Ann Powers
Stories
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Music
Taylor Swift's 'Tortured Poets' is written in blood
With The Tortured Poets Department, the defining pop star of her era has made an album as messy and confrontational as any good girl's work can get.
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Music
Beyoncé's 'Cowboy Carter' is a portrait of the artist getting joyously weird
Cowboy Carter has spurred plenty of discussion for being a groundbreaking country album. But for one critic, it calls to mind is a cult favorite '70s psych-rock concept album.
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Musicians who pushed the edges break out to make incredible collections
Morning Edition looks back on the best albums of 2023 — many artists are drawing on subcultures and folk music to reach smaller audiences.
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Music
PHOTOS: Joni Mitchell At The Gorge
The beloved singer-songwriter performed in front of more than 20,000 fans at an idyllic amphitheater in rural Washington state.
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Music
All eyes will be on Beyoncé at tonight's Grammy Awards
Tonight's Grammy Awards may be big for Beyoncé and her album "Renaissance." The new artist category is also one to watch with bluegrass, jazz and hip-hop - even a rock band from Italy.
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National
Ronnie Spector, lead singer of The Ronettes, has died at age 78
Ronnie Spector, lead singer of the 1960s girl group The Ronettes, has died at 78 after a bout with cancer. She recorded a string of pop hits including "Walking In The Rain" and "Be My Baby."
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Music to pay attention to in 2022
A new year means a lot of new music. But what's worth checking out? A sneak preview of what you should be listening to in 2022.
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Music
John Prine's First Album Came Out The Same Year NPR Debuted Original Programming
NPR turns 50 this year, and we're marking it by looking back on some other things that happened in 1971. It was that year that songwriter John Prine released his debut album. Prine died in 2020.
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Music
With 'Magnolia Blues,' Adia Victoria Reclaims Her Southern Identity
The new song "Magnolia Blues" by Adia Victoria is a courageous reclamation of the singer's Southern identity. Her new album A Southern Gothic is out in September.
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NPR Music Critic Talks New Posthumous Prince Album 'Welcome 2 America'
Welcome 2 America, the first posthumous album from Prince after his death in 2016, was released Friday.