NPR Music

As we enter the homestretch of 2026, we pause to catch up on some of the great tracks we missed from earlier in the year. This includes a stunning, ever-shifting earworm from a bedroom pop artist out of Northern Iowa known as Kinji, maximalist polyrhythms from the composer and electronic artist Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, the singular voice of Mexican singer Silvana Estrada and more.

AltLatino host Anamaria Sayre joins All Songs Considered’s Robin Hilton.

Featured artists and songs:

(00:00) Intro

(01:49) Kinji: “Windburn”

(08:42) Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: “Ruin”

(17:37) Rita Payés & Lucía Fumero: “Rueda eterna”

(25:32) Lizzie Weber: “Truth Teller”

(33:20) Pedro Mizutani: “Queria Ter Nove”

(39:58) Lockimara: “Tastes Like”

(47:04) Silvana Estrada: “Pensarte”

(53:54) Lennon Stella: “Unforgivable Things”

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org

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Sampa The Great. Moses Boyd. Kaitlin Butts. Guest host Lars Gotrich breaks down the best new albums out Friday, Oct. 30 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville, Matt Byars from WUOT in Knoxville and Raina Douris from World Cafe in Philadelphia. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round. 

The Starting 5

(02:00) Album No. 1
- Kaitlin Butts, 'Hello, Honky Tonk'

(08:52) Album No. 2
- Sampa The Great, 'Nu Zamrock'

(16:48) Album No. 3
- Kali Malone, 'Burning Song'

(22:42) Album No. 4
- Moses Boyd, 'Songs For Sinners'

(29:34) Album No. 5
- P***, 'you made me / skin on linen'

(37:52) The Lightning Round

- 2nd Grade, 'Girls and Boys'
- NØ MAN, 'Between the Sword and the Neck'
- DIIV, 'ZIRP!'
- Takuya Nakamura, 'Shape The Future'
- Joyce Moreno, 'Never Too Soon'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.

Credits:
Host: Lars Gotrich
Guests: Jewly Hight, Matt Byars, Raina Douris
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Sheldon Pearce and Felix Contreras

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As we poured ourselves into the El Tiny takeover of the Tiny Desk, a month's worth of new music piled up in our inboxes. So, this week, we dig in and bring the long-awaited debut album from Puerto Rico's Benito-approved ensemble Chuwi, the rap-electronica of Monterrey's alternative experimentalist Nsqk, and a track of resilience in the face of an earthquake's destruction. Plus, Sofía Campos, The Mars Volta, and a deep dive into the glory days of mambo in New York City.

Artists, albums and songs mentioned in this episode:

(01:00) Chuwi, 'Libertad'
(09:33) Carlos Vives, Nidia Gongora, Juliana, "Aquí Seguiré"
(12:43) Nsqk, 'mosca'
(18:07) The Mambo Legends Orchestra, "La Rumbantela"
(24:35) Sofía Campos, 'Minha Beleza'
(26:59) The Mars Volta,"Voice In My Knives - Poseedora De Mi Sombra"

This podcast episode was produced by Noah Caldwell. Suraya Mohamed is the executive producer of NPR Music.

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It’s been an unprecedented year for arguing about “fake” music, and it’s not just AI. From bot-powered ticket sales and social media campaigns to manufactured artist identities and an endless wave of complaints against nepo babies, 2026 feels like a turning point in the timeless debate about authenticity in music.

This week on All Songs Considered, NPR Music’s Ann Powers and Isabella Gomez Sarmiento join host Robin Hilton to break down how we’ve reached this point, what it means, and where we go from here.

Tell us what you think with a review on Apple or Spotify wherever you listen to podcasts.

Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.org
Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

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Anderson .Paak and Cordae. Michael Kiwanuka. Fenne Lily. Host Stephen Thompson breaks down the best albums out Friday, Oct. 23 with DJs from around the NPR Music network: Francesca Harding from KCRW in Los Angeles, Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee and Alex Newman from KMHD Jazz Radio in Portland, Ore. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

The Starting 5

(00:47) Album No. 1
- Anderson .Paak & Cordae, 'Heavy Is The Crown'

(07:34) Album No. 2
- Michael Kiwanuka, 'Fudge'

(14:33) Album No. 3
- Fenne Lily, 'Win Win'

(20:34) Album No. 4
- Fine, 'Jazz dreams'

(27:07) Album No. 5
- Surprise Chef, 'Frogs In A Pond'

(33:53) The Lightning Round

- Shabazz Palaces, 'It's a Style Sport'
- Claud, 'Me and the Music'
- Josh Johnson, 'Animative'
- The Olivia Tremor Control, 'The Same Place'
- Jlin & Third Coast Percussion, 'Vernacular'

Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist.

Credits:
Host: Stephen Thompson
Guests: Francesca Harding, Erin Wolf, Alex Newman
Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell
Digital Producer: Dora Levite
Editors: Elle Mannion, Otis Hart
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Special thanks to Ann Powers, Lars Gotrich and Tom Huizenga

Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

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