Look out, Terry Gross!
And why are One Direction our modern-day castrati?
Musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding have highbrow discourse on the Top 40.
Credit: ILLUSTRATION BY TOMI UM for EW
Soul Music
The Premise:Thats soul as in chicken soup not just the genre.
This series explores the emotional resonance that drives works from Beethoven to ELO.
U Talkin U2 to Me?
Bonus points for getting scoop on U2s next album!
Best Episode:Loudon Wainwright III opens up about his classic songs and his famed musical family.
Youll never listen to their music the same way again.
Best Episode:Bjork shares the surprising inspirations behind her 2015 song Stonemilker.
Microphone Check
The Premise:Terry Gross isnt the only star interlocutor at NPR.
Hosts Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Frannie Kelley deliver detailed, no-nonsense interviews with some of hip-hops biggest names.
How do screaming punk singers avoid vocal injury?
And why do so many songwriters say inspiration comes in the form of dreams?
Best Episode:The deep dive into the history of the Ruff Ryders features label cofounder Joaquin Waah Dean.
A version of this story appeared inEntertainment Weekly issue #1399, on newsstands now.
