April 22, 2019 • On Wednesday, Beyoncé released two major projects. On Netflix, a new documentary captures the process of putting on headlining appearances at last year's Coachella Music Festival. She also surprise-released a double-length live album that contains just some of the highlights from Beyoncé's two ambitious Coachella performances. Both projects are called Homecoming, and they help immortalize a huge stage show full of dancers and drum lines and impeccable choreography and songs that reach across Beyoncé's career.

We Celebrate Beyoncé's 'Homecoming'

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Beyoncé Surprise-Drops Live Coachella Album; Netflix Doc Now Streaming

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Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

Beyoncé Surprise-Drops Live Coachella Album; Netflix Doc Now Streaming

April 17, 2019 • The recording of her historic 2018 performance, titled Homecoming: Live Album, includes new songs and arrives just as a documentary about the concert begins streaming on Netflix.

Beyoncé Surprise-Drops Live Coachella Album; Netflix Doc Now Streaming

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A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Beyoncé's Historic Coachella Set Is Coming To Netflix

Beyoncé Knowles performs onstage during 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 at the Empire Polo Field on April 14, 2018 in Indio, California. Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Music News

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Beyoncé's Historic Coachella Set Is Coming To Netflix

April 8, 2019 • Homecoming is set for release on Netflix April 17, promising a close-up look at the often-guarded superstar in preparation for her momentous festival set.

Illustration: Angela Hsieh/NPR

Best Music Of 2018

The 100 Best Songs Of 2018 (20-1)

December 5, 2018 • During a turbulent year rife with personal and political trauma, the most memorable songs pulled no punches in the pursuit of pop.

Illustration: Angela Hsieh/NPR

Best Music Of 2018

The 50 Best Albums Of 2018

December 4, 2018 • Even in an era when listeners have been primed to expect the unexpected, the best albums of 2018 are full of surprises: a cascade of discoveries, revelations and artistic rebirths.

Turning the Tables: Your List Of The 21st Century's Most Influential Women Musicians

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Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

Turning The Tables

Turning the Tables: Your List Of The 21st Century's Most Influential Women Musicians

November 20, 2018 • The results are in for our reader poll of the most influential women and non-binary musicians of this century. Your picks help us consider and question what "influence" can mean in new ways.

Beyoncé Is The 21st Century's Master Of Leveling Up

Beyoncé performs at Coachella in 2018. Photo illustration: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella and Angela Hsieh/NPR hide caption

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Photo illustration: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella and Angela Hsieh/NPR

Turning The Tables

Beyoncé Is The 21st Century's Master Of Leveling Up

October 12, 2018 • Through her career, Bey has shown that there are more levels to her artistry than we could have imagined. And she's using those levels to delve further into her personalized elevation of black women.

Tyler Mitchell On Being The First African-American To Photograph A 'Vogue' Cover

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Courtesy of Tyler Mitchell

The Picture Show

Tyler Mitchell On Being The First African-American To Photograph A 'Vogue' Cover

August 29, 2018 • When Vogue unveiled its September cover, the Internet took notice, partly because Beyoncé graces the cover, but also because of the photographer behind those images.

Tyler Mitchell On Being The First African-American To Photograph A 'Vogue' Cover

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A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

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All Songs Considered

A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

August 21, 2018 • All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton talks with Ann Powers, Marissa Lorusso and Sidney Madden about some of the greatest songs released by women and non-binary artists in the past 18 years.

A Conversation On The Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+

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The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+ (60-41)

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C Brandon/Redferns via Getty Images

Turning The Tables

The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women+ (60-41)

July 30, 2018 • This list tackles history in the making, celebrating women and non-binary musicians whose songs are redefining genres and attitudes and changing our sense of what popular music can be in this century.

Author Interviews

Growing Up Black, Gay And Catholic In Texas, Memoirist Put His Faith In Beyoncé

Fresh Air

July 23, 2018 • Michael Arceneaux's new book, I Can't Date Jesus, is a collection of essays about his early years. Beyoncé, he says, taught him a valuable lesson: "Just be yourself and be very good at what you do."

Growing Up Black, Gay And Catholic In Texas, Memoirist Put His Faith In Beyoncé

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: Road-Testing The Songs Of Summer

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Jorda Frantzis/Courtesy of the artist

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Road-Testing The Songs Of Summer

June 29, 2018 • NPR Music takes over the show to stump for summertime pop hits by the likes of Cardi B, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Drake, Hayley Kiyoko and more.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Road-Testing The Songs Of Summer

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NPR Music's 35 Favorite Songs Of 2018 (So Far)

Angela Hsieh/NPR

Best Music Of 2018

NPR Music's 35 Favorite Songs Of 2018 (So Far)

June 25, 2018 • Writers from across the public radio map pick the best songs they've heard this year.

Her Devotion Weighs A Ton: Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Celebration Of 'Love'

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Music Features

Her Devotion Weighs A Ton: Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Celebration Of 'Love'

June 19, 2018 • The collaboration between the married stars, the capstone of a trilogy of albums focused on their union, underlines the simultaneous centrality and marginalization of women in hip-hop.

Listen to a conversation about 'Everything Is Love'

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Jay-Z and Beyoncé's 'Everything Is Love' Shakes Up Summer Music

Jay-Z and Beyoncé shook up the music world with past weekend with a surprise release of their first collaborative album Everything Is Love. Christopher Polk/Getty Images hide caption

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Review

Music Interviews

Jay-Z and Beyoncé's 'Everything Is Love' Shakes Up Summer Music

June 18, 2018 • A season full of high-profile hip-hop releases just got hotter. NPR Music's Ann Powers and Rodney Carmichael break down the surprise release of Beyoncé and Jay-Z's collaborative album.

Jay-Z and Beyoncé's 'Everything Is Love' Shakes Up Summer Music

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Beyoncé And Jay-Z Take Over The Louvre In 'Apes***' Video

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YouTube

All Songs Considered

Beyoncé And Jay-Z Take Over The Louvre In 'Apes***' Video

June 16, 2018 • The first video from the couple's Everything Is Love album guest stars the Mona Lisa.

Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Surprise Album Is Here: Listen To 'Everything Is Love'

Beyoncé and Jay-Z, seen here performing "Drunk In Love" at the Grammy Awards in 2014, released a joint album called Everything Is Love on Saturday. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images hide caption

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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Beyoncé And Jay-Z's Surprise Album Is Here: Listen To 'Everything Is Love'

June 16, 2018 • The couple released it exclusively on Tidal Saturday afternoon, but it later appeared on Spotify.

Single & Sauced: Swipe Right In 30 Songs

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Eslah Attar & Samantha Clark/NPR

All Songs Considered

Single & Sauced: Swipe Right In 30 Songs

June 13, 2018 • Single for the summer? Embrace your freedom with a confident, funky, sexy and savage soundtrack.

Beyond Beychella: The Rise Of Women Of Color On America's Biggest Festival Stage

Lion Babe performs at 2018 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival Weekend 1 on April 15, 2018 in Indio, Calif. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella

Review

The Record

Beyond Beychella: The Rise Of Women Of Color On America's Biggest Festival Stage

April 20, 2018 • With a history-making show from Beyoncé and inclusion of more women on the lineup than ever, Coachella 2018 has set the stage for minority women to excel.