Chris Richards

Last week, the nominations for the 56th annual Grammy Awards were announced. Leading the pack with nine nominations is rapper Jay Z, who this year released his album Magna Carta Holy Grail. But without landing any nominations within the general categories (Record, Album, or Song of the Year), he's not likely to be the biggest story at this year's awards.

We talk with music critic Chris Richards of The Washington Post about what is likely to go down on Grammy night -- and who will and won't be celebrating. 

 

Chris Richards, pop music critic for The Washington Post joins us from Washington D.C. to spin three very eclectic new songs, including indie rock from Massachusetts' Speedy Ortiz to ...

Join us tonight at 8 p.m. (Tuesday, Feb. 12) for a live warm-up conversation about the State of American Music.

For July 4th this year, we're putting together a Revolutionary pop playlist - and we're going to be historically correct. The Washington Post's pop music critic Chris Richards and Barnard College history professor (and Thomas Jefferson specialist) Herbert Sloan join us to discuss songs like “The Hamilton Mixtape” from Tony winning lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda, a Thomas Jefferson-inspired tune by folk singer Benjy Ferree, and a remembrance of black soldiers from the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

Critics and bloggers have roasted singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey for her lack of “indie cred” and an underwhelming performance on Saturday Night Live. But her detractors can’t stop talking about her – and her album is selling well on iTunes. We debate this image-conscious Internet sensation – and learn more about her backstory with Chicago-based rock columnist Jessica Hopper and Washington Post pop music critic Chris Richards.

In a controversial move, 31 categories have been eliminated from this Sunday’s Grammy Awards ceremony. Washington Post music critic Chris Richards says even more should be eliminated.

We announce the winner of our Remix the Rails song contest. Our contest judge, pop music critic Chris Richards of The Washington Post, reveals which of our 10 finalists will receive our prize: a 30-day MetroCard!

The dazzling 20 foot aluminum flying saucer known as The Mothership was lost...until it was found -- maybe. Chris Richards of the Washington Post joins us with the latest in the search for the legendary Parliament-Funkadelic space craft.

Michelle Obama is hosting a poetry program tonight at the White House, and her guest will be hop-hop artist, Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., better known as, Common. Many conservatives are outraged by this decision, Fox News called the rapper, "vile." Conservatives are pointing to a set of lyrics from Common's "A Letter to the Law," where he says:"With that happening, why they messing with Saddam? Burn a Bush cos' for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction."

In the age of a far-reaching internet and high-stakes trademark disputes, new band titles have become notoriously difficult to come by. But does that excuse handles like “Babe Rainbow,” “Wakey! Wakey!” or “Ham Sandwich”? Chris Richards of the Washington Post joins us to discuss whether we have reached the new nadir of names. (P.S. Don’t even bother Googling it- The New Nadir is already taken.) Plus, linguistics professor Michael Adams of Indiana University gives us a lesson in onomastics, or the study of proper names.

We announce the winner of our Remix the Rails song contest. Our contest judge, pop music critic Chris Richards of The Washington Post, reveals which of our 10 finalists will receive our prize: a 30-day MetroCard!

Our Remix the Rails winner: Lucas Carpenter! Congratulations Lucas!

Here is Lucas' winning entry entitled "This is the Train":

Music's biggest night declared their winners and losers this weekend--and we're here to pick up the pieces. Joining us for a wrapup of the Grammys is Chris Richards, pop music critic for the Washington Post.

All eyes will be on the top categories at the Grammys on Saturday, but what about "Best Banda Album" or "Best Surround Sound Album?" Plus: Cyndi Lauper is nominated for Best Traditional Blues Album...and "Helter Skelter" might win an award. Music critics Sophie Harris of Time Out New York and Chris Richards of The Washington Post help us go off the beaten path with a look at little-known categories, strange matchups, and unsung nominees. Plus, Nacional Records founder Tomas Cookman helps us parse out the many, many Latin music Grammy categories.

Chris Richards, pop critic for The Washington Post, has a theory that the squeaky escalators in Washington D.C.'s metro system are "secret music." So, he recorded the squeals of the city's musical stairs -- and then, invited readers to submit remixes. He joins us to explain the project, and present some of the winning entries.

Late yesterday, The Recording Academy announced the long list of nominees for the 2011 Grammy awards. Eminem's Recovery led the pack with 10 nominations, including Album of the Year. But he’ll have to beat out a few other contenders including dance pop queen Lady Gaga, and big indie act, Arcade Fire. Joining us to discuss the nominees is Washington Post pop critic Chris Richards.

True to their namesake, Arcade Fire are a hot commodity: the Montreal ensemble knocked Eminem off the number-one spot on the Billboard albums chart with their new disc The Suburbs. But not everyone is moved by the band's hyper-dramatic anthems and onstage theatrics.

This summer marks the return, after an 11-year hiatus, of Lilith Fair - the all-female music tour co-founded by Sarah McLachlan. Featuring artists like glam-soul diva Janelle Monae, pop princess Ke$ha, and indie-rock sister act Tegan and Sara, the festival has come a long way from its roots in adult-contemporary folk. But ticket sales have been sluggish, leading to a dozen canceled shows. In the age of Beyonce and Lady Gaga, is Lilith Fair still relevant?

The digital age has spawned a do-it-yourself revolution. It's easier than ever to record music at home and distribute it using tools like MySpace and iTunes. But the band boom has its drawbacks, as the wealth of buzz acts can be overwhelming. Today, as more than 1900 artists descend on ...

When artists known for writing original songs release an album of covers, the result can be eye-opening … or ear-melting. Today: music critic Chris Richards of The Washington Post joins us for a look at the covers album, including a new bid from Peter Gabriel. Plus, British musician and Gemma ...