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Artwork for NPR Music

NPR Music

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

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes440Founded21 years ago
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Music

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Artwork for NPR Music

Latest Episodes

Harry Styles just finished a 5-night run in Mexico City. You know who else had a 5-night run in Mexico City? Michael Jackson in 1993.

Mainstream artists have a long history of being enticed by the energy of performing for a Latin American crowd … wh... more

Sometimes a cover song is so good, so singular that it completely eclipses the original version.  Think Sinéad O'Connor doing Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Jimmy Hendrix lighting up Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” or, of course, Whitney Hou... more

At the outset of The Ripple Effect, NPR Music’s series on the Grateful Dead, we asked fans to share stories about how they fell in love with the band. The response was overwhelming: wry, emotional and personal. It was overflowing with shared experien... more

Ravyn Lenae. Margaret Glaspy. Overmono. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Liz Warner from WDET in Detroit about their favorite albums out Friday, August 7. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning ro... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

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Recent Guests

John Darnielle
Leader of The Mountain Goats, Days
The Mountain Goats
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Cletus Strap
Rapper/artist
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Roy Montgomery
Ambient guitarist
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Martha Skye Murphy
Musician
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Margaret Glaspy
Singer-songwriter, I Am Both
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Ravyn Lenae
Singer from Chicago, new record Blue Island
Self / record label
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Mann Woman Chainsaw
Band, Cannonball
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Arun Sood
Musician, Dawn Dope
Self
Episode: New Music Friday: The best albums out Aug. 7
Graham Lesh
Phil Lesh's son; performer in the Dead songbook lineage
Terrapin Crossroads; Dead songbook performer
Episode: What's next for the Grateful Dead's legacy?

Hosts

Stephen Thompson
Host with NPR Music roles including New Music Friday; provides show leadership and conversational guidance.
Felix Contreras
Host focused on Alt.Latino and Latin music conversations; brings cross-genre and global perspectives.
Robin Hilton
Host of All Songs Considered; co-host and conversations around new music.

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 Statesa month 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
    Canadaa month 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 Statesa month ago
  • One of the best ways to discover new music and rediscover old favorites

    Podcast Addict
    5
    fanky
    3 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
    Australia3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many highlight the show's role in expanding musical horizons beyond mainstream hype.
Listeners praise discovery of new artists and breadth of music covered.
Some critique hosts' delivery but overall praise the depth of music-context.
Fans appreciate NPR's regional voices and cross-genre conversations.
Praise for the Latin music focus and diverse guest selection.

Chart Rankings

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

Spotify
#26
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#12
United States/Music
Apple Podcasts
#16
Canada/Music
Apple Podcasts
#39
United Kingdom/Music
Apple Podcasts
#17
Australia/Music
Apple Podcasts
#54
Germany/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 network-focused music podcast featuring weekly roundups of new releases, in-depth conversations with artists, and culturally-informed discussions across the broader NPR Music ecosystem. Expect timely analysis of fresh albums and tracks, plus artist interviews and genre-spanning conversations—from indie and pop to Latin and world music—driven by the network's rotating set of hosts and contributors. It's likely to appeal to music fans who want context, discovery, and expert perspectives on both mainstream and indie scenes, with a strong emphasis on the process behind music creation and the stories behind artists. A notable strength is the breadth of voices from NPR Music, Alt.Latino, and partner stations, offering regional viewpoints and cr... more

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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?

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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. Song Exploder
4. Alt.Latino
5. World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

How many episodes of NPR Music are there?

NPR Music launched 21 years ago and published 440 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. John Darnielle
2. Cletus Strap
3. Roy Montgomery
4. Martha Skye Murphy
5. Margaret Glaspy
6. Ravyn Lenae
7. Mann Woman Chainsaw
8. Arun Sood

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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