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The Remix Race: Why It Pays To Release Songs More Than Once

The single art for the latest "Old Town Road" remix, which features Young Thug and Mason Ramsey alongside Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

The Remix Race: Why It Pays To Release Songs More Than Once

July 18, 2019 • "Old Town Road" has been unstoppable since spring, but keep your eyes on the pop charts this week. A battle for No. 1 is coming, and there will be a story to tell no matter who wins.

Playlists

Hand-picked songs curated by the NPR Music staff

New Music Friday: Our Top 8 Albums For July 19

The Flaming Lips. Their new album, The King's Mouth, is on our shortlist for the week's best new releases. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

The best new albums out this week include the latest from psych-pop mainstays The Flaming Lips, singer Freya Ridings' stunning debut full-length, Houston rapper Maxo Kream and more.

Moon Tunes: Songs To Celebrate Our Glowing Orb

In this playlist, musicians imagine what it might be like to take a step on that bright glowing ball in the sky. A. Dagli Orti/De Agostini via Getty Images hide caption

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A. Dagli Orti/De Agostini via Getty Images

Moon Tunes

To mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, a far-reaching playlist of off-the-beaten-orbit tracks for your space travels.

Alt.Latino Playlist: Cuban Funk, Mexican Blues, Brazilian Reggaeton

Cimafunk's Erik Iglesias Rodriguez continues his goal of world domination by way of funk and clave on this week's playlist. Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW hide caption

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Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW

Alt.Latino

Cimafunk sees the future of Cuban funk, Chilean vocalist Mon Laferte sings a "Chilango Blues" to her adoptive hometown of Mexico City and Anitta drops a verse on Ozuna's new track.

Chris Sharron

Discover a variety of vocalizations on this week's playlist, as Flamenco singer Esperanza Fernández spices up music by de Falla, a choir from Kiev goes mystic and composer Mason Bates adds choral touches to club-friendly beats.

Heavy Metal Anthems To Battle Heavy Times

Daniel Warren Johnson's Murder Falcon comic features an anthropomorphic, bionic falcon who kills demons from the underworld by the power of guitar shredding. Daniel Warren Johnson/Courtesy of Skybound Comics hide caption

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Daniel Warren Johnson/Courtesy of Skybound Comics

Heavy Metal Anthems To Battle Heavy Times

Dio-era Black Sabbath, Darkthrone and Power Trip feature on a playlist inspired by Murder Falcon, a metal comic that not only battles demons from the underworld but also demons within.

Angela Hsieh/NPR

Bob Boilen's Playlist

The creator of NPR Music's All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk Concerts adds new tunes by Wilco, Mountain Man's Molly Sarlé and a cut from Khruangbin's dub record.

More playlists

Editors' picks

Essential stories and videos from npr music

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Voice Offers A Sonic Refuge

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and his Party, performing live at the WOMAD festival in 1985. Andrew Catlin/Courtesy of Real World Records hide caption

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Andrew Catlin/Courtesy of Real World Records

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Voice Offers A Sonic Refuge

Right before he recorded a string of beloved albums for Peter Gabriel's label, the Pakistani vocal master of qawwali gave a milestone performance in 1985. It's now available for the first time.

Priests performs a Tiny Desk Concert on June 7, 2019. Shuran Huang/NPR hide caption

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Shuran Huang/NPR

Priests: Tiny Desk Concert

The punk-infused art band from Washington, D.C. brings a kinder, gentler and sparer version of the group's music to the Tiny Desk.

Brian Eno's 'Apollo' Makes The Music Of Our Spheres

The Apollo 11 mission celebrates 50 years this month. Brian Eno's score for 1983's For All Mankind documentary — released as Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks — has been reissued with brand new music. NASA/Corbis via Getty Images hide caption

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NASA/Corbis via Getty Images