Music

Jack Black hits a milestone on the charts, while Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' keeps rising

Stephen Thompson

It's a slow week on the Billboard charts, but Jack Black breaks a surprising record on the chart. Plus, rapper Doechii lands her first Top 10 album and Alex Warren's 'Ordinary' continues to move up the Hot 100.
Health

In order to have conversations -- start by singing

Katia Riddle

To foster equity and community, people gather several times a year to sing together in Portland, Oregon. The woman behind this effort has twice been nominated for a Grammy in music education.
Arts & Culture

Rhiannon Giddens' new music festival celebrates Black music, art, culture in N.C.

Cornell Watson

Emily Bogle

Grammy-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens brings Biscuits & Banjos, a music festival that features Black musicians on guitars, fiddles and banjos, history, dancing and more, to Durham, N.C.
International

Violinist Esther Abrami uncovers 'hidden treasure' of music by women

Olivia Hampton

French violinist and social media influencer Esther Abrami releases her new album, Women, featuring music by female composers in a bid to redress historic biases.
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class of 2025 includes OutKast, Soundgarden and Cyndi Lauper

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento

The seven acts voted into the Rock Hall this year include Southern rap and Midwest garage rock duos, pillars of the grunge and English blues rock eras and the '80s most unusual pop star.
Science & Technology

A vanished kingdom comes alive in the songs of griots and a new archaeological dig

Ari Daniel

The legendary west African kingdom of Kaabu has long been memorialized in the songs and stories of griots. That's inspired archaeologists to excavate the kingdom's capital.
Carolina to 'Cowboy Carter' and back: A celebration of Black roots music finds a home

Jewly Hight

For musicians like Rhiannon Giddens and Rissi Palmer, trying to break down doors in the folk and country music scenes has been a long road. A festival in Durham this weekend aims to remedy that.
Jennifer Higdon won't apologize for writing accessible music

Tom Huizenga

As one of the most-performed living composers, the Pulitzer winner insists that her music communicate to everyone — from farmers to children to the classical music intelligentsia.
Our favorite albums of the week

Stephen Thompson

Ayana Contreras

NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Ayana Contreras of Denver public radio stations KUVO Jazz and The Drop to discuss today's top new releases.
Economy

Fyre Festival's embattled founder is selling the brand: 'It's time to pass the torch'

Rachel Treisman

Billy McFarland says he will sell the brand "to an operator that can fully realize its vision." The news comes days after the postponement of Fyre Festival 2, which was scheduled for late May.