Music

Biographer Peter Ames Carlin describes the making of Born to Run as an "existential moment" for Springsteen. Carlin's book is Tonight in Jungleland. Originally broadcast Aug. 7, 2025.

Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their home on Sunday, and their son was arrested on suspicion of murder. Today we're going to listen back to the interview I recorded with Rob Reiner in September. But first our TV critic, remembers Reiner's contributions to TV and film.

Critic Martin Johnson says DeJohnette, who died Oct. 26, was one of the greatest jazz drummers of the past 60 years. He played with a range of musicians, including Miles Davis and Bill Evans.

The Miami-born, Cuban American musician, who died Dec. 8, played music that embraced Latin rhythms, roots, rock 'n' roll, and country. Originally broadcast in 1995.

Whether you're anxiously awaiting Christmas or already wishing the holidays would be over, here's a selection of music that lets you know you're not alone.

Some books give Smith's birthdate as Dec. 8, 1925, but more recent sources cite 1928 as his birth year. Regardless, the late musician always delivered the goods, even as the beats behind him changed.

As a member of Stax Records' Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Cropper helped create some of the most important Southern soul music of the '60s. He died Dec. 3. Originally broadcast in 1990.

We listen back to archival interviews with two Opry members: bluegrass musician Scruggs, who perfected three-finger banjo picking, and country star Lynn. Originally broadcast in 2012 and 2010.

These love songs — Neko Case's "Oh, Neglect...," Valerie June's "Runnin' and Searchin'" and Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" — each express a refreshingly realistic ambivalence toward romance.

Cynthia Erivo, the award-winning actress and singer who stars as Elphaba in the "Wicked" films. She's also the author of a new memoir, "Simply More: A Book For Anyone Who Has Been Told They're Too Much."

Smith's debut album ushered in a new era of rock and roll. Critic Ken Tucker reviews the new anniversary edition of Horses, plus we listen back to Terry Gross' 1996 and 2010 interviews with Smith.

In 2015, Copeland made history as the first Black woman to become a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. Copeland took her final bow with American Ballet Theatre in October, after spending years away from performance.

Oh took the fast track to jazz prominence, emerging on the scene in the 2000s and becoming the bass player in bands led by Pat Metheny and Vijay Iyer. Her new album is a look back at her early work.

Critic Lloyd Schwartz tells a story about Lezhneva, a Russian singer he "discovered" a few months ago — without realizing he already owned a 2015 recording of her rendition of Handel's early oratorio.

For years, singer and musician Laufey knew she wanted to be a performer but struggled to find an audience. The child of an Icelandic father and a Chinese immigrant mother, Laufey sometimes felt out of place in Iceland. That's when Laufey began posting videos of herself singing jazz standards while also playing cello, guitar or piano.

Swift's previous albums focused on the love she yearned for. The dozen songs on her latest release combine to form a picture of true love found, tested and proven strong.

Enter In 1973, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, then struggling musicians, released an album that inspired Mick Fleetwood to invite them to join his band. Buckingham Nicks has just been remastered.

When he was 18, Ronson began DJing in the clubs of New York City. In the new memoir, Night People: How to Be a DJ in '90s New York City, Ronson reflects on the 1990s club scene and his journey to becoming a music producer. He's gone on to work with some of the biggest names in pop, including Amy Winehouse, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga and more.

Redford died at his home in Utah on Sept. 16. Fresh Air remembers Redford with three different archival interviews, which were broadcast Jan. 12, 1998, May 19, 1998 and Dec. 12, 2013.

Big Thief has a new album, as does Zach Top, a young country singer with roots in old country. And the Icelandic-Chinese singer Laufey brings a classical-music and jazz influence to her pop songs.