Stephen Thompson : NPR

Music News

With 2021 Off To A Rocky Start, There's At Least New Music To Listen To

January 8, 2021 • Members of the NPR Music team this week have been previewing the new music out this year. Another member of the team spotlights two of the albums he's looking forward to hearing.

With 2021 Off To A Rocky Start, There's At Least New Music To Listen To

Listen · 3:43 3:43

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/954788685/954788689" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Pop Culture

How Our Entertainment Changed In 2020

January 2, 2021 • NPR's Michel Martin talks with Aisha Harris, host of the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, and NPR Music's Stephen Thompson, about how the events of 2020 have forever changed the entertainment industry.

How Our Entertainment Changed In 2020

Listen · 8:38 8:38

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/952897253/952897810" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Alicia Keys performed her Tiny Desk concert on Feb. 2, 2020. Kisha Ravi/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Kisha Ravi/NPR

Best Music Of 2020

The Best Tiny Desk Concerts Of 2020

December 28, 2020 • Watch 20 of the year's greatest Tiny Desk performances, featuring a small sample of the talented artists who delivered intimate sets from NPR Music's D.C. offices.

Tiny Desk Playlist: The Holiday Concerts

Hanson performs a Tiny Desk concert on Sept. 25, 2017 (Christina Ascani/NPR). Christina Ascani/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Christina Ascani/NPR

Tiny Desk Playlists

Tiny Desk Playlist: The Holiday Concerts

December 17, 2020 • From Sharon Jones to Amy Grant, 'tis the season to revisit our best seasonal Tiny Desk performances.

Music News

Music Review: Secretary Of State Pick Antony Blinken

November 28, 2020 • The Biden administration's pick for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, is a musician who's released two songs on Spotify under the name "ABlinken."

Music Review: Secretary Of State Pick Antony Blinken

Listen · 2:55 2:55

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/939737441/939737442" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Music

Struggling To Soothe Your Nerves? These Songs Might Help

November 15, 2020 • Here are a few song recommendations to help you soothe your nerves.

Struggling To Soothe Your Nerves? These Songs Might Help

Listen · 3:33 3:33

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/935214486/935214487" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Arcade Fire Returns With 2020's First Big Post-Election Protest Anthem

"I don't think they understand that I am not a patient man," Win Butler of Arcade Fire sings in "Generation A." Theo Wargo/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Music News

Arcade Fire Returns With 2020's First Big Post-Election Protest Anthem

November 4, 2020 • The band gave fans a rousing preview of "Generation A" as part of Stephen Colbert's election-night special.

Tracy Chapman Returns To Sing Of 'Revolution' On The Eve Of Election Day

Tracy Chapman performs on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Nov. 2, 2020. Screenshot by NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Screenshot by NPR

Music

Tracy Chapman Returns To Sing Of 'Revolution' On The Eve Of Election Day

November 3, 2020 • In her first TV performance since 2015, the singer-songwriter performs "Talkin' Bout a Revolution," the opening song from her classic 1988 debut.

'SNL': Adele Hosts Because 'Album's Not Finished,' But H.E.R. Debuts New Song

Host Adele during the Saturday Night Live monologue on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020. NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Music News

'SNL': Adele Hosts Because 'Album's Not Finished,' But H.E.R. Debuts New Song

October 25, 2020 • Adele sang a bit in one sketch but left most of the music to H.E.R., who performed a new song called "Hold On."

Stream Jack White's Thrilling 'SNL' Performance

Jack White, performing "Lazaretto" on Saturday Night Live. YouTube Screenshot by NPR hide caption

toggle caption

YouTube Screenshot by NPR

Rock Icon Eddie Van Halen Dies At 65

Listen · 4:18 4:18

Download
Embed <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/920898004/920996354" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Transcript

Eddie Van Halen, Guitar Hero, Dies At 65

Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images

Obituaries

Eddie Van Halen, Guitar Hero, Dies At 65

October 6, 2020 • The namesake of rock band Van Halen dazzled a generation of guitar fans with his flashy solos and trademark finger tapping.

BTS plays a Tiny Desk (home) concert. NPR/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR/NPR

Tiny Desk

BTS: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

September 21, 2020 • The most popular band in the world performs three songs with a live band for Tiny Desk's quarantine series.

Lady Gaga wore a lot of masks Sunday night, but this is the one with tusks. Yay, tusks! Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV hide caption

toggle caption

Kevin Winter/MTV VMAs 2020/Getty Images for MTV

Music News

The MTV VMAs In 2020: 10 Takeaways

August 31, 2020 • It was Lady Gaga's night, BTS finally got its due, Keke Palmer impressively hosts and the lines between "live performances" and "music videos" were blurred like never before.

Billie Eilish plays a Tiny Desk (home) concert. NPR/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR/NPR

Tiny Desk

Billie Eilish: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

August 26, 2020 • Billie Eilish used some of her signature video magic to perform in front of the Tiny Desk from the comfort of her own home.