NHPR Music News

Michelle Branch's hit song "All You Wanted" released in 2001.

NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: Is the rap mogul's self-selection a crowning achievement or a final affront?

From an indie darling getting called a "psyop" to plagiarism allegations against a rising pop star, this year feels like an especially fraught time to bicker about authenticity in the music industry.

"Is it real?" is the most pressing question in music in 2026, and it's one that feels impossible to adequately answer, in almost any context.

Controversy over an artist being fake — or someone thinking they are — is hardly new. Here are some of the craziest moments in recent music history when the boundary between real and fake collapsed.

From top to (cheeky) bottom, CMAT's Tiny Desk has it all: captivating stage presence, sharp songwriting, vocal range, a great band and comedic timing.

Listen to the best creepy music from the concert stage, film, and opera on Creepy Classics.October 30 and 31 at 5 p.m. on Classical New Hampshire.

Taylor Swift still has the No. 1 song in the country, but there are several songs behind her worth your attention.

World Cafe host Raina Douris said she tries to capture the humanity behind well-known and up-and-coming artists.

Webb has written music for a host of superstars. Now 80, he has a new album of previously unreleased songs and he performs on PBS' Great Performances later this month. Originally broadcast in 2004.