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Robin Hilton Robin Hilton is NPR's senior producer of music podcasts and host of the show New Music Friday.
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Robin Hilton

Robin Hilton

Senior Podcast Producer, NPR Music

Story Archive

Tuesday

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

The iconic cover of Bruce Springsteen's Born In The U.S.A. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

With the Fourth of July week here, we look at an album all about the messy, complicated and wonderful culture of America: Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which recently turned 40 years old.

'Born In The U.S.A.' at 40

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Nathy Peluso Ivan Resnik/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Ivan Resnik/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Our updated list of the year's best songs includes a sweet reflection from beabadoobee, Nathy Peluso's wildly infectious "Aprender A Amar," the mind-blowing virtuosity of pianist Yuja Wang and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 12: The songs we can't stop playing this week

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Tuesday

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

Helado Negro Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Sadie Culberson Studio/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

With the first half of the year almost behind us, we hit pause to reflect on some of the best tracks we've gotten so far, from Chappell Roan, Brittany Howard, Pedro The Lion and more.

The best songs of 2024 (so far)

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

Actor, comedian and music superfan Jason Mantzoukas Matt Doyle Photo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Matt Doyle Photo/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

Actor, comedian and music superfan Jason Mantzoukas joins us to update our running list of the year's best songs, with lots of crate-digging curiosities. With host Robin Hilton and NPR Music's Lars Gotrich.

The Contenders, Vol. 11: Jason Mantzoukas

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Tuesday

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Janelle Monáe gives a commencement speech at Loyola Marymount University's 2024 Graduate ceremony. JC Olivera/Getty Images hide caption

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JC Olivera/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

Listeners share songs that take them back to the final days of high school, and the lessons they impart.

Advice for graduates: Listeners share songs, lessons from high school

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Lake Street Dive's latest album is Good Together. Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Shervin Lainez/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Our biweekly update of the year's best tracks is a mix full of "the hurries and the worries" from Alkaline Trio, wistful reflections from Lake Street Dive, Cindy Lee's sprawling double album and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 10: The songs we can't stop playing this week

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Monday

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

WILLOW's latest album, empathogen, includes one of this week's must-hear tracks, "Run." Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

We update our running list of the year's best songs with new ones from Dominic Fike, WILLOW, Kamasi Washington, Illuminati Hotties and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 9: The songs we can't stop playing this week

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Tuesday

Mother's Day Special: Celebrating moms and the music they loved
Jackie Lay/NPR

All Songs Considered

Mother's Day Special: Celebrating moms and the music they loved

Get your hanky out. With Mother's Day nearing, listeners share the songs that remind them of their moms and the deeply moving stories behind them.

Mother's Day Special: Celebrating moms and the music they loved

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 8: The songs we can't stop playing this week

The artist known as Bnny. Her new album is One Million Love Songs. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 8: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Brittany Luse, host of NPR's It's Been A Minute, joins All Songs Considered's Robin Hilton to update our running list of the year's best songs.

The Contenders, Vol. 8: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Listen · 36:58
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Thursday

Tuesday

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

Writer T.S. Eliot takes a reflective puff at a cigarette before starting work. Keystone Features/Getty Images hide caption

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Keystone Features/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

Is April, as T.S. Eliot put it, the cruelest month? We reflect on the question with a mix that's both cringe-inducing and hilarious, from the cruelest takedowns to the most insidious earworms.

Cruel songs for the cruelest month

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Wednesday

Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 7: The songs we can't stop playing this week

The shoegaze artist known as Wisp Chandler Kennedy/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Chandler Kennedy/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 7: The songs we can't stop playing this week

This week's update to our list of the year's best songs includes thunderous shoegaze from Wisp, a classic Cuban piano piece from Dánae Olano, a deeply moving story from Pedro The Lion and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 7: The songs we can't stop playing this week

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Tuesday

Songs to make you laugh, with 'Weird Al' Yankovic

Kyle Gass and Jack Black of Tenacious D performing live. Paul McConnell/Getty Images hide caption

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Paul McConnell/Getty Images

All Songs Considered

Songs to make you laugh, with 'Weird Al' Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic helps curate a mix of some of the funniest songs of all time, from classics like Tom Lehrer's "The Elements," to more fringe discoveries from The Hazzards, Tonio K. and more.

Songs to make you laugh, with 'Weird Al' Yankovic

Listen · 54:37
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Tuesday

The Contenders Vol. 6: The songs we can't stop playing this week

Gary Clark Jr. Mike Miller/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Mike Miller/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders Vol. 6: The songs we can't stop playing this week

We update our running list of the year's best songs with Charlotte Day Wilson's beguiling "Canopy," wry punk from Gustaf, a breathtaking new solo work from Adrianne Lenker and more.

The Contenders Vol. 6: The songs we can't stop playing this week

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Tuesday

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

Image from the cover to Laraaji's 2023 album, Segue to Infinity. Illustration by Jackie Lay/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Illustration by Jackie Lay/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

It's music to the rescue on this week's All Songs Considered, with a mix of songs to slow the blood, including the one track scientists believe can reduce anxiety by up to 65%.

Relax: Songs to calm the nerves

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 5: Our running list of the year's best songs

Cellis Maya Beiser offers a remarkable interpretation of Terry Riley's In C on her latest album. Boyang Hu/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Boyang Hu/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 5: Our running list of the year's best songs

We update our tally of the year's best contenders with the effervescent Bombay Bicycle Club, Residente's epic and profound "313," cellist Maya Beiser's take on Terry Riley's In C and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 5: Our running list of the year's best songs

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Tuesday

Spring preview 2024

Fabi Reyna of Reyna Tropical Devyn Galindo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Devyn Galindo/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

Spring preview 2024

World Cafe's Raina Douris joins NPR's Sheldon Pearce and host Robin Hilton to talk about the most anticipated albums out this spring, including new ones from Vampire Weekend, Waxahatchee, Portishead's Beth Gibbons and more.

Spring preview 2024

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 4: Our running list of the year's best songs

Madi Diaz's new album, Weird Faith, includes the deeply affecting song, "God Person," one of our best-of-the-year contenders. Muriel Margaret/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Muriel Margaret/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 4: Our running list of the year's best songs

Brittany Luse, host of NPR's It's Been A Minute, joins NPR's Stephen Thompson and host Robin Hilton to update our running tally of songs that could end up on NPR Music's best-of-the-year lists.

The Contenders, Vol. 4: Our running list of the year's best songs

Listen · 46:16
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Tuesday

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

Beck as seen in his 1994 video for the song "Loser." Youtube screen grab by NPR hide caption

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Youtube screen grab by NPR

All Songs Considered

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

Nothing on mainstream radio sounded like Beck's "Loser" when it dropped in 1994. Thirty years later, we explain why, look at its impact on the rise of slacker rock and how we still hear it today.

Beck's 'Loser' at 30 and the golden age of slacker rock

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 3: Our running list of the year's best songs

Composer, singer-songwriter and producer Julia Holter joins us to play some of her favorite music ahead of her latest album, Something in the Room She Moves, due out in March. Camille Blake/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Camille Blake/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 3: Our running list of the year's best songs

Host Robin Hilton hangs with composer and artist Julia Holter and NPR's Lars Gotrich to gab about their favorite new music, including the calming sounds of Helado Negro, Daisy Rickman and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 3: Our running list of the year's best songs

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Tuesday

Mix messages: Listeners share the songs that say 'I've got a crush on you'
Twentieth Century Fox

All Songs Considered

Mix messages: Listeners share the songs that say 'I've got a crush on you'

We asked listeners to tell us about a time they put a song on a mixtape or playlist to woo a crush. On this week's show, we share some of those songs ... and find out if they worked.

Mix messages: Listeners share the songs that say 'I've got a crush on you'

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Tuesday

The Contenders, Vol. 2: Our running list of the year's best songs

"Crowded Roomz," the latest single from Nia Archives, is one of the tracks we can't stop playing this week. Lola Banet/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Lola Banet/Courtesy of the artist

All Songs Considered

The Contenders, Vol. 2: Our running list of the year's best songs

Host Robin Hilton hangs with NPR's Hazel Cills and Sheldon Pearce to geek out about the new Billy Joel, Kim Gordon, Shygirl, Nia Archives and more.

The Contenders, Vol. 2: Our running list of the year's best songs

Listen · 49:25
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