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Artwork for NPR Music

NPR Music

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes464Founded21 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Music

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Artwork for NPR Music

Latest Episodes

Leon Bridges. Blondshell. Joy Oladokun. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Sept. 18 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee, Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville and Liz Warner from WDET in ... more

YEИDRY's music is almost as diverse she is. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Italy, the singer’s repertoire of genre and sound pulls from multiple continents, and even more unique cultural roots. It’s complicated to explain so many mixed ... more

Our latest mix of the week’s best new songs swings from the shoegaze rock of rising LA band untitled (halo) to Bach’s “Air on the G String” performed by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. We’ve also got singer Lizzy McAlpine’s breathtaking ode to her late fa... more

In September 2025, the electro-pop duo Sylvan Esso made headlines with the announcement that it was removing its catalog from Spotify. The world’s most popular music streamer wasn’t new to criticism, but the temperature changed last year with the rev... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Nick Sanborn
Sylvan Esso member, half of the duo behind the project
Sylvan Esso
Episode: Sylvan Esso: The NPR Music Interview
Amelia Meath
Sylvan Esso member, half of the duo behind the project
Sylvan Esso
Episode: Sylvan Esso: The NPR Music Interview
Robert Moore
From Sonic Spectrum on Kansas City's 90.9 The Bridge
Sonic Spectrum / 90.9 The Bridge
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18
Amelia Mason
WBUR contributor discussing pop records
WBUR
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 18
Los Texmaniacs
Grammy-winning Tex-Manics band members discussed in interview
Los Texmaniacs
Episode: Alt.Latino: Los Texmaniacs keep tradition alive
Brian Burns
Program host from WUNC North Carolina
WUNC
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 11
Dora Levite
Tiny Desk contest producer
NPR Music
Episode: More cover songs that are better than the originals
Lars Gotrich
Tiny Desk editor, NPR Music
NPR Music
Episode: More cover songs that are better than the originals
Julie B
DJ at Marfa Public Radio, Amplified host
Marfa Public Radio
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Sept. 4

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
  • Music Discovery at its Finest

    Wonderful podcast for music discovery. Always find new artists I love from NPR music!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SethMountainMan
    United States3 months ago
  • Not as good as it once was

    Is it me or is it the music? Not sure but I used to find a lot of great music on this podcast but that has dwindled to almost nothing. Will continue to listen for those nuggets. Maybe it was Bob’s retirement that coincided with the above.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    janetph
    Canada3 months ago
  • Don’t miss New Music Friday!

    New music Friday is a gem! It keeps me up to date on new releases and I learn about so many new artists and bands I wouldn’t otherwise. You can tell how much the hosts (both the regular ones and the rotating guests) all love finding and sharing new music. So highly recommended.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    hotsaucethefish
    United States3 months ago
  • One of the best ways to discover new music and rediscover old favorites

    Podcast Addict
    5
    fanky
    4 months ago
  • Disappointed

    I can’t believe New Music Friday is now subscription only here!!! This is incredibly disappointing. I can listen for free on the website, so what gives? Bizarre. At least give us the option to listen with ads if we want to.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    foraggio
    Australia4 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
#33
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#19
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#22
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#51
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#15
Italy/Music
Apple Podcasts
#18
Australia/Music

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

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.
Interview: Beck returns to the spotlight
Q: Take me back to when you were writing Ride Lonesome—what was going on in your life at the time?
Beck recalls a lonely period that fed into the song's introspective mood, emphasizing how personal experiences filter into writing and help shape the emotional core of the music.
All Songs Considered: Cruelly ranking the best original song Oscar nominees
Q: What is your criteria for ranking, is it quality or odds of victory?
The ranking is based on quality and how well the song integrates with the film, with occasional notes suggesting which one the editor thinks could win, but the primary factor is the song's musical and thematic fit rather than odds.
New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20
Q: What makes this week's music releases particularly unique?
This week features a wide range of genre-defying music, including new releases from artists like Willow Smith and Pekka Kuusisto, mixing traditional and modern sounds.
Alt.Latino: Our Love Letter to Bob Weir
Q: What do you think makes American Beauty such an accessible album for new listeners?
Isabella explains that American Beauty is a comforting entry point into the Dead's music, especially highlighted by a scene from Freaks and Geeks.

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. Fresh Air
3. World Cafe Words and Music Podcast
4. Pop Culture Happy Hour
5. Alt.Latino

How many episodes of NPR Music are there?

NPR Music launched 21 years ago and published 464 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.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of NPR Music. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on NPR Music?

Recent guests on NPR Music include:

1. Nick Sanborn
2. Amelia Meath
3. Robert Moore
4. Amelia Mason
5. Los Texmaniacs
6. Brian Burns
7. Dora Levite
8. Lars Gotrich

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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