Robin Hilton

Hold on for another relentlessly exuberant, propulsive jam from The New Pornographers.

On this week's All Songs Considered: Musicians face personal challenges, political uncertainty, the state of humanity — and rally.

His new song, "Pure Comedy," appears to take on everything from big pharma, global warming and natural disasters to religion, gluttony and human folly in general.

"Quiet," by the Los Angeles-based singer MILCK, goes viral after a group of women perform it a cappella during the weekend protest in Washington, D.C.

Hints have been trickling out since late in 2016, but the official word is here: The latest album from Dirty Projectors is self-titled and due out Feb. 24 on Domino Records.

Our first new mix of 2017 features songs that are both big and hopeful, and crushingly sad, from the politically charged music of Run The Jewels and Timber Timbre to the joyful bliss of Lowland Hum.

The Canadian band is back with a new album called Sincerely, Future Pollution, a record heavily shaped by 2016's political upheaval. The first single is a dark, brooding take on the state of America.

The singer opens up about her debut acting role on the mysterious Netflix series The OA, the personal experiences that inspired her performance and how to cry on command.

If you're not already, it's time to get excited about the upcoming Grandaddy album Last Place. The band's latest single, "Evermore," assures that the group has lost nothing after a 10-year break.

The singer's new song, from her upcoming album Semper Femina, is an immediately arresting mix of spare, fluttering percussion and gospel harmonies with gently strummed acoustic guitars.

The latest single from the British DJ's upcoming album, Migration, is a brooding, four-on-the-floor thumper featuring vocals from Nick Murphy (formerly known as Chet Faker).

The album that made U2 global megastars turns 30 this year. To mark the milestone, the band will perform The Joshua Tree in its entirety at several live performances.

Dirty Projectors frontman David Longstreth continues to explore loss and grief in the band's latest fractured soul song, "Little Bubble."

The band's latest album finds frontman James Mercer reflecting on growing older and parenthood. Heartworms is due out March 10 on Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records.

The singer, known for his darkly comical storytelling, says he'll release the calypso- and disco-inspired Life Will See You Now later this year.

Smith originally recorded a demo of the song in 1995 for singer Mary Lou Lord. It's being made available in an expanded version of his 1997 album Either/Or for the album's 20th anniversary.

Here's a second chance to listen to inspiring conversations with veteran musicians like Paul McCartney and Jonny Greenwood, as well as newer visionaries like AURORA and Danny Brown.

Some years these polls aren't even close, but this time it was a tight race for our listeners' top five most popular albums of 2016.

Aliens are bent on abducting a drunk man in the middle of the night. But, with a six-pack of beer tucked under his arm, he doesn't go quietly.

"Fireproof," from the band's upcoming album The Tourist, is a crazy catchy, synth-heavy look at how naive people can be, and the trouble it can lead to. The Tourist is due out Feb. 24.