Accessibility links
Rock Rock, pop, and folk music performances and features from NPR news, NPR cultural programs, and NPR Music stations.

Rock

The 1975's Matty Healy says the band's latest record is 'a call for empathy'

The 1975 Samuel Bradley/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Samuel Bradley/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The 1975's Matty Healy says the band's latest record is 'a call for empathy'

XPN

The British band sought to be more earnest in their exploration of love on their fifth album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language.

The 1975 on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1139750808/1139756046" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Tamino showcases his heavenly voice and calm energy on his latest album, 'Sahar'

Tamino Ramy Moharam Fouad/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Ramy Moharam Fouad/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Tamino showcases his heavenly voice and calm energy on his latest album, 'Sahar'

XPN

Hear Tamino perform a mini-concert, including two songs from his latest album, Sahar, recorded live for World Cafe.

Tamino on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1139665149/1139669252" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Music Interviews

Alex G on his latest album, 'God Save the Animals'

NPR's David Folkenflik talks with musician Alex Giannascoli, who records as Alex G, about his latest album, God Save The Animals.

Alex G on his latest album, 'God Save the Animals'

Listen · 7:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1139307799/1139307800" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
The Culture Corner: Love's 'Forever Changes' counterbalanced 1967's 'Summer of Love'

Love Michael Ochs/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Michael Ochs/Getty Images

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

The Culture Corner: Love's 'Forever Changes' counterbalanced 1967's 'Summer of Love'

XPN

The Los Angeles-based band reacted a little differently to the "Summer of Love" with their 1967 album, Forever Changes.

The Culture Corner: Love's 'Forever Changes' was a dose of reality during The Summer Of Love

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1138610892/1138621403" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Calexico's 'El Mirador' is a love letter to Tucson

Calexico perform live inside the World Cafe Performance Studio at WXPN in Philadelphia, PA. Paige Walter/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Paige Walter/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Calexico's 'El Mirador' is a love letter to Tucson

XPN

Calexico's new album, filled with Latin influences including cumbia and ranchera music, is about introspection and connectivity.

Calexico on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1138324431/1138333593" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening, viewing and reading

Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams and Raul Julia as Gomez Addams in Addams Family Values. Paramount Pictures/Cinematic Collection/Alamy Stock Photo hide caption

toggle caption
Paramount Pictures/Cinematic Collection/Alamy Stock Photo

Pop Culture Happy Hour

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening, viewing and reading

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Dawnlands: A Novel, Addams Family Values, Wind of Change and Turnstile.

Hear 'World Cafe' interviews with 20 of the 2023 Grammy nominees

Brandi Carlile (by Neil Krug), Keb' Mo' (by Jeremy Cowart), Wet Leg (by Hollie Fernando) Courtesy of the artists hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artists

World Cafe

Hear 'World Cafe' interviews with 20 of the 2023 Grammy nominees

XPN

Listen back to performances and interviews from Brandi Carlile, The War on Drugs, Tank and the Bangas and more.

Brandi Carlile on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1137141229/1137149188" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
'Weird Al' Yankovic wants to 'bring sexy back' to the accordion

"I'm by nature actually a very shy person," Al Yankovic, shown here in 2014, says. "Being somewhat famous has helped me be more social and talk to people." Casey Curry/Invision/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Casey Curry/Invision/AP

Music Interviews

'Weird Al' Yankovic wants to 'bring sexy back' to the accordion

Fresh Air

It's "a very sensual instrument," the parody artists insists. A new over-the-top "biopic" tells the story of Yankovic's life — sort of.

'Weird Al' Yankovic wants to 'bring sexy back' to the accordion

Listen · 43:37
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1136027639/1137155210" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Alex G brings indescribable feelings to life on 'God Save the Animals'

Alex G Chris Maggio/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Chris Maggio/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Alex G brings indescribable feelings to life on 'God Save the Animals'

XPN

For his ninth album, the Philadelphia artist branched out and enlisted the help of different studios and engineers for the first time.

Alex G on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1137118661/1137131307" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Get To Know Merge Records' New Band, Friendship

Friendship Jeffrey Berkowitz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Jeffrey Berkowitz/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Get To Know Merge Records' New Band, Friendship

XPN

The Philadelphia band taps into the sounds of Americana and country without abandoning its indie rock roots. Hear a live mini-concert in this session of World Cafe.

Friendship on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1136768611/1136780417" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Guitar virtuoso Marcus King found his way out of the darkness with 'Young Blood'

Marcus King. Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Danny Clinch/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Guitar virtuoso Marcus King found his way out of the darkness with 'Young Blood'

XPN

Marcus King's new album, Young Blood, sounds almost jubilant — but is the product of some very difficult years for the guitarist.

Marcus King on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1136504839/1136518261" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Marcus Mumford charts painful, powerful journey to healing on debut album

Marcus Mumford Eric Ray Davidson/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Eric Ray Davidson/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Marcus Mumford charts painful, powerful journey to healing on debut album

XPN

In this session, Marcus Mumford talks about sharing a message of hope and healing on his solo debut album, self-titled.

Marcus Mumford on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1136016766/1136093728" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Kiwi Jr. expands its sonic palette on its second album, 'Chopper'

Kiwi Jr. Ben Rayner/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Ben Rayner/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Kiwi Jr. expands its sonic palette on its second album, 'Chopper'

XPN

For their third album, Chopper, Kiwi Jr. wanted to invoke a feeling — not of location or mood, but of time; specifically, that time between sunset and sunrise.

Kiwi Jr. on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1134833015/1134838090" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org