NPR Music: Tiny Desk, New Music and Music News : NPR

Accessibility links

NPR Music: Tiny Desk, New Music and Music News NPR Music features, streams, live concerts and music news.

If You Think Metallica's All About Headbanging, 'S&M2' Might Change Your Mind

If You Think Metallica's All About Headbanging, 'S&M2' Might Change Your Mind

Metallica Anton Corbijn/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption

Anton Corbijn/Courtesy of the artist

If You Think Metallica's All About Headbanging, 'S&M2' Might Change Your Mind XPN

March 5, 2021 • Just like the original S&M album in 1999, Metallica has teamed up with the San Francisco Symphony to perform a collection of the band's favorite songs from throughout its career.

Hear the interview 23:19

Latest Stories From NPR Music

Andra Day On Portraying BilIie Holiday And The Enduring Strength Of 'Strange Fruit' 1 day ago

Dudamel And L.A. Philharmonic Reunite For Socially Distanced Virtual Concert Series 3 hours ago

New Music Friday: The Top 7 Albums Out On March 5 3 days ago

Ólafur Arnalds: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert 4 days ago

Playlists

Hand-picked songs curated by the NPR Music staff

NPR Classical

Andrew Bogard/Courtesy of the artist

NPR Classical

Women composers take the spotlight his month, beginning with the compelling music of Jennifer Higdon, including Blue Cathedral, the viola concerto, a piano trio and a song for solo trumpet.

Press Pause And Hit Play: The Best New Songs You Missed In 2021

Lars Gotrich/NPR

Press Pause

A regularly updated playlist that keeps track of new songs deemed absolutely essential by the NPR Music staff.

Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

Sofía Valdés' song "Handful of Water" is featured in February's edition of Heavy Rotation. Val Schnack/Courtesy of Warner Records hide caption

toggle caption

Val Schnack/Courtesy of Warner Records

Heavy Rotation

NPR member stations share a mix of the most popular songs on their airwaves this month, including music from Amythyst Kiah, Sofia Valdes, The Weather Station and more.

Viking's Choice

Comic book artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Murder Falcon, Extremity) illustrates the music of Viking's Choice. Horns up! Daniel Warren Johnson hide caption

toggle caption

Daniel Warren Johnson

Viking's Choice

This week: Damon Locks & Black Monument Ensemble's cicada jazz, Sanguisugabogg's bowel-gurgling death metal, Axolotes Mexicanos' J-pop en español, Satomimagae's ambient-noise folk.

More playlists

Editors' picks

Essential stories and videos from npr music

Remembering Bunny Wailer, Reggae Mystic And Wailers Co-Founder

Bunny Wailer was the last living founder of iconic Jamaican reggae band The Wailers. Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption

Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Remembering Bunny Wailer, Reggae Mystic And Wailers Co-Founder

Bunny Wailer, the legendary reggae artist who founded The Wailers alongside Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, died in Kingston, Jamaica, on March 2.

Pianist Helen Sung: From Classical Outsider To The Jazz Inner Circle

Helen Sung Ayano Hisa/Jazz at Lincoln Center hide caption

toggle caption

Ayano Hisa/Jazz at Lincoln Center

From Classical Outsider To The Jazz Inner Circle

Helen Sung reflects on how, as a young classical pianist, she stuck to her jazz dreams. More recently, she's translated her emotions on social justice into a thematic composition for her quartet.

Songs Of Remembrance

NPR

Songs Of Remembrance

We just passed 500K Covid-19 victims. Here are some of the songs they loved and why.

More editors' picks

Most Popular

Most Popular

Music By Genre

Videos

Watch live concerts, studio sessions and music documentaries

More Videos

00:15:18

Ólafur Arnalds: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:18:34

Jack Harlow: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:15:28

Kirk Franklin: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:12:17

Davido: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:16:52

Sampa The Great: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:14:26

Bartees Strange: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:16:57

Rae Khalil: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:21:09

2 Chainz: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:20:32

Rick Ross: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
00:11:59

Meshell Ndegeocello: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

More videos

Video Series

Live Sessions

Lydia Loveless performs at WMNF. WMNF hide caption

toggle caption

WMNF

Live Sessions

Tiny Desk

Leo Kottke, Mike Gordon and Jon Fishman perform a Tiny Desk (home) concert. NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR

Tiny Desk

Field Recordings

Brian Blade And The Fellowship Band: NPR Music Field Recordings NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR

Field Recordings

Popular Videos

Erykah Badu: Tiny Desk Concert

Tiny Desk

Erykah Badu: Tiny Desk Concert

More Than Keeping Time: A Melodic Drumming Demo

Jazz Night In America

A Melodic Drumming Demo

Lucinda Williams, Live In Concert

Front Row

Lucinda Williams, Live In Concert

Music Radio

Continuous radio streams

Rock

All Songs 24/7

A mix of old favorites and new music from NPR's All Songs Considered.

The Current

New music and the music that inspired it, from local to legendary. From Minnesota Public Radio.

Eclectic24

KCRW's 24/7 music channel, curated by Morning Becomes Eclectic.

KEXP

Dedicated to music and discovery, from indie rock to Afropop.

opbmusic.org

Portland's mix of Pacific Northwest artists and the best new music.

WFUV

New York City's premier public radio music station.

WXPN

Philadelphia's top music source, and producer of World Cafe.

R&B

I'll Take You There

Everything from early doo-wop to contemporary slow jams, hosted by Jason King.

Classical

WQXR

New York's world-renowned classical music station.

New Sounds

Weird and wonderful music from artists, composers and traditional musicians.

Classical MPR

Minnesota Public Radio's classical music channel.

Jazz

Jazz24

From the classics to today's best, spiced with blues, funk and Latin.

WBGO

The jazz source for more than 30 years, and co-presenter of Jazz Night In America.

Latin

Alt.Latino Radio

Hosted by Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd, NPR's Alt.Latino spins Latin rock, hip-hop and psychedelic cumbia.

Folk

Folk Alley

Bringing you the best in folk music since 2003, presented by WKSU.

ThistleRadio

A Celtic roots music channel, brought to you by The Thistle & Shamrock.

More stations

Programs

Public radio music shows

All Songs Considered

All Songs Considered Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

All Songs Considered

Bob Boilen and Robin Hilton spin new music from emerging bands and musical icons.

Alt.Latino

Alt.Latino Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

Alt.Latino

Latino arts and culture explained with music and conversation, presented by Felix Contreras.

Fresh Air Interviews

Fresh Air Interviews Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

Fresh Air Interviews

Terry Gross interviews luminary artists about their lives and musical work

From the Top

From the Top Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

From The Top

NPR Music presents From The Top program highlights. For the complete From The Top program website, visit www.fromthetop.org.

Jazz Night In America

Jazz Night In America NPR hide caption

toggle caption

NPR

Jazz Night

Jazz Night In America is a public radio program, a video concert documentary series, and an online home for the music, from NPR Music, WBGO and Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Metropolis

Metropolis

KCRW's Jason Bentley hosts a weekly spin of the best electronic, dance and beyond.

Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Live recordings from the award-winning public radio program, hosted by Larry Groce.

Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz

Piano Jazz Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

Piano Jazz

Each week, NPR's award-winning program showcases both acclaimed artists and up-and-coming performers as they share music and memories.

The Thistle & Shamrock

The Thistle & Shamrock Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

The Thistle & Shamrock

Award-winning radio host Fiona Ritchie explores evolving music from Celtic roots in Europe and North America.

World Cafe

World Cafe Frank Chimero/NPR hide caption

toggle caption

Frank Chimero/NPR

World Cafe

WXPN in Philadelphia and host Raina Douris present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

Browse archive or search npr.org