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As we enter the homestretch of 2026, we pause to catch up on some of the great tracks we missed from earlier in the year. This includes a stunning, ever-shifting earworm from a bedroom pop artist out of Northern Iowa known as Kinji, maximalist polyrhythms from the composer and electronic artist Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, the singular voice of Mexican singer Silvana Estrada and more.
AltLatino host Anamaria Sayre joins All Songs Considered’s Robin Hilton.
Featured artists and songs:
(00:00) Intro
(01:49) Kinji: “Windburn”
(08:42) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: “Ruin”
(17:37) Rita Payés & Lucía Fumero: “Rueda eterna”
(25:32) Lizzie Weber: “Truth Teller”
(33:20) Pedro Mizutani: “Queria Ter Nove”
(39:58) Lockimara: “Tastes Like”
(47:04) Silvana Estrada: “Pensarte”
(53:54) Lennon Stella: “Unforgivable Things”
Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.
Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org
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The best songs we've missed this year

Sampa The Great. Moses Boyd. Kaitlin Butts. Guest host Lars Gotrich breaks down the best new albums out Friday, Oct. 30 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville, Matt Byars from WUOT in Knoxville and Raina Douris from World Cafe in Philadelphia. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 
The Starting 5
(02:00) Album No. 1
- Kaitlin Butts, 'Hello, Honky Tonk'
(08:52) Album No. 2
- Sampa The Great, 'Nu Zamrock'
(16:48) Album No. 3
- Kali Malone, 'Burning Song'
(22:42) Album No. 4
- Moses Boyd, 'Songs For Sinners'
(29:34) Album No. 5
- P***, 'you made me / skin on linen'
(37:52) The Lightning Round
- 2nd Grade, 'Girls and Boys'
- NØ MAN, 'Between the Sword and the Neck'
- DIIV, 'ZIRP!'
- Takuya Nakamura, 'Shape The Future'
- Joyce Moreno, 'Never Too Soon'
Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.
Credits:
Host: Lars Gotrich
Guests: Jewly Hight, Matt Byars, Raina Douris
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Sheldon Pearce and Felix Contreras
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New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 30

As we poured ourselves into the El Tiny takeover of the Tiny Desk, a month's worth of new music piled up in our inboxes. So, this week, we dig in and bring the long-awaited debut album from Puerto Rico's Benito-approved ensemble Chuwi, the rap-electronica of Monterrey's alternative experimentalist Nsqk, and a track of resilience in the face of an earthquake's destruction. Plus, Sofía Campos, The Mars Volta, and a deep dive into the glory days of mambo in New York City.
Artists, albums and songs mentioned in this episode:
(01:00) Chuwi, 'Libertad'
(09:33) Carlos Vives, Nidia Gongora, Juliana, "Aquí Seguiré"
(12:43) Nsqk, 'mosca'
(18:07) The Mambo Legends Orchestra, "La Rumbantela"
(24:35) Sofía Campos, 'Minha Beleza'
(26:59) The Mars Volta,"Voice In My Knives - Poseedora De Mi Sombra"
This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.
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Alt.Latino: Chuwi steps into the spotlight - and more new music

It’s been an unprecedented year for arguing about “fake” music, and it’s not just AI. From bot-powered ticket sales and social media campaigns to manufactured artist identities and an endless wave of complaints against nepo babies, 2026 feels like a turning point in the timeless debate about authenticity in music.
This week on All Songs Considered, NPR Music’s Ann Powers and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento join host Robin Hilton to break down how we’ve reached this point, what it means, and where we go from here.
Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.
Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org
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Why does everything in music feel fake?

Anderson .Paak and Cordae. Michael Kiwanuka. Fenne Lily. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 23 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Francesca Harding from KCRW in Los Angeles, Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee and Alex Newman from KMHD Jazz Radio in Portland, Ore. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.
The Starting 5
(00:47) Album No. 1
- Anderson .Paak & Cordae, 'Heavy Is The Crown'
(07:34) Album No. 2
- Michael Kiwanuka, 'Fudge'
(14:33) Album No. 3
- Fenne Lily, 'Win Win'
(20:34) Album No. 4
- Fine, 'Jazz dreams'
(27:07) Album No. 5
- Surprise Chef, 'Frogs In A Pond'
(33:53) The Lightning Round
- Shabazz Palaces, 'It's a Style Sport'
- Claud, 'Me and the Music'
- Josh Johnson, 'Animative'
- The Olivia Tremor Control, 'The Same Place'
- Jlin & Third Coast Percussion, 'Vernacular'
Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.
Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Francesca Harding, Erin Wolf, Alex Newman
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Lars Gotrich and Tom Huizenga
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New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 23

More than any song we’ve covered yet in this series about songs that persist in culture, "Crimson and Clover" is a stealth classic. Maybe you heard it in 1968 after its rough mix was leaked by a radio station and it became a top-40 hit. Maybe you only know it from a popular rock ’n’ roll cover in 1980s, or when it became a singalong in an emo song in the 2000s. Maybe it’s not even the lyrics that you recognize, but those three heavy, insistent chords. But it’s a song that’s stuck around, that feels endlessly replayable, and that helped inspire the new name for this NPR Music series: “Over and Over.” 
This week on Over and Over, NPR Music critic Ann Powers and editor Daoud Tyler-Ameen discuss “Crimson and Clover” by Tommy James and the Shondells, from 1968. 
Check out more episodes on songs that keep coming back by looking for “Over and Over” in the NPR Music podcast feed. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one by signing up at plus.npr.org. Follow NPR Music coverage and the Tiny Desk Concerts at npr.org/music.
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Over and Over: "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells (NPR+)

Last week we published a Tiny Desk Concert that ended up being unusual for a few reasons.
First of all, it was the final production of our sixth annual El Tiny series. This was a very emotional moment for a lot of reasons. People really love Los Tigres del Norte, to the point that playing their albums feels like sitting with family. And if you’ve seen the introduction I gave the band just before they played at the desk you can see that I wasn’t embarrassed to get emotional when I talked about what the band means to me. 
That emotional intro led to some changes in our process and format that resulted in a huge response from the audience that went viral. The result was a messy moment behind the scenes here at NPR and more than a little confusion for a lot of you.
This week’s episode looks back at last week. 
First we want to share with you, directly from us, an explanation of what happened.
But mostly we want to put the spotlight back on the band and their music because for decades they have been bringing out the kind emotions that got this whole thing started.
Give it a listen and enjoy the music. Again.   - Felix
This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell and edited by Jacob Ganz and Otis Hart. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.
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Alt.Latino: Los Tigres' Tiny Desk, explained

With the arrival of the first new Olivia Tremor Control album in nearly 30 years, we attempt to make sense of the sprawling, enigmatic collective behind it known as Elephant 6.
NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton.
Special thanks to Greenwich Entertainment, C.B. Stockfleth and Rob Hatch-Miller for use of audio featured in the 2022 documentary, The Elephant 6 Recording Co. 
Featured artists and songs:
(00:00) Intro with “A New Day” by The Olivia Tremor Control
(03:00) The Elephant 6 story in 60 seconds with “Black Foliage (Animation 2)” by The Olivia Tremor Control
(04:28) The Apples In Stereo: “Tidal Wave”
(07:34) Robert Schneider on the creative process, from the documentary ‘The Elephant 6 Recording Co.’
(12:39) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Love Athena”
(16:17) The Apples In Stereo: “Glowworm”
(18:14) Neutral Milk Hotel: “Ghost”
(22:13) Elf Power: “Embrace The Crimson Tide”
(26:08) of Montreal: “Gallery Piece”
(29:25) The Gerbils: “Glue”
(33:54) The Instruments: “Song for Thomas”
(37:01) Beulah: “Score From Augusta”
(39:35) Great Lakes: “A Little Touched”
(41:21) Dressy Bessy: “I’m Still Here”
(51:12) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Meeting Ourselves”
(53:39) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Path of the Parallels VI - Last Occupants”
(55:15) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Leaf”
(57:41) The Olivia Tremor Control: “Begin Now!”
Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.
Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org
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Elephant 6's rapturous, heartbreaking story

Fontaines D.C. Sophia Stel. The Avalanches. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 16 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville, Skylar Rochelle from 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City and Andrew Brown from KUTX in Austin. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 
The Starting 5
(02:23) Album No. 1
- Fontaines D.C., 'Dopamine Chamber'
(09:30) Album No. 2
- @, 'Autosmile'
 (16:34) Album No. 3
- Sophia Stel, 'the greatest album of all time'
(23:05) Album No. 4
- June McDoom, 'Follow the Light'
(28:32) Album No. 5
- The Avalanches, 'No Bad Memories'
(35:53) The Lightning Round
- N8NOFACE, 'Tomorrow's World'
- Richard Thompson, 'Hippies, Thugs and Heroes'
- Max Richter, 'While The Flood Rages'
- Chuwi, 'Libertad'
- Flora Hibberd, 'Mammoth'
Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.
Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Celia Gregory, Skylar Rochelle, Andrew Brown
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Anamaria Sayre and Tom Huizenga
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New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 16

The Tiny Desk’s magnetism is its intimacy. We strip back lights and a big stage and get to see artists speak honestly about who they are directly to an audience around the world.
This becomes all the more profound during our El Tiny takeover of Latin Music Month, where artists whisper truths and share secrets about community, country, pain and family. Often on production days, artists share with us the importance of each individual song — the stories behind them and why they needed to be played in such an honest space.
So, this week on Alt.Latino we wanted to let you all in on the secrets. Alex Ferreira, Draco Rosa and Los Tigres del Norte shared in their own words, what their Tiny Desk songs meant to them. Hopefully, learning what’s behind the songs will help each show mean a little bit more for all of you, too.
Artists and songs featured in this episode:

Mon Laferte, "No Le Regales Tu Corazón"
Alex Ferreira, "Monte Adentro"
Draco Rosa, "Vagabundo"
Los Tigres del Norte, "Somos Más Americanos"
You can watch the Tiny Desk Concerts featured in this episode here.
This podcast was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.
Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
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