Give Now
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
  • Full Schedule
Watch Live

National

New Music Friday: Our Top 7 Albums Out On May 24

By Robin Hilton,  Ann Powers,  Sidney Madden,  Stephen Thompson
Published May 24, 2019 at 2:00 AM PDT
This story was published more than 5 years ago.
Compton rapper YG. His latest release, <em>4REAL 4REAL, </em>is on our short list for the best new albums dropping on May 24.
Courtesy of the artist
Compton rapper YG. His latest release, 4REAL 4REAL, is on our short list for the best new albums dropping on May 24.

Our shortlist of the best albums out this week includes a stirring call for social justice from soul and gospel legend Mavis Staples, rapper YG's powerful remembrance of Nipsey Hussle and the first new release in six years from lo-fi rock veterans Sebadoh. Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music's Ann Powers, Sidney Madden and Stephen Thompson as they share their picks for the most essential albums dropping on May 24.

Featured Albums:

  • Mavis Staples: We Get By
    Featured Song: "Sometime"

    • Advertisement
    Become a KPBS sponsor
  • Justin Townes Earle: The Saint of Lost Causes
    Featured Song: "Flint City Shake It"

  • Lucky Daye: Painted
    Featured Song: "Late Night"

  • YG: 4REAL 4REAL
    Featured Song: "Do Yo Dance"

  • Billy Ray Cyrus: The Snake Doctor Circus
    Featured Song: "The Reckoning"

  • Flying Lotus: Flamagra
    Featured Songs: "More" and "Fire Is Coming"

    • Advertisement
    Become a KPBS sponsor
  • Sebadoh: Act Surprised
    Featured Song: "Celebrate the Void"

    • Other notable releases for May 24: Cate Le Bon: Reward; Fay Webster: Atlanta Millionaires Club; Hayden Thorpe: Diviner; Honeyblood: In Plain Sight; Middle Kids: New Songs for Old Problems; Sean Nelson: Nelson Sings Nilsson; Steve Lacy: Apollo XXI; Stray Cats: 40.

    Stream The Music:

    Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    National
    Robin Hilton
    Robin Hilton is a producer and co-host of the popular NPR Music show All Songs Considered.
    Ann Powers
    Ann Powers is NPR Music's critic and correspondent. She writes for NPR's music news blog, The Record, and she can be heard on NPR's newsmagazines and music programs.
    Sidney Madden
    Sidney Madden is a reporter and editor for NPR Music. As someone who always gravitated towards the artforms of music, prose and dance to communicate, Madden entered the world of music journalism as a means to authentically marry her passions and platform marginalized voices who do the same.
    Stephen Thompson
    Stephen Thompson is a writer, editor and reviewer for NPR Music, where he speaks into any microphone that will have him and appears as a frequent panelist on All Songs Considered. Since 2010, Thompson has been a fixture on the NPR roundtable podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour, which he created and developed with NPR correspondent Linda Holmes. In 2008, he and Bob Boilen created the NPR Music video series Tiny Desk Concerts, in which musicians perform at Boilen's desk. (To be more specific, Thompson had the idea, which took seconds, while Boilen created the series, which took years. Thompson will insist upon equal billing until the day he dies.)
    More News