3 d. ago Willi Carlisle blends the absurd and the sentimental on 'Winged Victory'

On Winged Victory, songwriter Willi Carlisle weaves between the absurd and the sentimental. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Carlisle about the 11 tracks of originals and covers.

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8 d. ago The Contenders, Vol. 14: Upchuck, Just Mustard, Brandon Woody, more

This week's update to our running list of the year's best songs includes some scorchers from Atlanta's Upchuck, the shoegaze group Just Mustard, jazz trumpeter Brandon Woody and more.Featured artists and songs:1. Upchuck: "Plastic" (single)2. The Westerlies (with Sam Amidon): "Paradise," from 'Paradise'3. Just Mustard: "POLLYANNA" (single)4. Brandon Woody: "Beyond the Reach of Our Eyes," from 'For The Love Of It All''All Songs Considered' 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2017Weekly reset: Frogs and crickets chattering in a rice field in Okazaki, JapanEnjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.

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2 w. ago Sabrina Carpenter joins the 'song of the summer' race, just in time

"Manchild," the first single from Sabrina Carpenter's forthcoming album Man's Best Friend, enters this week's Hot 100 singles chart at No. 1, making a late-breaking bid for "song of the summer" status in the process.

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2 w. ago Fever Ray, The Beaches, Patrick Watson, more: The Contenders, Vol. 13

The latest additions to our list of the year's best songs include a joyful new banger from The Beaches, a wondrous tapestry of sounds from singer Patrick Watson, twisted pop from Fever Ray and more.Featured artists and songs:1. The Beaches: "Last Girls At The Party," from 'No Hard Feelings'2. Patrick Watson: "Peter And The Wolf," from 'Uh Oh'3. Deb Talan: "A Glimmer In The Grass," from 'I Thought I Saw You'4. Fever Ray: "I'm Not Done (Therapy Session)" (single)5. Ethel Cain: "Nettles," from 'Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You''All Songs Considered' 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2016Weekly reset: A day at the beachEnjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.

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2 w. ago These catchy old songs aren't as think as you drunk they are

People are drinking less these days, but drinking songs never go out of style. The Lomax Archive is dropping a new album of traditional songs this week.

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2 w. ago Remembering Brian Wilson: A collection of NPR's interviews, concerts and appreciations

The Beach Boys' co-founder Brian Wilson has died at the age of 82, leaving behind a storied legacy as one of pop music's greatest songwriters and producers. Here are NPR's best interviews, concerts and appreciations of the late artist.

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3 w. ago Lila Forde discusses her Tiny Desk Contest entry 'Brick by Brick'

Lila Forde is one of the entrants to NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. She explains the story behind her song, "Brick by Brick," which took on more significance after the LA wildfires this year.

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4 w. ago Little Simz, Ty Segall, yeule, more: The Contenders, Vol. 12

We update our running list of the year's best songs with old-school guitar rock from Ty Segall, a playful left turn for rapper Little Simz, yeule's pop from the ether and more.Featured artists and songs:1. Little Simz: "Young," from 'Lotus'2. yeule: "Dudu," from 'Evangelic Girl Is a Gun'3. Wednesday: "Elderberry Wine" (single)4. Ty Segall: "Shining," from 'Possession'5. Nourished By Time: "Max Potential," from 'The Passionate Ones''All Songs Considered' 25th anniversary segment: Our No. 1 songs from 2014Weekly reset: Ringing bells at a neighborhood shrine near OsakaEnjoy the show? Share it with a friend and leave us a review on Apple or wherever you listen to podcasts. Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org Hear new songs from past episodes in the All Songs Considered playlists in Apple Music and Spotify.

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4 w. ago Do you sing to your baby? NPR wants to know what songs you sing

A new study from Yale University finds that singing to babies improves their overall mood. NPR wants to know what songs our listeners sing to their babies.

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