All Songs Considered

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Janet Jackson's Control. That album was her first real commercial hit and, looking back, helped redefine all of pop music. In the late '80s and '90s, Jackson was one of the biggest stars of our time ? right up there with her brother, Michael and Madonna. And yet, Jackson isn't always given her due. In this special episode from NPR's It's Been A Minute podcast, host Sam Sanders explores why that is, how she made the album Control, and the incident ? that lasted all but a second ? that changed the course of her career.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include James Blake's Friends That Break Your Heart, new ones from Cimafunk, the underground hip-hop duo Atmosphere, Reba McEntire, and more.

Featured Albums:
1. James Blake ? Friends That Break Your Heart
Featured Songs: "Foot Forward" and "Frozen"
2. BadBadNotGood ? Talk Memory
Featured Song: "Beside April"
3. Susana Baca ? Palabras Urgentes
Featured Song: "Cambalache"
4. Natalie Hemby ? Pins and Needles
Featured Song: "Banshee"
5. Various ? Broken Hearts and Dirty Windows Vol. 2 (John Prine tribute album)
Featured Song: "Summer's End" (Performed by Valerie June)
6. Cimafunk ? El Alimento
Featured Song: "Sal De Lo Malo"
7. Various ? It's A Good, Good Feeling: The Latin Soul of Fania Records
Featured Song: "Soul Drummers" (Performed by Ray Baretto)
8. Joshua Crumbly ? ForEver
Featured Song: "KOLKATA"
9. Atmosphere ? WORD?
Featured Song: "Fleetwood"
10. Reba McEntire ? Revived, Remixed, Revisited
Featured Song: "Fancy"

Fifty years ago this month, the TV show Soul Train was first broadcast nationally. It brought Black music, dance, fashion and performance into viewers' homes every weekend and continued for more than 30 years. There was nothing like it on TV, and all these years later, there's been nothing like it since. On this special episode from the NPR podcast, It's Been A Minute with Sam Sanders, we look at the lasting impact of Soul Train and why it mattered.

Every month, we ask the NPR Music staff: What's the one song you couldn't escape? What's the one album to which you'll return all year?

Songs featured in this episode:

? Ada Lea: "hurt" from one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
? MUNA (Feat. Phoebe Bridgers), "Silk Chiffon"
? Little Simz: "Standing Ovation" from Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
? Mon Laferte: "Nothing Else Matters" from The Metallica Blacklist
? Sun-El Musician (Feat. Simmy), "Higher"
? Jon Hopkins: "Sit Around the Fire (Feat. Ram Dass & East Forest)" from Music for Psychedelic Therapy

Follow the #NowPlaying blog for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

NPR Music's picks for the best new releases out this week include the long-awaited studio album from Philly rapper Meek Mill, a stunning record from Brandi Carlile, country singer Miko Marks and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Meek Mill ? Expensive Pain
Featured Song: "Blue Notes 2"
2. Brandi Carlile ? In These Silent Days
Featured Song: "Broken Horses"
3. Ben Marc ? Breathe Suite
Featured Song: "Breathe Suite A"
4. Tirzah ? Colourgrade
Featured Song: "Hive Mind"
5. Illuminati Hotties ? Let Me Do One More
Featured Song: "Knead"
6. Shad ? Tao
Featured Song: "Black Averageness"
7. Miko Marks ? Race Records
Featured Song: "Hard Times"

Other notable releases for Oct. 1: Dar Williams ? I'll Meet You Here; Hovvdy ? True Love; Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett ? Love For Sale; Strand of Oaks ? In Heaven.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen's favorite new songs of the week include the funny, uplifting music of Wet Leg, a prayer for peace from 77-year-old Pakistani artist Ustad Saami and more.

Featured Songs And Artists:
1. Wet Leg: "Wet Dream" (Single)
2. NoSo: "Suburbia" (Single)
3. Nynke Laverman: "Stoarm" from Plant
4. Nora Brown: "The Very Day I'm Gone" from Sidetrack My Engine
5. Jane Fontana: "Untitled, No. 1" from In Situ EP
6. Grace Cummings: "Heaven" from Storm Queen
7. Le Ren: "I Already Love You" from Leftovers
8. Ustad Saami: "Prayer for Peace" from east Pakistan sky

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include new ones from R&B singer Anthony Hamilton, a Sufjan Stevens collaboration with Angelo De Augustine, country singer Mickey Guyton and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Anthony Hamilton ? Love is the New Black
Featured Song: "Love Is The New Black"
2. Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine ? A Beginner's Mind
Featured Song: "Lady Macbeth In Chains"
3. Kari Faux ? Lowkey Superstar Deluxe
Featured Song: "While God Was Sleeping"
4. Hayden Pedigo ? Letting Go
Featured Song: "Some Kind of Shepherd"
5. Mickey Guyton ? Remember Her Name
Featured Song: "Different"
6. Solemn Brigham ? South Sinner Street
Featured Songs: "Keep The Hope" and "Vice North"
7. Japanese Breakfast ? Sable
Featured Songs: "Glider" and "Cartographer's Theme"
8. Ada Lea ? One Hand on the Steering Wheel The Other Sewing A Garden
Featured Song: "Oranges"

Other notable releases for Sept. 24: Alessia Cara ? In The Meantime; Andy Shauf ? Wilds; Arturo O'Farrill ? Dreaming in Lions; Caleb Landry Jones ? Gadzooks Vol. 1; Laura Jane Grace ? At War With Silverfish; NAO ? And Then Life Was Beautiful; Poppy ? Flux.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new songs of the week, including a new one from the Leeds rock band alt-J, Swedish singer-songwriter Loney Dear, Amythyst Kiah and more.

Featured Artists And Songs:
1. alt-J: "U&ME," from The Dream
2. Hyd: "Skin 2 Skin," from Hyd (EP)
3. Amythyst Kiah: "Black Myself (Moby Remix)" (Single)
4. La Luz: "Lazy Eyes and Dune," from La Luz
5. Bnny: "Sure," from Everything
6. Loney Dear: "Go Easy On Me Now (Sirens + emergencies)," from A Lantern and a Bell

In the seventh and final episode of Top Shelf, hear from the 2021 Tiny Desk Contest winner, Neffy: a rising singer-songwriter from Arlington, Va., with a breathtaking, soulful, inimitable voice.

The debut album from singer and rapper Lil Nas X tops our list of the week's best releases, along with the 25th anniversary of Buena Vista Social Club, new ones from José González, Carly Pearce and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Lil Nas X ? Montero
Featured Song: "Dead Right Now"
2. Carly Pearce ? 29: Written In Stone
Featured Song: "Diamondback"
3. Charley Crockett ? Music City USA
Featured Song: "Honest Fight"
4. Adia Victoria ? A Southern Gothic
Featured Song: "Troubled Mind"
5. Buena Vista Social Club ? Buena Vista Social Club
Featured Songs: "Chan Chan" and "El Diablo Suelto"
6. José González ? Local Valley
Featured Song: "Visions"
7. Sheila Jordan ? Comes Love: Lost Session 1960
Featured Song: "Ballad of the Sad Young Men"
8. Moor Mother ? Black Encyclopedia of the Air
Featured Song: "Vera Hall"

Other notable releases for Sept. 17: Bob Dylan ? Springtime In New York: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 16; Cory Henry ? Best of Me; James Vincent McMorrow ? Grapefruit Season; Lindsey Buckingham ? Lindsey Buckingham; Melissa Ethridge ? One Way Out.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite tracks of the week, including the Tiny Desk Contest-winning song from the singer, Neffy, new ones from Snail Mail, My Morning Jacket and more.

Featured Songs And Artists:
1. Neffy: "Wait Up" (Single)
2. Aisha Badru: "Rebirth," from The Way Back Home EP
3. Lily Konigsberg: "Sweat Forever," from Lily We Need To Talk Now
4. Sloppy Jane: "Party Anthem," from Madison
5. My Morning Jacket: "Love Love Love," from My Morning Jacket
6. Snail Mail: "Valentine," from Valentine

It's a packed release day, with new albums from the prince of reggaeton J Balvin, Kendrick Lamar collaborator and rising rapper Baby Keem, Kacey Musgraves, Andrew W.K. and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Common ? A Beautiful Revolution Pt 2
Featured Song: "A Beautiful Chicago Kid"
2. Kacey Musgraves ? Star-Crossed
Featured Songs: "Cherry Blossom" and "Gracias A La Vida"
3. J Balvin ? JOSE
Featured Song: "La Familia"
4. Yebba ? Dawn
Featured Song: "Boomerang"
5. Andrew W.K. ? God Is Partying
Featured Songs: "Babalon" and "Goddess Partying"
6. AZ ? Doe or Die II
Featured Song: "Check Me Out"
7. Park Hye Jin ? Before I Die
Featured Song: "Me Trust Me"
8. Low ? Hey What
Featured Song: "White Horses"
9. Deb Never ? Where Have All The Flowers Gone
Featured Song: "Stupid"
10. Bomba Estéreo ? Deja
Featured Song: "Agua"
11. Baby Keem ? The Melodic Blue
Featured Song: "Range Brothers"

Other notable releases for Sept. 10: Heartless Bastards ? A Beautiful Life; Matthew E. White ? K Bay; Sleigh Bells ? Texis; We Were Promised Jetpacks ? Enjoy The View.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tunes of the week, including a profoundly moving reflection on Hurricane Katrina, a new story-song from Andy Shauf and more.

Featured Songs And Artists:
1. 79rs Gang: "Stop The Water" (Single)
2. Andrea von Kampen: "Water Flowing Downward," from That Spell
3. Opium Moon: "Night," from Night + Day
4. Claire Cronin: "Bloodless," from Bloodless
5. Andy Shauf: "Spanish On The Beach" (Single)
6. Marc Farre: "Prayer Flags," (Single)

Our picks for the best new albums out this week come from the British rapper LIttle Simz, jazz pianist Kirk Lightsey, rising reggaeton singer Jhay Cortez, metal veterans Iron Maiden and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Little Simz ? Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Featured Songs: "Introvert" and "The Rapper That Came To Tea"
2. Jhay Cortez ? Timelezz
Featured Song: "Los Bandoleros"
3. Kirk Lightsey ? I Will Never Stop Loving You
Featured Song: "I Will Never Stop Loving You"
4. Iron Maiden ? Senjutsu
Featured Song: "Days Of Future Past"
5. Lady Blackbird ? Black Acid Soul
Featured Songs: "Five Feet Tall" and "Blackbird"
6. Baby Queen ? The Yearbook
Featured Song: "Raw Thoughts"
7. L'Orange ? The World Is Still Chaos, But I Feel Better
Featured Song: "Talk To Friendly Walls"

Other notable releases for Sept. 3: Damu The Fudgemunk ? Conversation Peace; Imagine Dragons ? Mercury, Act I; Lady Gaga ? Dawn Of Chromatica (remix album)

Every month, we ask the NPR Music staff: What's the one song you couldn't escape? What's the one album to which you'll return all year? In August, we got vulnerable with James Blake, leveled up with Foxing, cooed with PinkPantheress, discovered an obscure Polish composer via pianist Lucas Debargue, memorialized a member of Injury Reserve and went back in time to Lee Morgan's weekend residency at the Lighthouse.

Songs heard on this episode:
? James Blake: "Life is Not the Same" from Friends That Break Your Heart
? Foxing: "Beacons" from Draw Down the Moon
? PinkPantheress, "Just for me"
? Lucas Debargue: "Nostalgie du pays" from Zal ? The Music of Mi?osz Magin
? Injury Reserve: "Knees" from By the Time I Get to Phoenix
? Lee Morgan: "Absolutions (Friday, Set 2)" from The Complete Live at the Lighthouse

Follow the #NowPlaying blog for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

Before we announce this year's winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. In this episode, last year's winner, Linda Diaz, shares her picks.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on Aug. 27 include new ones from CHVRCHES, Indigo De Souza, Terence Blanchard and more.

Featured Albums
1. CHVRCHES ? Screen Violence
Featured Song: "Final Girl"
2. Madi Diaz ? History Of A Feeling
Featured Song: "Woman In My Heart"
3. Chapel Hart ? The Girls Are Back In Town
Featured Song: "You Can Have Him Jolene"
4. Tré Burt ? You, Yeah, You
Featured Song: "Sweet Misery"
5. GRIP ? I Died For This?!
Featured Song: "The Lox! (feat. Tate 228)"
6. Indigo De Souza ? Any Shape You Take
Featured Song: "Way Out"
7. Terence Blanchard ? Absence
Featured Song: "The Elders"
8. Andrew Cyrille Quartet ? The News
Featured Song: "Go Happy Lucky"

Notable releases for Aug. 27: Halsey ? If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power; Big Red Machine ? How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?; Steve Gunn ? Other You; Marisa Anderson & William Tyler ? Lost Futures; The Bug ? Fire; Yann Tiersen ? Kerber; Mouse Rat ? The Awesome Album; Nite Jewel ? No Sun; Southern Avenue ? Be The Love You Want; Carlos Henriquez ? The South Bronx Story; Kenny Garrett ? Sounds From The Ancestors

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite songs of the week, including a 50th anniversary edition of George Harrison's "Isn't It A Pity."

1. George Harrison: "Isn't It A Pity," from All Things Must Pass (50th Anniversary)
2. Immersion, (feat. Laetitia Sadier): "Riding The Wave," from Nanocluster Vol. 1
3. Circuit des Yeux: "Dogma," from -Io
4. Hand Habits: "Aquamarine," from Fun House
5. Coco: "Knots," from Coco
6. Big Thief: "Sparrow" (Single)

Before we announce this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. In this episode, Jewly Hight shares her picks.

NPR Music picks the best new albums out this week, including new releases by Lorde, Sturgill Simpson, Deafheaven and more.

The great Brazilian-born, now Los Angeles-based musician has just put out Drama, his first solo album in seven years. We also hear music that changed his life, including songs from The Smiths and Gilberto Gil.

Before we announce this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. In this episode, John Morrison shares his picks.

Black Thought guests on a new one from the British duo Jungle, The Killers' Pressure Machine documents the hopes and horrors of rural America, Boldy James & The Alchemist team up again and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Jungle ? Loving in Stereo
Featured Songs: "Talk About It" and "Romeo"
2. The Killers ? Pressure Machine
Featured Songs: "Terrible Thing" and "West Hills"
3. Boldy James & The Alchemist ? Bo Jackson
Featured Song: "E.P.M.D."
4. Falkner Evans ? Invisible Words
Featured Song: "Made Visible"
5. Meet Me @ The Altar ? Model Citizen
Featured Song: "Feel A Thing"
6. El Michels Affair Meets Liam Bailey ? Ekundayo Inversions
Featured Songs: "Conquer & Divide" and "Intro"
7. Wednesday ? Twin Plagues
Featured Songs: "Toothache" and "Twin Plagues"

Other notable releases for Aug. 13: Dan + Shay ? Good Things; Devendra Banhart and Noah Georgeson ? Refuge; Jade Bird ? Different Kinds of Light; Joy Orbison ? Still Slipping Vol. 1; $uicideboy$ ? Long Term Effects of SUFFERING.

Before we announce this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. In this episode, Tobe Nwigwe shares his picks.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include new ones from the R&B singer Tinashe, composer Max Richter and the greatest rap duo you've never heard of, Abstract Mindstate.

Featured Albums:
1. Abstract Mindstate ? Dreams Still Inspire
Featured Track: "I Feel Good"
2. Max Richter ? Exiles
Featured Tracks: "Flowers Of Herself" and "Exiles"
3. Laura Stevenson ? Laura Stevenson
Featured Tracks: "State" and "Mary"
4. Tinashe ? 333
Featured Track: "333"
5. Fuubutsushi ? Natsukashii
Featured Track: "Suzushii Kaze"
6. Lingua Ignota ? Sinner Get Ready
Featured Tracks: "Pennsylvania Furnace" and "The Order of Spiritual Virgins"

Other notable releases for Aug. 6: Barbra Streisand ? Release Me 2; Eluvium ? Virga II; Moritz Von Oswald Trio ? Dissent; Ty Segal ? Harmonizer.

In July, we found solace in veterans (Billy Bragg) and newcomers (Canary Room), witnessed personal transformations from IDK and WILLOW, hit funky grooves with William Parker and heard angels become mortal in a collaboration between Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine.

Songs heard in this episode:
? Billy Bragg: "I Will Be Your Shield" from The Million Things That Never Happened
? Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine: "Reach Out" from A Beginner's Mind
? Canary Room: "Christine" from Christine
? WILLOW: "don't SAVE ME" from lately I feel EVERYTHING
? IDK: "Hey Auntie" from USEE4YOURSELF
? William Parker: "Tabasco" from Mayan Space Station

Follow the #NowPlaying blog for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

Before we announce this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. In this episode, Phoebe Bridgers shares her picks.

The sophomore full-length from Billie Eilish tops our shortlist of the best new albums out this week, along with a posthumous Prince record, Jack Antonoff's Bleachers, the singer Yola and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Billie Eilish ? Happier Than Ever
Featured Song: "NDA"
2. Isaiah Rashad ? The House Is Burning
Featured Songs: "True Story" and "HB2U"
3. Bleachers ? Take the Sadness Out Of Saturday Night
Featured Songs: "Stop Making This Hurt" and "91"
4. Los Lobos ? Native Sons
Featured Song: "The World Is A Ghetto"
5. Prince ? Welcome 2 America
Featured Song: "One Day We Will All Be Free"
6. Torres ? Thirstier
Featured Song: "Are You Sleep Walking?"
7. Yola ? Stand For Myself
Featured Song: "If I Had To Do It All Again"
8. Skirts ? Great Big Wild Oak
Featured Song: "Easy"

Other notable releases for July 30: Leela James ? See Me; LUMP ? Animal; Naia Izumi ? A Residency in the Los Angeles Area; Poise ? Vestiges; Son Volt ? Electro Melodier.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen's favorite new tracks of the week include an amped-up Steady Holiday, late-'70s, post-punk sounds from Gustaf and Wet Leg, the calming guitar of Lanterna and more.

Featured Songs:
1. Steady Holiday: "Love Me 2" (Single)
2. Gustaf: "Book," from Audio Drag For Ego Slobs
3. Wet Leg: "Chaise Longue" (Single)
4. Ada Lea: "damn," from one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden
5. The Colorist Orchestra & Howe Gelb (feat. Pieta Brown): "Sweet Pretender," from Not On The Map
6. AHI: "Danger," from Prospect
7. Lanterna: "Aix," from Hidden Drives

Before we announce this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, we're asking our judges to share their favorite entries in a weekly livestreamed series. First up: Tiny Desk producer Bobby Carter.

Kanye West's long-awaited (and much-hyped), DONDA tops our list of the best albums out this week, along with new ones from Leon Bridges, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Ledisi and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Kanye ? DONDA
2. Leon Bridges ? Gold Diggers Sound
Featured Song: "Motorbike"
3. Chiiild ? Hope For Sale
Featured Song: "Wasting Time"
4. Samia ? Scout
Featured Song: "As You Are"
5. Christone "Kingfish" Ingram ? 662
Featured Song: "Too Young To Remember"
6. Bardo ? Everywhere Reminds Me Of Space
Featured Song: "Neon Light"
7. Emma-Jean Thackray ? Yellow
Featured Song: "Venus"
8. Ledisi ? Ledisi Sings Nina
Featured Song: "Feeling Good"

Other notable releases for July 23: Brittany Howard ? Jaime Re-imagined; Dave ? We're All Alone In This Together; Mega Bog ? Life, And Another.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen's favorite tracks of the week include a classic murder ballad reimagined by Bonnie "Prince" Billy, a new collaboration with Nils Frahm and F.S. Blumm, Soccer Mommy and more.

Featured Tracks And Artists:
1. Soccer Mommy: "rom com 2004" (Single)
2. My Idea: "Stay Away Still," from That's My Idea EP
3. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Nathan Salzburg: "Stagger Lee" (Single)
4. Hana Vu: "Maker" (Single)
5. Devendra Banhart & Noah Georgeson: "In A Cistern," from Refuge
6. F.S. Blumm & Nils Frahm: "Desert Mule," from 2X1=4

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out this week include Willow's Lately I Feel Everything, new ones from Clairo and John Mayer, a posthumous release from Alice Coltrane and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Willow ? Lately I Feel Everything
Featured Songs: "Breakout" and "Xtra"
2. Clairo ? Sling
Featured Song: "Zinnias"
3. Rodrigo Amarante ? Drama
Featured Song: "Tao"
4. John Mayer ? Sob Rock
Featured Song: "Guess I Just Feel Like"
5. Cakes da Killa ? MUVALAND Vol. 2
Featured Song: "Lite Werk"
6. Alice Coltrane ? Kirtan: Turiya Sings
Featured Song: "Jagadishwar"
7. John Vanderslice ? I Can't Believe Civilization Is Still Going Here In 2021! Congratulations To All Of Us, Love DCB
Featured Song: "I Get A Strange Kind Of Pleasure From Just Hanging On"
8. John Vanderslice ? Ethical Jute Mouse: Lost Songs from Tiny Telephone 2001-2021
Featured Song: "Advancing Army Clip"

Other notable releases for July 16: Charlie Worsham ? Sugarcane; Ida Mae ? Click Click Domino; Jodi ? Blue Heron; Karen Black ? Dreaming Of You: 1971-1976; Pop Smoke ? FAITH.

All Songs host Bob Boilen shares his favorite songs of the week, including a long-overdue celebration of Sparks, a Ben Gibbard collaboration with Tycho, the return of Courtney Barnett and more.

Featured Songs And Artists:
1. Sparks, Adam Driver & Marion Cotillard: "So May We Start (feat. Simon Helberg)," From Annette
2. Courtney Barnett: "Rae Street," From Things Take Time, Take Time
3. Indigo De Souza: "Kill Me," From Any Shape You Take
4. Tycho & Benjamin Gibbard: "Only Love" (Single)
5. Lala Lala: "DIVER," From I Want The Door To Open
6. Mega Bog: "Station to Station," From Life, And Another

The best albums out this week include a revealing, self-titled release from rapper Vince Staples, Snoh Aalegra's Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies, Half Waif's Mythopoetics and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Vince Staples ? Vince Staples
Featured Song: "Are You With That?"
2. Attacca Quartet ? Real Life
Featured Songs: "Real Life" and "Drifting Circles"
3. Snoh Aalegra ? Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies
Featured Songs: "Tangerine Dream" and "Indecisive"
4. Half Waif ? Mythopoetics
Featured Song: "Horse Racing"
5. The Goon Sax ? Mirror II
Featured Song: "In The Stone"
6. Les Filles de Illighadad ? At Pioneer Works
Featured Song: "Eghaas Malan"

Other notable releases out on July 9: The Alchemist ? Rapper's Best Friend 6; Rejjie Snow ? Baw Baw Black Sheep; Royal Canoe ? Sidelining; The Wallflowers ? Exit Wounds.

All Songs Considered's Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tunes of the week, including one with The National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, a Jack Antonoff-produced song from Clairo and more.

Featured Songs:
1. Orla Gartland: "You're Not Special Babe," from Woman on the Internet
2. Aldous Harding: "Old Peel" (Single)
3. Matthew E. White: "Genuine Hesitation," from K Bay
4. Big Red Machine: "Latter Days (feat. Anaïs Mitchell)," from How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?
5. Dos Santos: "A Shot in the Dark" (Single)
6. Clairo: "Blouse," from Sling
7. jess joy: "her0," from PATREEARCHY

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out now include Chicago rapper G Herbo's 25, the wild euphoria of The Go! Team, singer Laura Mvula's first new music in five years and more.

Featured Albums:
1. The Go! Team ? Get Up Sequences Part One
Featured Song: "Let The Seasons Work"
2. G Herbo ? 25
Featured Song: "Demands"
3. Laura Mvula ? Pink Noise
Featured Song: "Conditional"
4. Declaime and Madlib ? In The Beginning Vol. 1
Featured Song: "Cool Ways"
5. boyband ? Never Knows Best
Featured Song: "IRL"
6. Izzy Johnson ? Earth Tones
Featured Song: "Existing"

Brandi Carlile has become one of Joni Mitchell's greatest interpreters. NPR Music's Ann Powers talks with the singer-songwriter about her life with Blue, conversations with James Taylor and the gift Joni gave her.

Doja Cat, SAULT and Tyler, The Creator lead a crazy-packed day for new releases, along with Lucy Dacus, Cautious Clay and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Doja Cat ? Planet Her
Featured Song: "Payday (feat. Yung Thug)"
2. Tyler, The Creator ? Call Me If You Get Lost
Featured Song: "Lumberjack"
3. SAULT ? NINE
Featured Songs: "London Gangs" and "9"
4. Hiatus Kaiyote ? Mood Valiant
Featured Song: "Chivalry Is Not Dead"
5. Lucy Dacus ? Home Video
Featured Song: "Hot & Heavy"
6. Squirrel Flower ? Planet (i)
Featured Song: "Roadkill"
7. Cautious Clay ? Deadpan Love
Featured Song: "Whoa"
8. Faye Webster ? I Know I'm Funny haha
Featured Song: "Sometimes"
9. Pom Pom Squad ? Death of a Cheerleader
Featured Song: "Drunk Voicemail"
10. Lightning Bug ? A Color Of The Sky
Featured Song: "September Song, Pt. ii"

Other notable releases for June 25: Cedric Burnside ? I Be Trying; Hiss Golden Messenger ? Quietly Blowing It; L'Rain ? Fatigue; Matthew Dear ? Preacher's Sigh And Potion: Lost Album; Modest Mouse ? The Golden Casket; The Mountain Goats ? Dark In Here.

Our favorite new artists of 2021 (so far) include Jay Som and Palehound together as Bachelor, the queer pop celebrations of girl in red, Olivia Rodrigo, the warped rap duo Paris Texas and more.

1. Bachelor (Jay Som & Palehound): "Back Of My Hand," from Doomin' Sun
2. girl in red: "Serotonin," from if i could make it go quiet
3. Arlo Parks: "Hurt," from Collapsed in Sunbeams
4. Celeste: "Strange," from Not Your Muse
5. mehro: "lightning," from SKY ON FIRE
6. dodie: "Hate Myself," from Build A Problem
7. Olivia Rodrigo: "brutal," from SOUR
8. Paris Texas: "A QUICK DEATH," from BOY ANONYMOUS

The best albums out this week include GoldLink's Haram!, H.E.R.'s Back of My Mind, a comic book soundtrack called Dark Nights: Death Metal, a debut album from trans punk Cher Strauberry and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Goldlink ? Haram!
Featured Songs: "Terrordome" and "Evian"
2. Various ? Dark Nights: Death Metal
Featured Song: "Diana" by Chelsea Wolfe
3. H.E.R. ? Back of My Mind
Featured Song: "We Made It"
4. Amythyst Kiah ? Wary + Strange
Featured Song: "Wild Turkey"
5. Donnie ? The Colored Section (20th Anniv.)
Featured Song: "Beautiful Me"
6. Ambar Lucid ? Get Lost In The Music
Featured Song: "The Door"
7. Mykki Blanco ? Broken Hearts & Beauty Sleep
Featured Song: "Free Ride"
8. Cher Strauberry ? Chering Is Caring
Featured Song: "Swish And Spit"

Other notable releases for June 18: Angelique Kidjo ? Mother Nature; Azure Ray ? Remedy; Francis Lung ? Miracle; Hania Rani ? Music For Film And Theater; Joan Armatrading ? Consequences.

Lorde talks about her new song, we get an update on the Tiny Desk contest, Pokey LaFarge recalibrates his sound, Illuminati Hotties go "Pool Hopping" and other great new songs to fall in love with.

Featured Artists And Songs:
1. Lorde: "Solar Power" (Single)
2. Illuminati Hotties: "Pool Hopping," from Let Me Do One More
3. Azure Ray: "Bad Dream," from Remedy
4. The Go! Team: "A Bee Without Its Sting," from Get Up Sequences Part One
5. The Goon Sax: "Psychic," from Mirror II
6. Lea Thomas: "Howl," from Mirrors To The Sun
7. Pokey LaFarge: "Get It 'Fore It's Gone," from In The Blossom of Their Shade

Sleater-Kinney's Path of Wellness, the thundering pop of Marina, Brooklyn rapper Skyzoo and the blood-slowing sounds of Dustin O'Halloran are among NPR Music's picks for the best music out on June 11.

Featured Albums:
1. Marina ? Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land
Featured Songs: "Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land" and "Goodbye"
2. Skyzoo ? All The Brilliant Things
Featured Song: "St. James Liquors"
3. Sleater-Kinney ? Path of Wellness
Featured Song: "Path of Wellness"
4. Jesse Markin ? Noir
Featured Song: "This Is A Testament"
5. Dustin O'Halloran ? Silfur
Featured Song: "Opus 17"
6. Ches Smith & We All Break ? Path of Seven Colors
Featured Song: "Here's The Light"

Other notable releases for June 11: Dean Blunt ? Black Metal 2; Garbage ? No Gods, No Monsters; Migos ? Culture III; Mind Maintenance ? S/T; Polo G ? Hall of Fame.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tracks of the week, featuring former Tiny Desk contest winner Naia Izumi, West African art-folk group The Narcotix, Laura Stevenson and more.

Featured Artists And Songs:
1. Laura Stevenson: "State," from Laura Stevenson
2. Jomoro: "Nest," from Blue Marble Sky
3. The Narcotix: "Lilith," from Mommy Issues EP
4. Gone to Color: ""The 606" (feat. Jessie Stein,) from Gone To Color
5. Naia Izumi: "Voodoo," from A Residency in the Los Angeles Area
6. Maddie Jay: "Spiral," from CMYK EP

Rostam's beautifully transfixing Changephobia, Japanese Breakfast's Jubilee and Liz Phair's first new album in more than a decade are among NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on June 4.

Featured Albums:
1. Rostam ? Changephobia
Featured Song: "Bio 18"
2. Poté ? A Tenuous Tale Of Her
Featured Song: "Valley"
3. The Avalanches ? Since I Left You (20th Anniv. Ed.)
Featured Songs: "Frontier Psyychiatrist" and "Two Hearts In 3/4 Time"
4. Loraine James ? Reflection
Featured Song: "Simple Stuff"
5. Japanese Breakfast ? Jubilee
Featured Song: "Savage Good Boy"
6. Liz Phair ? Soberish
Featured Song: "Spanish Doors"
7. Tristen ? Aquatic Flowers
Featured Song: "Complex"
8. Juana Molina ? Segundo
Featured Song: "Martin Fierro"

Other notable releases for June 4: August Fannon and Defcee ? We Dressed The City With Our Names; Hailu Mergia and The Walias Band ? Tezeta; Joy Oladokun ? In Defense Of My Own Hapiness; Lil Baby and Lil Durk ? The Voice Of The Heroes; Wolf Alice ? Blue Weekend.

In May, we swooned to Olivia Rodrigo's Sour, marveled at Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen, went back to the '90s with The Zolas, bathed in the opulent luxury of Sinéad Harnett's voice, got lost in Bill Laurance's piano universe, and jazz group Sound Prints expanded its possibilities.

Songs featured on this episode:
? Olivia Rodrigo: "jealousy, jealousy" from Sour
? Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen, "Like I Used To"
? The Zolas: "Yung Dicaprio" from Come Back to Life
? Sinéad Harnett: "Stay" from Ready is Always Too Late
? Bill Laurance: "Cables Rewired" from Cables Rewired
? Sound Prints: "The Flight" from Other Worlds

Follow the Press Pause playlist for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

NPR Music picks the best new albums out this week, including new releases by DMX, Bachelor, Mustafa, Natalia Lafourcade and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Bachelor ? Doomin' Sun
Featured Song: "Spin Out"
2. DMX ? Exodus
Featured Song: "Hold Me Down"
3. Mustafa ? When Smoke Rises
Featured Song: "Ali"
4. Various Artists ? Fire in Little Africa
Featured Song: "City of Dreams"
5. Mereba ? Azeb
Featured Song: "Rider"
6. Natalia Lafourcade ? Un Canto por México, Vol. 2
Featured Song: "La Llorona"

Notable releases for May 28: Black Midi ? Cavalcade; GWAR ? The Disc With No Name; k.d. lang ? Makeover; Moby ? Reprise; Porter Robinson ? Nurture; Quivers ? Golden Doubt; Lou Barlow ? Reason to Live; Juanes ? Origen; Scotch Rolex ? Tewari

This weeks All Songs Considered features a striking collaboration between Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen. I also share a conversation and music with Angélique Kidjo, psych-guitar from Mdou Moctar and more.
1. Sharon Van Etten & Angel Olsen: "Like I Used To" (Single)
2. Aerial East: "The Things We Build," from Try Harder
3. Saint Sister: "Manchester Air," from Where I Should End
4. Sunny Jain: "Where is Home," from Phoenix Rise
5. Angélique Kidjo: "Africa, One Of A Kind (feat. Mr Eazi & Salif Keita)," from Mother Nature
6. Mdou Moctar: "Afrique Victime," from Afrique Victime

NPR Music picks the best new albums out this week, including new releases by Olivia Rodrigo, Allison Russell, Audrey Nuna and more.

Featured Albums:
1. Olivia Rodrigo ? Sour
Featured Song: "Brutal"
2. Patrick Paige II ? If I Fail, Are We Still Cool?
Featured Song: "Curfew"
3. Allison Russell ? Outside Child
Featured Song: "4th Day Prayer"
4. Georgia Anne Muldrow ? VWETO III
Featured Song: "Old Jack Swing"
5. Audrey Nuna ? A Liquid Breakfast
Featured Song: "Damn Right"
6. Erika de Casier ? Sensational
Featured Song: "Polite"

Notable releases for May 21: Twenty One Pilots ? Scaled and Icy; Blake Shelton ? Body Language; Counting Crows ? Butter Miracle, Suite One; Mdou Moctar ? Afrique Victime; CHAI ? Wink; Lambchop, Showtunes; Lord Huron ? Long Lost; Edmar Castañeda ? Family; Sunny Jain ? Phoenix Rise; Rising Appalachia ? The Lost Mystique of Being in the Know; Claire George ? The Land Beyond the Light; BLK JKS ? Abantu: Before Humans

1. Sleater-Kinney: "Worry With You," from Path of Wellness
2. Billie Marten: "Human Replacement," from Flora Fauna
3. Sleepersound: "Silence Otherwise," from Idle Voices
4. Green-House: "Peace Piece," from SC25
5. Lowland Hum: "In Your Eyes," from So Low
6. Briars of North America: "Sala," from Supermoon