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Artwork for NPR Music

NPR Music

NPR
NPR Music
Music
Phoebe Bridgers
Nostalgia
Sufjan Stevens
Bad Bunny
Grateful Dead
Taylor Swift
Geese
Venezuela
2009
Halloween
Puerto Rico
Rosalía
MTV
Nicolas Maduro
Jazz
Sylvan Esso
Salsa
Felix Contreras

Welcome to your all-in-one destination for every NPR Music podcast. We break down the best new albums to hit streaming each week on New Music Friday; we share the latest songs worthy of your playlists on All Songs Considered; there’s off-the-rails conversations (and chisme!) about Latin music on Alt.Latino. The NPR Music channel is your hub for new records, iconic artists and cult heroes, free of ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes477Founded21 years ago
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Music

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Artwork for NPR Music

Latest Episodes

Fontaines D.C. Sophia Stel. The Avalanches. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 16 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville, Skylar Rochelle from 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City an... more

The Tiny Desk’s magnetism is its intimacy. We strip back lights and a big stage and get to see artists speak honestly about who they are directly to an audience around the world.

This becomes all the more profound during our El Tiny takeover of Lati... more

Who’s the Mariah Carey of Halloween? Labels and artists are trying to capitalize on spooky season, but these are the songs that belong in the creepy canon, from the truly terrifying to simply seasonal and nostalgic.

Note: An earlier version of this ... more

At almost exactly the midpoint of our conversation about the fifth album made by his band, Fontaines D.C., Grian Chatten told me, “It's an interesting time to be a self.” We'd been talking about the themes on 'Dopamine Chamber,' which comes out on Oc... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Green Chattin
Fronts Fontaines D.C., co-member in the interview
Fontaines D.C.
Episode: Interview: Fontaines D.C.'s decadent, dystopian 'Dopamine Chamber'
Connor Deegan
Bassist for Fontaines D.C., known as Dego
Fontaines D.C.
Episode: Interview: Fontaines D.C.'s decadent, dystopian 'Dopamine Chamber'
Troye Sivan
Musician and actor
Self-managed / artistic collaborator
Episode: Interview: Troye Sivan is leaning into loneliness
Joyce Rice
R&B artist discussed as part of Joyce Rice's Machico
Independent artist
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9
Danielle Ponder
Singer-songwriter with public defender background, new album Everything Has Changed
Independent artist
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9
Aurora McGuckin
From MVY Radio in Massachusetts, discusses Remy Wolf and Jess Williamson
MVY Radio
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9
Margo Silker
Singer-songwriter with Americana leaning, new record Little White Cross
Independent artist
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9
Sheho Letzwallo
From KALW in San Francisco, guest on the episode
KALW
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9
Cameron Winter
Lead singer of Geese, performs live at Carnegie Hall discussed in the episode
Geese
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 9

Hosts

Stephen Thompson
Host of NPR Music's New Music Friday; long-running music journalist with deep knowledge of contemporary scenes
Félix Contreras
Host of Alt.Latino; NPR Music contributor with cross-cultural music expertise
Ana María Sayer
Co-host of Alt Latino; provides cross-cultural music insights
Dora Levite
Co-host/Producer on All Songs Considered; facilitates crossover discussions
Isabella Gomez-Ramiento
Co-host for NPR Music Dead After Death coverage; ties in archival and narrative elements

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 4.9k ratings
  • 可以听了

    有一段时间听不了 现在终于又可以连上了

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Maxwellfly
    China17 days ago
  • What is “chunky” music?

    I try to enjoy New Music Friday but the next time Stephen describes a piece of music as “chunky” I’m done. Every. Single. Episode. Please make it stop.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Oldmanyells@cloud
    United Statesa month ago
  • Stephen is done

    Please retire Stephen. His time is done. No matter how many “kind of” and “sort of” he tries to add to his speaking, it won’t make him younger. He needs to just stop already. Either that or just accept that he is a relatively smart and capable podcaster and start speaking like it.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Sticks McGeee
    United States2 months ago
  • So pretentious

    I gave up on this podcast. It’s never about music I care about, and the hosts are sooo annoying.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Aaaaaacrash
    United States3 months ago
  • Schweddy Balls

    Hi! Long-time listener, first-time caller. Have always dug REALLY dug you, BUT, have you listened to yourselves recently? If I hear one more artist described as "mature" or "emotionally mature," I may be ill.

    If I'd gone to sleep 15 years ago when I first started listening, and woken up today, I might have thought I was hearing an SNL Schweddy Balls parody.

    Might you tone down the rhetoric just a bit and let us judge—and feel—the awesome music you select a bit more?

    With humble thanks.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Tom J Bombadil
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise discoverability and broad genre coverage, with many valuing deep context and credible voices.
Some listeners criticize hosts' vocal style and pacing, hoping for more music and tighter edits.
Regulars appreciate the rotating affiliate perspectives and regional flavors, noting strong curation and community around new music.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#35
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#21
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#19
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#74
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#34
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#83
Germany/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Interview: Troye Sivan is leaning into loneliness
Q: What role did New York and your living situation play in shaping the album?
Troye talks about moving to New York, exploring Brooklyn, and how the city's energy and pace influenced the sound and themes, including grounding the album in present moments and observing the people around him.
Interview: Troye Sivan is leaning into loneliness
Q: What was the process for She's the Best like for you?
Troye explains that the album grew out of managing two sides of his life: the outward, confident stage persona and a deeper, more vulnerable longing. He describes starting the album the day after the Grammys as a reaction to the previous high, then taking time to settle into a more honest exploration of his experiences.
Alt.Latino: Melissa Aldana and Gonzalo Rubalcaba talk jazz
Q: How did you approach interpreting the classic lyrics and melodies from that era?
Melissa details a deep process of listening, lyric study in Spanish, and meticulous transcription to capture the original delivery, timing, and vibrato, which then informed her performance on the album.
Alt.Latino: Melissa Aldana and Gonzalo Rubalcaba talk jazz
Q: What drew you to collaborate for this project and record the ballad-focused direction?
Melissa and Gonzalo describe it as a blend of personal desire to work with each other and a shared passion for exploring the Cuban-feeling repertoire, with Melissa aiming to honor the original material while bringing a modern jazz lens.
New Music Friday: The best albums out May 29
Q: What new albums are out today?
The hosts discuss Boards of Canada Inferno, Kurt Vile Philadelphia's Been Good To Me, Iceage For Love of Grace and The Hereafter, Feeble Little Horse Bitnot, Greg Mendez Beautyland, and several other titles in the May 29 drop.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About NPR Music

What is NPR Music about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A weekly music-focused show that curates new releases, deep dives artistically and culturally, and features rotating NPR and affiliate contributors. Episodes blend track-by-track critiques, interviews or firsthand context about production, and cross-genre exploration—from indie rock and pop to electronic and Latin-infused sounds—often spotlighting regional scenes and archival or live-performance perspectives. Notable is the mix of long-form conversations with historians, producers, and creators alongside rapid-fire lightning rounds, giving listeners a rich blend of discovery, context, and commentary. This collection likely appeals to serious music fans who crave genre-spanning dialogue, contextual background, and a sense of community around... more

Where can I find podcast stats for NPR Music?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for NPR Music. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to NPR Music and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does NPR Music get?

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What are the audience demographics for NPR Music?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for NPR Music, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does NPR Music have?

To see how many followers or subscribers NPR Music has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to NPR Music?

These podcasts share a similar audience with NPR Music:

1. All Songs Considered
2. Song Exploder
3. Fresh Air
4. World Cafe Words and Music Podcast
5. Pop Culture Happy Hour

How many episodes of NPR Music are there?

NPR Music launched 21 years ago and published 477 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact NPR Music?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for NPR Music?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for NPR Music from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on NPR Music?

Recent guests on NPR Music include:

1. Green Chattin
2. Connor Deegan
3. Troye Sivan
4. Joyce Rice
5. Danielle Ponder
6. Aurora McGuckin
7. Margo Silker
8. Sheho Letzwallo

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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