Clockwise from upper left: Aldous Harding, Ellis, Westkust, Palehound Courtesy of the artists hide caption
Pop NPR Music stories that discuss pop music.
Pop
Chaka Khan's Hello Happiness is on our short list of the best albums out on Feb. 15. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
"Things Still Left To Say" will be out on Feb. 15. Dierdre Schoo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
"There was no way I was letting anybody know I wanted to do music, but I just kept getting pushed in musical directions," TeaMarrr says. Tryen Redd/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Rex Orange County has a knack for sticky-sweet, and it shows in "New House." Dan Burn-Forti/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Jessie Ware performs on Day 2 of the V Festival at Hylands Park on August 23, 2015 in Chelmsford, England. Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images hide caption
Songwriter Holly Knight is known for pushing hitmakers to new heights and depicting female empowerment in her songs. Matthew Beard/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Clockwise from upper left: Pkew Pkew Pkew, Amanda Palmer, Budos Band, Daniel Norgren Courtesy of the artists hide caption
Kacey Musgraves made a point of showcasing her gentler side during her 2015 Tiny Desk Concert, but as it so often does, rowdiness prevailed in the end. Lydia Thompson /NPR hide caption
Leah Nobel's Running in Borrowed Shoes is out now. Kelsey Cherry/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Leah Nobel Explores The Mixed Bag Of Human Experience With New Album
Ariana Grande's fifth studio album thank u, next marks a turning point for the young star. Some of her closest collaborators explain why. Theo Wargo/Getty Images hide caption
Grammy trophies sit in the press room during the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, held in New York in Jan. 2018. Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil pose for a portrait circa 1966. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption
Julia Jacklin Nick McKinlay/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Julia Jacklin on World Cafe
Clockwise from upper left: Billie Eilish, Many Rooms, Lucy Dacus, T Bone Burnett, John Vanderslice Courtesy of the artists hide caption
Buddy Holly poses for a portrait circa 1958. On the 60th anniversary of his death, Holly's Lubbock, Tx. classmates remember the young talent. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption
Buddy Holly's Classmates Remember The Pioneer 60 Years After 'The Day The Music Died'
TLC at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The trio won in the best group video category, beating boy-band juggernauts 'NSync and the Backstreet Boys. Henny Ray Abrams/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Jessie Mae Robinson's songs have been recorded by hundreds of artists, from Louis Jordan to Lana Del Rey. Courtesy of the Robinson family hide caption
"In the midst of the worst of times, we find a way to dance," DAWN says of her hometown, New Orleans. The artist used New Orleans as inspiration for her latest album, new breed. Robert Arnold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
'We Find A Way To Dance': Inspired By New Orleans, DAWN Reconstructs Beauty From Ruin
Fans of Lady Gaga gather outside a concert in Manila in 2012. Jay Directo/AFP/Getty Images hide caption
DNA, the ninth album of the Backstreet Boys, is due out Jan. 25. Dennis Leupold/Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Backstreet Boys On Fatherhood, Addiction And New (Grammy-Nominated) Music
Compton rapper Boogie's new album Everything's For Sale is on our short list for the best albums out on Jan. 25. Courtesy of the artist hide caption