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Hazel Cills Hazel Cills is an editor at NPR Music and a regular contributor to All Songs Considered.
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Hazel Cills

Sunday

Music

This summer's music charts are dominated by pop girl underdogs

We look at the songs from fresh, female artists that are making this summer's best bops.

This summer's music charts are dominated by pop girl underdogs

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Friday

Charli XCX and Lorde sure did make the internet go crazy
Victor Boyko; Michael Tran / AFP/Getty Images

Perspective

It's Been a Minute

Charli XCX and Lorde sure did make the internet go crazy

The internet freaked out when Charli XCX and Lorde revealed - and put to rest - their pop girl rivalry on Charli's "Girl, so confusing" remix. That same day, Brandy and Monica seemed to settle their decades long feud when they appeared on the remix of Ariana Grande's version of "The Boy is Mine." But while the pop girls are healing, a lot of fans still seem to want blood - can this music heal us? To break it all down, Brittany is joined by NPR Music Editor Hazel Cills, and Pop Pantheon podcast host, DJ Louie XIV.

Charli XCX and Lorde sure did make the internet go crazy

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Friday

Music Lists

Here are the gems of this week's new music releases

Our colleagues at NPR Music have been sifting through all of this week's new releases, bringing you the gems on their weekly New Music Friday podcast.

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY - JUNE 21st

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All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 21

The first half of 2024 has been stuffed with blockbuster albums, and as we reach the midpoint of the year, we've got one more to add to the list. On this week's episode of New Music Friday from All Songs Considered, Hazel Cills and Anamaria Sayre discuss the new album from the breakout star of the Mexican Regional movement. Peso Pluma's new Éxodo sees the singer branching out with new sounds and new collaborators.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 21

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Tuesday

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

Helado Negro Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

With the first half of the year almost behind us, we hit pause to reflect on some of the best tracks we've gotten so far, from Chappell Roan, Brittany Howard, Pedro The Lion and more.

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

Kaytranada's new album, Timeless, is out Friday. Jevi Emir/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jevi Emir/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Hazel Cills shepherd you through the many huge albums out today, including new records by Kaytranada, Charli XCX and so much more.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 7

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Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

Rapsody (left) and Erykah Badu Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson and Hazel Cills discuss new releases by Billie Eilish, Portishead's Beth Gibbons and Rapsody.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 17

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Wednesday

8 Tracks: What was the Steve Albini sound? Almost everything

Artists like Superchunk, Neurosis, Pixies, Low, Mogwai and Joanna Newsom came to recording engineer Steve Albini when they had something righteous or defiant to proclaim. Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty hide caption

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Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty

Music

8 Tracks: What was the Steve Albini sound? Almost everything

If an artist was willing to confront their truths, Albini was ready to take them into the gaping maw. The recording engineer, who died last week, left an indelible mark on how we hear music.

Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 3

You could call Dua Lipa's third album, Radical Optimism, the further adventures in the pop music time machine. Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Tyrone Lebon/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 3

On the May 3 episode of New Music Friday, NPR Music's Hazel Cills and WRTI's Nate Chinen discuss the week's essential new albums, including Radical Optimism, from the dance-pop superstar Dua Lipa.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 3

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Tuesday

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

Writer T.S. Eliot takes a reflective puff at a cigarette before starting work. Keystone Features/Getty Images hide caption

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Keystone Features/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

Is April, as T.S. Eliot put it, the cruelest month? We reflect on the question with a mix that's both cringe-inducing and hilarious, from the cruelest takedowns to the most insidious earworms.

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

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Friday

Music

Diving into Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department'

In the middle of a worldwide tour that has grossed more than one billion dollars, Taylor Swift has released her 11th album. It's called The Tortured Poets Department.

Diving into Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets Department'

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New Music Friday: Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' and the best albums out April 19

Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, immediately became one of the most anticipated releases of 2024 when she announced it on stage at the Grammy Awards in February. Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Beth Garrabrant/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

New Music Friday: Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' and the best albums out April 19

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Cills dig into Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department,' which hit streaming services last night, and share a handful of other new albums out Friday, April 19.

New Music Friday: Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' and the best albums out April 19

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Tuesday

Tuesday

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

Image from the cover to Laraaji's 2023 album, Segue to Infinity. Illustration by Jackie Lay/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Illustration by Jackie Lay/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

It's music to the rescue on this week's All Songs Considered, with a mix of songs to slow the blood, including the one track scientists believe can reduce anxiety by up to 65%.

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

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Monday