Stephen Thompson

Stephen Thompson appears in the following:

Song Premiere: Little Big Town's 'Night On Our Side' Sees Blue Skies

Thursday, February 23, 2017

An optimistic, harmony-rich slab of countrified pop-rock, the song returns to one of modern country music's sturdiest themes: the celebration of a night electrified with possibility.

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First Listen: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, 'The Tourist'

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Five albums and a dozen years into its career, Alec Ounsworth's band shimmers, seethes and twitches in appealing new ways.

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First Listen: Ryan Adams, 'Prisoner'

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

In many ways, Adams' 16th album feels like a retreat: to self-reflection, to primal emotions, and to a tense, rootsy sound that recalls Bruce Springsteen.

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10 Hasty Takeaways From Grammy Night, Starting With Adele

Monday, February 13, 2017

From Adele beating Beyoncé to whatever was going on with Lady Gaga and Metallica, take a look back at Sunday night's Grammy Awards.

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Grammy Awards: Here's A Preview Before Tonight's Show

Saturday, February 11, 2017

The 59th Annual Grammy Awards are tonight. NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson gives us a preview of what to expect.

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The Anointed Ones: The Grammys Place Bets On Country Music's Future

Friday, February 10, 2017

If Sturgill Simpson wins Album Of The Year this weekend, it'll be surprising — but not shocking.

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First Listen: Son Volt, 'Notes Of Blue'

Thursday, February 09, 2017

Son Volt has always deserved more attention than it's gotten, and the band's eighth album provides a lean and sturdy showcase for Jay Farrar's eternally weary but undiminished voice.

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Meet Fragile Rock: Almost Definitely The World's First Puppet Emo Band

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Watch the puppets sport eyeliner and sing a song called "I Am Sad And So Am I."

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Wilsen's Dreamy Bedroom Folk Steps Out Into The World

Thursday, February 02, 2017

Tamsin Wilson's moody, calmly woozy voice would sound amazing in just about any genre or context.

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First Listen: Jesca Hoop, 'Memories Are Now'

Thursday, February 02, 2017

Hoop's songs burst with ideas: They're as strange and smart and heartfelt as they are gorgeous. Memories Are Now further showcases her enviable capacity to surprise.

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Robyn Hitchcock Returns With 'An Ecstatic Work Of Negativity'

Wednesday, February 01, 2017

The U.K. singer-songwriter is set to return with his self-titled 21st album, his most rambunctious record in years. Hear "I Want To Tell You About What I Want."

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Cloud Nothings' New Album Spares Us 'Life Without Sound'

Friday, January 27, 2017

For a guy who once sang, "I need time to stop moving / I need time to stay useless," Cloud Nothings' Dylan Baldi sure has found a way to infuse his songs with vitality and ambition.

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Playing SXSW 2017? Send Us Your Songs

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

For the 10th straight year, NPR Music is heading to Austin in search of discoveries.

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Hear Arcade Fire's New Song With Mavis Staples, 'I Give You Power'

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Just in time for Friday's inauguration, Arcade Fire and Mavis Staples team up to deliver a message for all elected officials: "I give you power / I can take it away."

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First Listen: Japandroids, 'Near To The Wild Heart Of Life'

Thursday, January 19, 2017

After Celebration Rock fixated on staying young and feeling raw, the Vancouver duo's new album re-envisions youth as a passageway to a new and better place.

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Conor Oberst Announces A New Album — Yes, Another One

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

That didn't take long. Five months after Ruminations, the Bright Eyes singer will return with a companion piece called Salutations: a full-band version of the album, plus seven extra songs.

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Spoon's Got 'Hot Thoughts' On The Way

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

The long-running band returns with its ninth album, Hot Thoughts, on March 17. Hear the title track.

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2017's Best New Artist Might Just Be Phoebe Bridgers

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter has a voice powerful enough to command any stage, but with intimate phrasing that cries out for late-night drives and walks under headphones. Hear "Smoke Signals."

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On 'I See You,' The xx's Palette Suddenly Bursts With Color

Friday, January 13, 2017

On its new album, the U.K. trio departs from the suffocating sparseness of its first two albums. But The xx hasn't sacrificed its flair for intimacy.

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Haley Bonar Joins darkDARK For A Sweet Electro-Pop Jam

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

One of 2017's first great songs, "Restless" finds dreamy analog synths blending perfectly with Bonar's relentlessly pleasing voice.

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