Search results for

A decades-old British institution is on its way out. The BBC says it will retire the show Top of the Pops. The program lost its allure as THE place for rock bands to be seen.

Dig below the strata of pop songs so ubiquitous you can't stand to hear them anymore, and you'll find plenty of riches in the Top 40, from country crossover to innovative R&B and classic pop.

At the end of a year in which pop songs were a constant, provocative part of the national conversation, NPR Music critic Ann Powers sifts through the 100 most popular songs of the year to highlight 10 pure pop pleasures worth remembering.

Before we reveal this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, discover some of the best of the nearly 6,000 entries we received.

The Tiny Desk series producer shares his favorite records of the year.

Also: A lawsuit alleges Motel 6 shared guest information with immigration officials; Iranian anti-government protests continue; and nobody won the Powerball lotto - it's now worth $550 million!

Surprise, anger, parenting and Lizzo: That's one way to sum up the list of the most engaging stories in 2019. Other big topics included consumerism and climate change — and officials behaving badly.

With angry synths, religious imagery and a symbolic music video, the New Zealand singer provides the empowering song we need at this time of year.

Isolation and the disappearance of live music changed the All Songs Considered host's listening habits drastically in 2020. These albums offered not just calm, but richness and depth to explore.