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Name That Drum Fill
by Robin Hilton
Can you identify a song when it's stripped down to a just few seconds of isolated drum pounding?
The Good Listener: Am I Too Old For Music Festivals?
Is festival fatigue the first sign of an encroaching spiral into desiccation and death? Or is it natural to hit a point in life where you don't feel like it anymore?
Video: Mr Little Jeans And The Road To Regret
by Robin Hilton
Norwegian singer Monica Birkenes, a.k.a. Mr Little Jeans, makes sometimes epic pop with gnarled synths. Her latest video follows a trucker hopped up on drugs as he traverses his haunted past.
©2014 NPR
New Mix: The Black Keys, Swans, Metronomy, More
Hear brand new cuts from The Black Keys and Swans, plus our latest musical discoveries, including singer Dylan Shearer, who channels Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd.
Does The Death Of An Instrument Break Your Heart?
by Robin Hilton
Swept away by a hurricane, crushed by baggage handlers, infested by cockroaches — nothing hurts quite like the destruction of a musical instrument.
Neil Young Wants You To Truly Hear Music
by Bob Boilen
"You're listening to a poor Xerox," Young says of the MP3. Watch the singer describe the Pono music player, his attempt to change an audio trend that stresses convenience over quality.
SXSW 2014 Wrap-Up: Our Favorite Discoveries And Memorable Moments
Our hosts are joined by Stephen Thompson to discuss the best musical discoveries from the musical blitzkrieg that is SXSW. From hard-driving Korean rock to joyful electronica.
Song Premiere: Merchandise, 'Figured Out'
by Otis Hart
The Tampa-based rock band's new single shimmers despite shadows, with crystalline and crunchy guitars filling up every nook and cranny of the sonic spectrum.
5 Dance Moves We Learned At SXSW 2014 In GIFs
We know you're dying to try Future Islands' Buck-Up Bronco and St. Vincent's Minimalist Marionette.
SXSW 2014 In Pictures
Nearly 100 photos of musicians we fell in love with at last week's South by Southwest music festival, plus interviews, concerts, podcasts and slo-mo videos.
What We Loved On Day Five At SXSW
by NPR Music Staff
On the final night of SXSW, with heavy hearts and ringing ears, we say goodbye to Austin. As a parting gift, music gives us the keys to the universe and a glimpse of the future. It's a fair trade.
SXSW 2014: Everything Is Better In Slow Motion
With hundreds of bands and tens of thousands of fans, South by Southwest goes by really fast. We slowed the whole Sam-dancing, bull-riding, crowd-surfing party down for you.
NPR Music At SXSW 2014: Friday
by NPR Music Staff
On Friday in Austin, Texas, full-throttle music consumption and overwhelming crowds battled to a exhausting, exhilarating draw.
NPR Music At SXSW 2014: Thursday
by NPR Music Staff
As things began to get back to normal at SXSW on Thursday, many audiences and bands shared emotionally heightened moments. Musicians offered comfort, release and catharsis.
NPR Music At SXSW 2014: Wednesday
by NPR Music Staff
Late Wednesday night in Austin, tragedy interrupted the music at SXSW when two people were killed and nearly two dozen injured after a car crashed through a barricade and into a crowd of pedestrians.
