Podcast appearances and mentions of Ann Powers

Celebrated chef J. Kenji López-Alt schools us on the food history of teriyaki, nachos, and broccoli cheddar soup; music critic Ann Powers unpacks her latest book Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, which explores the musician's life and career, while addressing her own feelings about tackling the legend; and singer-songwriter Khatumu dispels the rumors that she was an "industry plant," before performing her song "allergy season."

Boards of Canada. Kurt Vile. Iceage. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Andrew Brown of KUTX in Austin about their favorite albums out Friday, May 29. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Paul McCartney(02:00) Boards of Canada(09:22) Kurt Vile(17:01) Iceage(22:18) feeble little horse(27:45) Greg Mendez(33:46) Lightning Round Recommendations- The Greenberry Woods- obli- RaiNao- ear- Brian JacksonSample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Andrew Brown, KUTXAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Ann Powers, Robin Hilton and Anamaria SayreSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Aja Monet. Jack Antonoff's Bleachers. Radiohead's Ed O'Brien. Guest host Ann Powers chats with Aurora McGuckin of MVY Radio in Massachusetts about their favorite albums out Friday, May 22. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Bleachers, 'everyone for ten minutes'(06:55) JPEGMAFIA, 'EXPERIMENTAL RAP'(12:49) Ed O'Brien, 'Blue Morpho'(19:01) aja monet, 'the color of rain'(25:19) Lowertown, 'Ugly Duckling Union'(30:35) The Lightning Round- Alela Diane, 'Who's Keeping Time?'- Mexican Institute of Sound & Meridian Brothers, 'Ruido Tovar'- Balming Tiger, 'Gongbu'- Bill Orcutt & Mabe Fratti, 'Almost Waking'- Traumprinz, 'Life'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Ann PowersGuest: Aurora McGuckin, MVY RadioAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Lars Gotrich and Robin HiltonSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

MUNA. Stephen Sanchez. Lykke Li. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, May 8. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round. The Starting 5(00:00) MUNA, 'Dancing On The Wall'(08:17) Aldous Harding, 'Train on the Island'(16:00) Deb Never, 'Arcade'(22:15) Lykke Li, 'The Afterparty'(28:12) Stephen Sanchez, 'LOVE, LOVE, LOVE'(34:46) The Lightning Round- Ashley McBryde, 'Wild'- Broken Social Scene, 'Remember The Humans'- Ray Bull, 'Please Stop Laughing'- Anastasia Kristensen, 'Bestiarium Sombre'- Amy Grant, 'The Me That Remains'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Celia Gregory, WNXPAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Robin Hilton, Ann Powers and Lars GotrichSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Kacey Musgraves. American Football. Tori Amos. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, May 1. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Kacey Musgraves, 'Middle of Nowhere'(08:41) American Football, 'American Football (LP4)'(16:25) Isaiah Rashad, 'IT'S BEEN AWFUL'(21:42) Tori Amos, 'In Times of Dragons'(28:09) Ana Roxanne, 'Poem 1'(33:38) The Lightning Round- Jesca Hoop, 'Long Wave Home'- Casper Sage, 'PATINA'- duendita, 'existential thottie'- Maisy Owen, 'Dark on a Sunny Day'- Octo Octa, 'Sigils For Survival'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Jewly Hight, WPLNAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Ann Powers and Hazel CillsSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Noah Kahan. Kehlani. The return of Metric. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with DJ Llu from Vermont Public about their favorite albums out Friday, April 24. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Noah Kahan, 'The Great Divide'(09:28) Kehlani, 'Kehlani'(16:14) Metric, 'Romanticize The Dive'(21:33) Gia Margaret, 'Singing'(28:27) Season 2, 'Power of Now'(34:12) The Lightning Round- Quiet Light, 'Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2'- Kiki Cavazos, 'Goodbye Blues'- Carla dal Forno, 'Confession'- The Milk Carton Kids, 'Lost Cause Lover Fool'- Trueno, 'TURR4ZO'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: DJ Llu, Vermont PublicAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Hazel Cills, Ann Powers and Anamaria SayreSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/gender-studies

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/music

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/popular-culture

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exploring the legacies of the pop music icons David Bowie and Prince. Daphne A. Brooks brings together an extraordinary array of writers, artists, and scholars, including Greg Tate, Jack Halberstam, Kara Keeling, Eric Lott, and Ann Powers, to offer fresh insight into how Bowie and Prince each fundamentally changed pop culture as musicians who emerged at the intersections of modern movements surrounding race, gender, sexuality, and art. Featured alongside these pieces are interviews with trusted collaborators of Bowie and Prince such as D. A. Pennebaker, Sheila E., and Marie France, giving vital insider context to the impact both artists had on pop culture and the complexities of their repertoires, politics, and private lives. This work is essential reading for any fan of two of the most formidable and eminent figures in pop culture history.Contributors: Christine Bacareza Balance, Emma Balázs, Victoria Broackes, Daphne A. Brooks, Daphne Carr, Andreana Clay, Ashon Crawley, Jonathan Flatley, Nicole R. Fleetwood, Lynell George, Farah Jasmine Griffin, Michelle Habell-Pallán, Jack Halberstam, Matthew Frye Jacobson, Kara Keeling, Jason King, Josh Kun, Kathryn Lofton, Emily J. Lordi, Eric Lott, Maureen Mahon, Greil Marcus, Geoffrey Marsh, Michaelangelo Matos, Tiffany Naiman, Tavia Nyong'o, Ann Powers, Sonnet Retman, Morgan Rhodes, Francesca T. Royster, Gustavus Stadler, Jacqueline Stewart, Greg Tate, Karen Tongson, Van My Truong, Alexandra T. Vazquez, Michael E. Veal, Shane Vogel, Gayle Wald, Oliver Wang, Alexander G. Weheliye, Richard Yarborough, Kristen Zschomler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/book-of-the-day

Ella Langley. Wesley Joseph. The spellbinding Juni Habel. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Chloe Kimes from WMOT in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, April 10. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Ella Langley, 'Dandelion'(08:24) Tenille Townes, 'The Acrobat'(15:53) Wesley Joseph, 'Forever Ends Someday'(21:22) Brown Horse, 'Total Dive'(27:03) Juni Habel, 'Evergreen In Your Mind'(32:31) The Lightning Round- Gracie and Rachel, 'If We Could, Would We'- Melanie Baker, 'Somebody Help Me, I'm Being Spontaneous!'- upsammy & Valentina Magaletti, 'Seismo'- Spirit Adrift, 'Infinite Illumination'- Drivin N Cryin, 'Crushing Flowers'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.orgCredits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Chloe Kimes, WMOTAudio Producers: Noah Caldwell, Alina EdwardsDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Lars Gotrich, Ann Powers and Hazel CillsTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

BTS. Alex Isley. Dubstep-infused hyperpop from underscores. NPR Music's Hazel Cills chats with Francesca Harding of member station KCRW in Los Angeles about their favorite albums out Friday, March 20. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Introduction & BTS, 'ARIRANG'(02:28) Alex Isley, 'When The City Sleeps'(07:52) underscores, 'U'(15:38) ZENA, 'TEMESGEN'(20:39) Grace Ives, 'Girlfriend'(26:16) Suitor, 'Saw You Out With The Weeds'(32:23) The Lightning Round- Ali & Charif Megarbane, 'Tirakat'- Naomi Scott, 'F.I.G.'- Samara Cyn, 'Detour' EP- Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, 'Live at the Village Vanguard, Vol.1'- Luke Combs, 'The Way I Am'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.orgCredits:Host: Hazel CillsGuest: Francesca Harding, KCRWAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Rodney Carmichael, Ann Powers and Stephen ThompsonTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Flying Lotus. waterbaby. The groovy affirmations of Joshua Idehen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Nate Chinen from WRTI in Philadelphia about their favorite albums out Friday, March 6. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Introduction & Harry Styles, 'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.'(03:18) Flying Lotus, 'BIG MAMA' EP(08:34) waterbaby, 'Memory Be a Blade'(15:20) Shabaka, 'Of The Earth'(20:51) Joshua Idehen, 'I know you're hurting, everyone is hurting, everyone is trying, you have got to try'(27:09) The Scythe, 'Strictly 4 The Scythe'(31:37) The Lightning Round- Cece Coakley, 'Pleasant Attack' EP- Terrace Martin, 'Purpose'- Various Artists, 'HELP(2)' - Alice Sara Ott, 'Jóhann Jóhannsson: Piano Works'- Macha & Bedhead, 'Macha Loved Bedhead'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Stephen ThompsonGuest: Nate Chinen, WRTIAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Ann Powers, Tom Huizenga and Lars GotrichTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Bruno Mars. Mitski. Grief and celebration from Gorillaz. Robin Hilton welcomes Raina Douris from WXPN in Philadelphia to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Feb. 27. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in the lightning round.The Starting 5(00:00) Introduction & Bruno Mars, 'The Romantic'(03:54) Mitski, 'Nothing's About to Happen to Me'(09:44) Gorillaz, 'The Mountain'(15:04) Heavenly, 'Highway To Heavenly'(20:34) Voxtrot, 'Dreamers in Exile'(27:12) Nothing, 'a short history of decay'(32:52) The Lightning Round- Buck Meek, 'The Mirror'- Maria BC, 'Marathon'- Bill Callahan, 'My Days of 58'- GENA, The Pleasure is Yours'- Sarah Kirkland Snider, 'Forward Into Light'Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist and see our Long List of notable releases on NPR.org.Credits:Host: Robin HiltonGuest: Raina Douris, WXPNAudio Producer: Noah CaldwellDigital Producer: Dora LeviteEditors: Otis Hart, Elle MannionExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedSpecial thanks to Hazel Cills, Ann Powers, Sheldon Pearce and Tom HuizengaTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

With the arrival of the Geese Tiny Desk, we thought we'd try to break down what it is about this band that has made them one of the most talked about and polarizing acts of the past six months.Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Ann Powers and host of The Ringer's Bandsplain podcast Yasi Salek to make sense of all the fuss. (Full disclosure: We all love Geese.)Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Our very own musical Santa is back for another year: NPR Music critic Ann Powers joins host Marie Cecile Anderson and producer Daniel Sumstine to share her overflowing sleigh of great songs and albums from Nashville artists in 2025. We're talking Hayley Williams, Margo Price, William Tyler, Kashus Culpepper, and so many more — did your fave make the list? Check out Ann's Top 10 albums of 2025 here. Learn more about the sponsors of this December 15th episode: Aura Frames - Get $35 off the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Get more from City Cast Nashville when you become a City Cast Nashville Neighbor. You'll enjoy perks like ad-free listening, invitations to members only events and more. Join now at membership.citycast.fm/nashville Want some more City Cast Nashville news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Nashville newsletter.

If we needed any more proof that the album isn't dead, 2025 was it. On this episode, Stephen Thompson is joined by Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen to run through 12 dazzling albums that stuck with the NPR Music team this year. And for an even deeper exploration, check out the full lists of our critics' best albums of 2025 here.Artists and albums featured on this episode:- Rosalía, 'LUX'- Wednesday, 'Bleeds'- Nourished by Time, 'The Passionate Ones'- Daniel Caesar, 'Son of Spergy'- Dave, 'The Boy Who Played the Harp'- Clarice Jensen, 'In holiday clothing, out of the great darkness'- Gwenifer Raymond, 'Last Night I Heard the Dog Star Bark'- Kal Banx, 'RHODA'- Mary Halvorson, 'About Ghosts'- Annie DiRusso, 'Super Pedestrian'- Queralt Lahoz, '9:30 PM'- Patrick Watson, 'Uh Oh'Enjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This is the first episode of a new series on All Songs Considered, hosted by NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Daoud Tyler-Ameen. Most of what you hear on All Songs is focused on new music, but now, every other Thursday, Ann and Daoud will pick an old song and discuss how it has managed to stand the test of time and why we still care about it. This week's song: “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder, from 1972. This episode is available for everyone, but upcoming episodes in this series will be just for NPR Music+ supporters. NPR Music+ is a new way to support NPR and public radio. When you join, you'll get access to every episode in this new series, and you'll get to hear every episode of All Songs Considered and Alt.Latino sponsor-free. Sign up at plus.npr.org/nprmusicFollow Ann and Daoud's work at NPR MusicSubscribe to the NPR Music newsletterFollow NPR's Tiny Desk ConcertsLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Love it or hate it, your favorite pop star is a person and a product. How much are you willing to pay?Taylor Swift's latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, smashed records for first week album sales. This was in part due to all the different limited-edition variants that went on sale; some for only 24 hours. Talk about pressuring your fans! Is this business strategy fan service, or fan exploitation? Where's the line? Brittany sits down with Stephen Thompson, host for NPR Music and Pop Culture Happy Hour, and Ann Powers, NPR music critic and correspondent, to get into the life of a business woman, why they think Swift had to make this album, and whether or not it's worth the cost.Read Ann's (mostly positive) review of The Life of a Showgirl.(0:00) Is Taylor exploiting her fans? Yes and No!(3:08) Taylor's business strategy isn't hers alone...(6:11) Why Taylor is a proxy for all our rage(10:43) Why vinyl sales in general have skyrocketed(13:46) How the charts impact the music industry (15:50) Why Taylor Swift HAD to make 'The Life of a Showgirl'(18:15) Does greed make bad art?(21:00) Responding to your comments :)Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR's Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Esther Rose is here to discuss her new album Want, living in New Mexico and how locals regard Vince Gilligan's groundbreaking TV shows, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, growing up in Detroit and going to London, Ontario to attend punk shows, the raw, confessional work of John Lennon, dealing with trauma and exploring ketamine-based psychedelic therapy, giving up drinking and pondering alcohol's oddly dominant role in the music industry, recording emotional songs live to tape, loving standup comedy and Ann Powers' book Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, writing new songs, touring, other future plans, and much more.EVERY OTHER COMPLETE KREATIVE KONTROL EPISODE IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE TO PATREON SUPPORTERS STARTING AT $6/MONTH. This one is fine, but if you haven't already, please subscribe now on Patreon so you never miss full episodes. Thanks!Thanks to Blackbyrd Myoozik, the Bookshelf, Planet Bean Coffee, and Grandad's Donuts. Support Y.E.S.S., Pride Centre of Edmonton, and Letters Charity. Follow vish online.Related episodes/links:Ep. #978: FoxwarrenEp. #875: Ann PowersEp. #826: Steve Albini and Fred ArmisenEp. #753: Andy ShaufSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/kreative-kontrol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Celebrated chef J. Kenji López-Alt schools us on the food history of teriyaki, nachos, and broccoli cheddar soup; music critic Ann Powers unpacks her latest book Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, which explores the musician's life and career, while addressing her own feelings about tackling the legend; and singer-songwriter Khatumu dispels the rumors that she was an "industry plant," before performing her song "Allergy Season."

Music critic Ann Powers (Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell) dishes about her oddball reading journey, from staging puppet shows as a library-dwelling misfit kid to struggling to keep up with her favorite writers on Substack. 

Trapped in the never ending cycle of, “what do YOU want to do? I dunno, what do YOU want to do?” Well, the weekend is nigh, and Soundside Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here with everything YOU need to enjoy your time away from work… LINKS: Scott Shoemaker’s :Probed! – Intiman Theatre Rick Steves, Ann Powers, J. Kenji López-Alt, and Pedro the Lion — Live Wire Radio Roméo et Juliette | April 11 - 20, 2025 Record Store Day - Seattle Stores SIFF & Stitch - Labyrinth Free Oral Cancer Screening - UW Red Square Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've finally arrived! After four episodes and nearly ten hours of discussion and dissection, Pop Pantheon's Britney Spears Mega Series concludes with the big question: Is Britney Spears in Tier 1 of the Pantheon? To parse that out, Louie and Russ are joined by friend of the pod Molly Mary O'Brien to pull at this debate from every possible angle. Throughout the nearly two-hour (!!!) debate, they also hear from Dean of USC's Thornton School of Music's Jason King regarding his thoughts on Britney, her legacy, her ranking, and the Pantheon in general, along with ranking opinions from every past guest of the series including The New Yorker's Doreen St. Félix, NPR's Ann Powers, The New York Times' Caryn Ganz and Beyond the Blinds' Troy McEady. Finally, Louie ranks Britney Spears in the official Pop Pantheon. Check out Pop Pantheon's Britney Spears Essentials PlaylistCome to Gorgeous Gorgeous NYC on 4/11Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 4/18Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

Host Jo Reed talks with Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music, and editor Alison Fensterstock about collaborating on HOW WOMEN MADE MUSIC, AudioFile's spring Audiobook Club Pick. A mosaic of essays with archival recordings of the artists, HOW WOMEN MADE MUSIC: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music is an Earphones Award winner and was one of AudioFile's Best Audiobooks of 2024. Alison and Ann talk about the origins of this vibrant and ambitious project, the use of archival audio, what this recentering reveals about music history, and more. Read our review of the audiobook at our website https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/261162/.  Published by Harper Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the second in our five-part series on Britney Spears, NPR's Ann Powers joins Pop Pantheon to discuss Britney's first attempts to transition from teen queen to grown-up pop star. Ann and Louie tackle Britney's iconic “I'm a Slave 4 U” VMA performance, work with The Neptunes and play at maturity on 2001's Britney, relationship and breakup with Justin Timberlake, and her one and only starring film role in the teen road comedy Crossroads. Finally, they dive into Britney and Madonna's VMA kiss, the duo's generational pop baton passing on the single “Me Against The Music” and Britney's most adventurous record up to that point, 2003's In the Zone.Join us next week for Part 3, in which we'll discuss and Britney's infamous mid-aughts along with 2007's Blackout and 2008's CircusCheck out Pop Pantheon's Britney Spears Essentials PlaylistCome to Main Pop Girls: BRITNEY VS. GAGA on 3/21!Come to Gorgeous Gorgeous LA on 3/14Join Pop Pantheon: All Access, Our Patreon Channel, for Exclusive Content and MoreShop Merch in Pop Pantheon's StoreFollow DJ Louie XIV on InstagramFollow DJ Louie XIV on TwitterFollow Pop Pantheon on Instagram

While we're on a brief hiatus from making all-new episodes, we thought it would be fun to compile all the moments where Paul asks his guests "What Was The First Record You Ever Bought?" and put them in a couple of "clip shows." Here's part one, featuring De La Soul, Dhani Harrison, Mac McCaughan & Laura Ballance (from Superchunk), Ringo Starr, Shelby Lynne, Redd Kross, NPR's Ann Powers, The Edge (from U2), Richard Thompson, and Matthew Caws (from Nada Surf). The Record Store Day Podcast is a weekly music chat show written, produced, engineered and hosted by Paul Myers, who also composed the theme music and selected interstitial music.  Executive Producers (for Record Store Day) Michael Kurtz and Carrie Colliton. Record Store Day 2025 is April 12th. For the most up-to-date news about all things RSD, including The List, visit RecordStoreDay.com) Please consider subscribing to our podcast wherever you get podcasts, and tell your friends, we're here every week and we love making new friends.  

25 years ago this weekend, Joni Mitchell released her turning point concept album, Both Sides Now. The record saw Mitchell revisiting two of her own songs 40 years later, amid a number of American Songbook standards. For the next installment of our Silver Liner Notes album anniversary series, we reflect on this album within Joni Mitchell's career with Ann Powers, NPR music critic and author of Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell.

It's been almost a year since the historic music outlet Pitchfork shrank considerably. On this week's On the Media, why the distinctive voices in music journalism are worth saving. Plus, how AI music generators could upend the industry. [01:00]  Host Micah Loewinger, speaks with Ann Powers, critic and correspondent for NPR Music, on Condé Nast's acquisition of the influential music publication Pitchfork, and what this means for the future of music journalism.[12:45] Host Micah Loewinger speaks to Kyle Chayka, staff writer at The New Yorker, about how algorithms are changing how people discover and listen to music – and all too often, not for the better.[28:39] Former OTM producer, and current composer and sound designer, Mark Henry Phillips, on how AI music generators could fundamentally upend the industry for good. Further reading:“With Pitchfork in peril, a word on the purpose of music journalism,” by Ann Powers"Why I Finally Quit Spotify," by Kyle ChaykaA segment from this show originally aired on our January 19, 2024 program, Trouble at The Baltimore Sun, and the End of an Era for Pitchfork.      On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org.

The Slate Music Club is back, in a special edition of Hit Parade – “The Bridge”! Our year-end panel of critics—NPR Music's Ann Powers, Hearing Things' Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Slate's own Carl Wilson and Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy—discuss their favorite albums and singles and the trends that shaped the year in pop, rap, country, Latin and global music.  Among the questions the roundtable tackles: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Did the Kendrick Lamar–v.-Drake beef overshadow hip-hop's next generation? How much further will country cross over to pop audiences—and how does Latin music fit in? How did music from diverse artists stand in for protest music in 2024? And what will become of music criticism itself? Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus! Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slate Music Club is back, in a special edition of Hit Parade – “The Bridge”! Our year-end panel of critics—NPR Music's Ann Powers, Hearing Things' Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Slate's own Carl Wilson and Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy—discuss their favorite albums and singles and the trends that shaped the year in pop, rap, country, Latin and global music.  Among the questions the roundtable tackles: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Did the Kendrick Lamar–v.-Drake beef overshadow hip-hop's next generation? How much further will country cross over to pop audiences—and how does Latin music fit in? How did music from diverse artists stand in for protest music in 2024? And what will become of music criticism itself? Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus! Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Slate Music Club is back, in a special edition of Hit Parade – “The Bridge”! Our year-end panel of critics—NPR Music's Ann Powers, Hearing Things' Julianne Escobedo Shepherd, Slate's own Carl Wilson and Hit Parade host Chris Molanphy—discuss their favorite albums and singles and the trends that shaped the year in pop, rap, country, Latin and global music.  Among the questions the roundtable tackles: Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Did the Kendrick Lamar–v.-Drake beef overshadow hip-hop's next generation? How much further will country cross over to pop audiences—and how does Latin music fit in? How did music from diverse artists stand in for protest music in 2024? And what will become of music criticism itself? Note: Slate Plus members can hear this special episode in full. Ad-supported listeners will hear the first half. Want to hear the whole discussion? Sign up for Slate Plus! Podcast production by Kevin Bendis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chappell Roan has had a big year. She joined us back in 2023 to talk about her debut album, the magic of drag shows and queer joy. And, Joni Mitchell's career has spanned more than 60 years. Her legacy is detailed in "Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell" by NPR's Ann Powers. Powers joins us to discuss the biography. Then, French singer Yseult captured the hearts of millions worldwide by singing "My Way" by Frank Sinatra at this summer's Olympics closing ceremony. She talks about her new album "Mental."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers are your guides to the last big Friday of 2024. Plus a deep dive into an epic new Red Hot compilation titled TRAИƧA.Featured albums: • Kim Deal, Nobody Loves You More• Father John Misty, Mahashmashana• Say Lou Lou, Dust• Michael Kiwanuka, Small Changes• Various Artists, TRAИƧA (Red Hot)See the long list of albums out Nov. 22 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen are your guides to the most compelling releases out on November 15. Featured Albums:• FLO, Access All Areas• Dwight Yoakam, Brighter Days• Ganavya, Daughter of a Temple• Wussy, Cincinnati OhioCheck out the longer list of albums out Nov. 15 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen are your guides to the most compelling albums released this Friday.Featured albums:• Ab-Soul, Soul Burger• Jamey Johnson, Midnight Gasoline• Our Girl, The Good Kind• Various Artists, Like Someone I Know: A Celebration of Margo GuryanCheck out the longer list of albums out Nov. 8 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen are your guides to the most compelling new releases of the week, including the first album in 16 years by The Cure and a surprise release by Tyler, the Creator.Featured albums:• The Cure, 'Songs of a Lost World'• Tyler, the Creator, 'Chromokopia'• Willie Nelson, 'Last Leaf on the Tree'• Haley Heynderickx, 'Seed of a Seed'Check out the longer list of albums out November 1 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Cills are your guides to the week's most compelling new releases. Featured albums:• Amythyst Kiah, Still + Bright• Soccer Mommy, Evergreen• Laura Marling, Patterns in Repeat• Elmiene, Anyway I Can• Anna Butterss, Mighty VertebratePlus: A discussion of unconventional album release strategies.Check out the complete list of albums out Oct. 25 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Sheldon Pearce are your guides to this week's most compelling new musical offerings. For October 18, their selections include an array of ambitious, melodic and emotional new albums spanning genres. Plus: celebrating the arrival of a new music website and considering what drives us to write and talk about music in the first place.Featured albums:• Joy Oladokun, 'Observations From a Crowded Room'• CKay, 'EMOTIONS'• Kelly Lee Owens, 'Dreamstate'• Porridge Radio, 'Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me'• Bon Iver, 'SABLE,'Check out our longer list of albums out Oct. 18 and stream our New Music Friday playlist at https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

How Women Made Music, a new book out now from NPR, considers what the canon of popular music would look like without men.On this episode, we dig into the book and talk about the greatest albums and songs by women and other marginalized voices, with NPR Music's Ann Powers, contributor Marissa Lorusso and host Robin Hilton.Questions, comments, suggestions and feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Our guest this week is Ann Powers. Ann is NPR's music critic and correspondent, and is widely acknowledged to be one of the most influential music writers working today. She has served as the chief pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times, and before that was a pop critic for the New York Times, and a senior editor at the Village Voice. Ann has written several books, the newest of which is Traveling: On The Path of Joni Mitchell and we're talking all about Joni's life and what it means, along with watching our heroes age, mentoring younger artists, music in 2024 and a whole lot more. You can find Kim on her Substack: kimfrance.substack.comYou can find Jenn on her Substack: jennromolini.substack.comConcerns? Critiques? Suggestions? Just want to say "hi"? You can email us: everythingisfinethepodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers discuss on this week's episode, there's a thread of loss running through some of the most notable, thrilling albums out on September 27. From the self-titled, posthumous album by the Scottish electronic producer SOPHIE to the harsh, alien sounds created by Alan Sparhawk on White Roses, My God, his first solo album following the death of his wife Mimi Parker, who was also his musical partner for decades in the great band Low, tributes to loved ones lost and voices from the beyond abound. Plus: The star-studded debut album from Toronto poet and songwriter Mustafa, an adventurous bluegrass album (emphasis on grass) by roots champ Billy Strings, reliably adventurous R&B from Bilal and another posthumous release, the final release from the beloved electronic act Broadcast.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Ann Powers and Hazel Cills are your guides to the best music out this Friday, Sept. 13, including the 10th studio album by Miranda Lambert. Postcards From Texas is a new chapter for the onetime Nashville Star contestant who has become one of that industry town's most reliable songwriters and stars — and also a return to her home state.There's more, including a album by Robyn Hitchcock made up mostly of covers of songs from 1967, a year he describes as "a portal between childhood and the adult world." Plus: three ambitious albums by indie faves stretching their sounds, and a consideration of the way the classic "outlaw" label applies to the careers of women who break the rules.Featured albums:• Miranda Lambert, Postcards from Texas• Nilüfer Yanya, My Method Actor• Foxing, Foxing• Robyn Hitchcock, 1967: Vacations in the Past• My Brightest Diamond, Fight the Real TerrorFor the complete list of albums out Sept. 13 and to stream our New Music Friday playlist, visit https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers take you on a tour of the most exciting albums out Friday, Sept. 6Featured albums:• LL Cool J, 'The FORCE'• MJ Lenderman, 'Manning Fireworks'• Nala Sinephro, 'Endlessness'• The Dare, 'What's Wrong with New York?'• Toro Y Moi, 'Hole Erth'For the complete list of new albums out this week and to stream our New Music Friday playlist, visit https://npr.org/music.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You know that mind-expanding feeling when an album — even one that fits solidly in a familiar genre — gives you something that feels brand new? This week on New Music Friday from All Songs Considered, NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers find an abundance of brand new records that push boundaries.These ambitious albums, all out on August 30, 2024, represent a range of styles, energies and motivations, from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' sweeping rock epic Wild God to the irrepressible bounce of Doechii's shape-shifting Alligator Bites Never Heal to Laurie Anderson's Amelia, obsessed with the minutia of flight mechanics but capable of inducing swooning emotions as it puts the listener in the cockpit for the final flight of the album's namesake aviation pioneer.Plus: In the face of all these huge artistic swings, Ann and Daoud consider the state of art-rock, a musical category that has meant many different things to many different listeners over the years.Featured Albums:• Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Wild God• Doechii, Alligator Bites Never Heal• Enumclaw, Home In Another Life• Ellen Reid, Big Majestic• Laurie Anderson, Amelia• Jon Hopkins, RitualOther notable albums out August 30:• Emily D'Angelo, Freezing• Big Sean, Better Me Than You• Shemekia Copeland, Blame It on Eve• Tycho, Infinite Health• Zedd, Telos• Tank & the Bangas, The Heart, The Mind, The Soul• Caleb Caudle, Sweet Critters• Amy Rigby, Hang in There With Me• Noah Kahan, Stick Season (Live From Fenway Park)Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

On August 30, the Australian-born rock titan Nick Cave will release Wild God, a new album with his band The Bad Seeds. It's a high point in Cave's career, and NPR Music's Ann Powers spoke with him about the struggles — personal, musical and religious — he faced on the road to making the album. Wild God is filled with songs about encounters with the divine, which does not always take a benevolent form. And it follows a decade in which Cave, having publicly faced tragedy in his own life, has evolved from post-punk's louchest fallen angel into a revered figure among his audience in a new way: a dignified seeker whose courage and wisdom resounds beyond musical boundaries thanks to advice he has shared in interviews, writing projects and public appearances. Perhaps it's not surprising that so many of the songs reckon with the moment of revelation or transformation, or the demand for conversion from a As for the state of his own religious conviction, Cave says that the struggle is the point: "I would say I'm in the process of conversion," he tells Powers. Wherever he is on that road, he's found something ecstatic to share.Click here to read a transcript of this interview and hear songs from the album Wild God.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Ann Powers survey the new albums out August 9, ranging from Ravyn Lenae's focused R&B to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's scuzzed-up glam-rock and an elegant solo piano album recorded by Japanese pop star and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto just months before his death in 2023. Plus: A new album made by 39-year-old American bassist esperanza spalding and 81-year-old Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento leads to a discussion of collaborations across generations.Featured Albums:• Ravyn Lenae, Bird's Eye• Beabadoobee, This Is How Tomorrow Moves• King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Flight b741• Latto, Sugar Honey Iced Tea• Ryuichi Sakamoto, Opus• Oso Oso, Life Till Bones• Thee Marloes, Perak• Milton Nascimento & esperanza spalding, Milton + esperanzaLinks: • Sidney Madden's interview with Latto from season 2 of Louder Than A Riot• Ann Powers reviews Zach Bryan's Springsteen-mythologizing album The Great American Bar Scene• Watch a Tiny Desk (Home) concert by Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding recorded in Nascimento's living room in Rio de JaneiroLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Doree and Elise prepare for the hectic end of the school year. Then, they speak with Ann Powers, NPR's music critic and author of TRAVELING: On the Path of Joni Mitchell, about not being too young for qigong, Joni Mitchell's songwriting brilliance, what Taylor Swift's future albums might sound like, which musicians she's most excited about right now, and how to listen to music like a music critic. Mentioned in this EpisodePre-order a signed book from Kate! (And find Kate's newsletter here)Join Kate Spencer at the LA book launch for One Last Summer - June 13th!To leave a voicemail or text for a future episode, reach Doree & Elise at 781-591-0390. You can also email the podcast at forever35podcast@gmail.com.Visit forever35podcast.com for links to everything they mention on the show or visit shopmyshelf.us/forever35.Follow the podcast on Instagram (@Forever35Podcast) and sign up for the newsletter at forever35podcast.com/newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.