Stephen Thompson

The cancellation of SXSW was a huge blow to musicians hoping for a big break. But you can still hear artists who were slated to play the festival with NPR's The Austin 100.

Help settle your jangled nerves, slow your heart rate and string up a little hammock for your soul with 6 hours of calming music.

The English pop star has a Packers logo tattooed on his upper arm. So NPR Music's biggest Packers fan sat him down at the Tiny Desk to ask: What's the deal with that?

Backed by a small string section, Stevenson performed three songs that sounded so gorgeous, an actual marriage proposal broke out shortly after her set ended.

"No Time to Die," the theme to the first new Bond film since 2015, trades on the moody melancholy of the newly minted Grammy winner.

Let's pick a winner and some losers from among a crop that includes a Disney showstopper, an Elton John banger, Randy Newman's latest Pixar romp and two songs about standing.

Emo puppets, a bonkers dance party, Weird Al unplugged, zany improvisations and a Monty Python veteran all made us laugh behind the Tiny Desk.

For NPR's "One-Hit Wonders/Second-Best Songs," NPR Music's Stephen Thompson recommends "Happiness Writes White" by the band Harvey Danger. The band is known mostly for their 1997 hit "Flagpole Sitta."

For the 13th straight year, NPR Music is heading to Austin in search of discoveries. To prepare, we want to hear music by every artist scheduled to perform at the festival.

The first single from Map of the Soul: 7, out Feb. 21, is a swirl of string-swept emo-rap introspection. The band released it Friday, alongside a video featuring Slovenia's MN Dance Company.

Teenage pop star Billie Eilish will compose and sing the theme song for the next James Bond movie. Here's how she fits into a long tradition of Bond songs.

Houston, the only woman included in the 2020 class of a male-dominated institution, will be joined by Biggie Smalls, Nine Inch Nails, The Doobie Brothers, T. Rex and Depeche Mode.

In advance of her second album, the country singer has released a cathartic video for her new single, a rowdy revenge fantasy called "Martha Divine."

From Moses Sumney's upcoming double album to a folk supergroup starring two of the minds behind Hadestown and Fruit Bats, here are some of Stephen Thompson's early picks for 2020.

The singer and writer performed in The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, appeared in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and later formed the Beatles pastiche, The Rutles, with Eric Idle.

In 1991, it was an instant classic. Now, 28 years later, Nirvana's breakthrough joins YouTube's billion-views club, ushering in waves of teenage feelings for new generations.

Released in 1994, this modern Christmas classic tapped out at No. 3 last season. This year, the Queen of Christmas claims her No. 1 crown.

Before Hamilton, Miranda was known for writing the music and lyrics for 2008's award-winning Broadway musical In the Heights. A movie version, starring Hamilton's Anthony Ramos, comes out June 26.

Sheryl Crow's Tiny Desk Fest concert included a handful of early hits that have become pop standards.

On Wednesday, the band was nominated for four Grammy Awards, including album and record of the year. Now, it's unveiled a thoughtful new video for "Naeem."