Jill Sobule, singer-songwriter known for ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ dies at 66 : NPR

Jill Sobule in 2023.

Jill Sobule in 2023. Andy Kropa/Invision/AP hide caption toggle caption Andy Kropa/Invision/AP Jill Sobule, who raised eyebrows with her cheeky 1995 anthem “I Kissed a Girl,” has died. According to her publicist David Elkin and […]

Jack Black’s ‘A Minecraft Movie’ song breaks chart record : NPR

Alex Warren's (left) "Ordinary" continues to climb up the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Meanwhile Jack Black (right) scores a surprising record with a very short song from A Minecraft Movie.

Alex Warren’s (left) “Ordinary” continues to climb up the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Meanwhile Jack Black (right) scores a surprising record with a very short song from A Minecraft Movie. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images […]

David Thomas, Pere Ubu’s defiantly original leader, dies at 71 : NPR

David Thomas performing at North London Polytechnic in 1980.

Through Pere Ubu, David Thomas’ influence can be heard on countless bands that resisted categorization. David Corio/Redferns/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption David Corio/Redferns/Getty Images David Thomas, the irreverent experimental musician who led the influential […]

Billy McFarland is selling Fyre Festival’s brand : NPR

Billy McFarland sits in a TV studio.

Fyre Festival founder Billy McFarland, pictured in 2023, is putting the brand up for sale two years after announcing plans for a second event. Theo Wargo/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Theo Wargo/Getty Images The […]

Ken Carson’s ‘More Chaos’ capitalizes on a quiet week on the charts : NPR

Ken Carson performs at the Sahara Stage at the 2024 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival weekend 2 day 1 at Empire Polo Club on April 19, 2024 in Indio, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella)

Ken Carson performs at the 2024 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 19, 2024. This week, Carson’s fourth album, More Chaos, became his first to hit No. 1. on Billboard‘s album chart. Matt […]

Francis Davis, a figurehead of jazz criticism, has died : NPR

Francis Davis accepts the Grammy award for best album notes for his work on Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition in 2009.

Francis Davis accepts the Grammy award for best album notes for his work on Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition in 2009. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kevin Winter/Getty Images […]

20 musicians who should get to go to space before Katy Perry : NPR

Singer Katy Perry performs during 2015 Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Katy Perry performs during 2015 Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images When the news first broke […]

National Recording Registry adds Tracy Chapman, Minecraft, Hamilton : NPR

Tracy Chapman onstage during the 66th Grammy Awards on February 04, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Tracy Chapman performs during the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, 2024 in Los Angeles. Amy Sussman/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Amy Sussman/Getty Images The original cast recording of Hamilton, the score of the […]

Bruce Springsteen to release seven new albums of unreleased material as ‘Tracks II’ : NPR

Bruce Springsteen performs when Michael Dorf presents the 20th Annual Charity Concert, "People Have The Power - A Celebration Of Patti Smith" show at Carnegie Hall on March 26, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/WireImage)

“I’ve played this music to myself and often close friends for years now,” Springsteen says. “I’m glad you’ll get a chance to finally hear them. I hope you enjoy them.” Al Pereira/WireImage/WireImage hide caption toggle […]

Playboi Carti’s ‘MUSIC’ has biggest streaming week since Taylor Swift : NPR

This week, rapper Playboi Carti's MUSIC tops this week’s Billboard 200.

This week rapper Playboi Carti’s MUSIC tops this week’s Billboard 200. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption Scott Dudelson/Getty Images/Getty Images North America The rapper Playboi Carti‘s much-hyped MUSIC leads this […]

Aurelio Martínez, ambassador of Garifuna music, has died : NPR

Honduran musician and politician Aurelio Martínez, photographed in London in 2011.

Honduran musician and politician Aurelio Martínez, photographed in London in 2011. Judith Burrows/Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Judith Burrows/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Honduran folk musician Aurelio Martínez has died. The 55-year-old was a respected […]

Jesse Colin Young, singer of The Youngbloods’ ‘Get Together,’ dies at 83 : NPR

Jesse Colin Young performs live in 1973.

Jesse Colin Young performs live in 1973. ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images Jesse Colin Young, a prolific musician known as the voice of The Youngbloods’ era-defining “Get Together,” […]

LISA of BLACKPINK’s ‘Alter Ego’ debuts in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart : NPR

Thai rapper and singer Lisa, from South Korean group Blackpink, performs during the New Year's Eve celebrations in Bangkok on December 31, 2024. (Photo by Chanakarn Laosarakham / AFP) (Photo by CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP via Getty Images)

This week, only one album debuts in the top 50: Alter Ego by LISA of the K-pop group BLACKPINK. CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP via Getty Images/AFP hide caption toggle caption CHANAKARN LAOSARAKHAM/AFP via Getty Images/AFP This week’s […]

Dolly Parton’s new song ‘If You Hadn’t Been There’ honors late husband Carl Dean : NPR

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 06: Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)

“You made me drеam / More than I dared,” Parton sings on the song. “And I wouldn’t be hеre / If you hadn’t been there.” Terry Wyatt/WireImage/WireImage hide caption toggle caption Terry Wyatt/WireImage/WireImage Dolly Parton’s […]

Tate McRae’s ‘So Close to What’ tops Billboard albums chart : NPR

The pop star McRae, who first caught the public’s attention as a finalist on the 13th season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2016, has been bubbling up ever since.

The pop star Tate McRae, who first caught the public’s attention as a finalist on the 13th season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2016, has been bubbling up ever since. Jamie McCarthy/Getty […]

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years who inspired ‘Jolene,’ dies at 82 : NPR

Dolly Parton performs during an event in August 2023 celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Overland Park, Kan. Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's husband of nearly 60 years, died Monday in Nashville, Tenn., at age 82.

Dolly Parton performs during an event in August 2023 celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Overland Park, Kan. Carl Dean, Dolly Parton’s husband of nearly 60 years, died Monday in […]

Angie Stone, neo-soul singer, dies at 63 : NPR

Angie Stone, pictured at the 2009 Soul Train Awards in Atlanta, died in a car accident on Saturday.

Angie Stone, pictured at the 2009 Soul Train Awards in Atlanta, died in a car accident on Saturday. Gregory Smith/AP hide caption toggle caption Gregory Smith/AP The music world and saddened fans are mourning the […]