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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

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: 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

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

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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Courtesy of the artists

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

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.

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: 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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Angela Hsieh/NPR

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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Christopher Polk/Getty Images

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

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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.

Beyoncé Marks Her Homecoming With Headlining Coachella Performance

Beyoncé headlines 2018 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival Weekend 1 on Saturday, in Indio, Calif. Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

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Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Coachella

All Songs Considered

Beyoncé Marks Her Homecoming With Headlining Coachella Performance

April 15, 2018 • With a brigade of over 100 dancers and guest appearances from Destiny's Child, Jay-Z and Solange, Queen Bey kept her headlining Coachella set all in the family — and set the tone for her return.

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Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The Record

On The Run Again, With More Baggage

March 14, 2018 • Jay-Z and Beyonce have been on the run before, but don't expect the hip-hop power couple to perform the same song and dance they did four years ago on this year's upcoming tour.

Turning The Tables Listening Party: A Dynamic Sister Duo

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Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella

Review

World Cafe

Turning The Tables Listening Party: A Dynamic Sister Duo

XPN

February 9, 2018 • A discussion of two of the most powerful women to shape cultural conversations in recent years, Beyoncé and Solange.

Turning The Tables Listening Party: A Dynamic Sister Duo

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