NPR Music

NPR's Scott Simon explains why The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York" is a holiday song for those who have troubles and heartache.

Though he died in 1997 at the age of 30, singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley's music continues to resonate.

We listen back to archival interviews with two Opry members: bluegrass musician Scruggs, who perfected three-finger banjo picking, and country star Lynn. Originally broadcast in 2012 and 2010.

Claims that Jingle Bells started as a Thanksgiving song are making the rounds online again. So, how did the holiday classic actually come to life?

One hundred years ago this week, the radio barn dance that came to be known as the Grand Ole Opry was first broadcast from Nashville. Being part of the show still matters to country artists today.

After releasing two albums in 2025, rap's great modern philosopher and griot is having one of his best-ever runs. He may not have all the answers, but his questions are everything we need right now.

We're bringing back our listener poll to help stick a fork in 2025 and make sense of all the amazing music that came out. So... tell us your top five albums (or EPs) this year.

The musician and actor helped propel reggae into the international spotlight, thanks in part to his songs and starring role in the 1972 film The Harder They Come.

The very first K-pop band to play behind the Tiny Desk gives us a decade-long, catalog-spanning medley.

These love songs — Neko Case's "Oh, Neglect...," Valerie June's "Runnin' and Searchin'" and Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" — each express a refreshingly realistic ambivalence toward romance.