Music

28-year-old conductor Klaus Mäkelä will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Ari Shapiro

Tom Huizenga

When he takes over, in the fall of 2027, he will be the youngest music director in the orchestra's 133-year history.
On 'Cowboy Carter,' Beyoncé's country is as broad as the public she serves

Santi Elijah Holley

The Houston-bred artist's new album uses country as a trapdoor into a sweeping genre expression. By adopting the role of the outlaw, she's free to toss all rules into the trash heap.
Racial Justice and Social Equity

What The Beatles and Beyoncé's 'Blackbird' means to this Little Rock Nine member

Juliana Kim

A fan of both The Beatles and Beyoncé, 82-year-old Melba Pattillo Beals says the song is more special to her than ever. She is one of the Black students who helped desegregate U.S. public schools.
National

'SNL' sends up the NPR Tiny Desk with an intern who pleads, 'keep the ruckus down'

Juliana Kim

Saturday Night Live poked fun at NPR's Tiny Desk this weekend, with Bowen Yang playing the part of an aggravated intern who just wants the band to keep it down so he can get back to work.
10 takeaways from Beyoncé's new album, 'Cowboy Carter'

Sidney Madden

Sheldon Pearce

Is the much-hyped sequel to Renaissance a country album? In many ways, yes — but it's also a sprawling collage of disparate references, while remaining a Beyoncé album at its heart.
Education

Why the University of Idaho marching band members are heroes in Connecticut

Rachel Treisman

When Yale's marching band wasn't able to make it to March Madness, the Sound of Idaho stepped in — and went viral. A week later, Connecticut's governor proclaimed a "University of Idaho Day."
Science & Technology

Sheryl Crow changed her mind about releasing a new album. The change did her good

Phil Harrell

Debbie Elliott

Julie Depenbrock

Sheryl Crow announced her final album in 2019. She has since reconsidered her position. Her 2024 album is called Evolution.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé's blank space

Sheldon Pearce

The Carters have it all: wealth, influence, critical cred, fanatic fandoms. So what drives their quest for approval from institutions like the Grammys, who may never truly see them?
Tyla is the new face of African pop. She's aiming to take over the whole world

Sidney Madden

The South African singer brought a homegrown genre, amapiano, to new ears with a viral hit and a Grammy. With her debut album, she wants to prove the world is ready for a full-blown African pop star.
Composer Anna Clyne, a radical melodist with a painter's eye

Tom Huizenga

One of the most performed living composers unpacks the power of melody in her music, her unconventional path to success and how visual art guides her process.