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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 27

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 27

Robyn. RAYE. A jazzy left turn from Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Alisa Ali from WFUV in the Bronx about their favorite albums out Friday, March 27. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round. 

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 27

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Luke Combs
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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 20

BTS. Alex Isley. Dubstep-infused hyperpop from underscores. NPR Music's Hazel Cills chats with Francesca Harding of member station KCRW in Los Angeles about their favorite albums out Friday, March 20. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 20

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Sturgill Simpson.

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 13

James Blake. Kim Gordon. Sturgill Simpson's country-funk alter ego. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Amelia Mason from WBUR in Boston about their favorite albums out Friday, March 13. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 13

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New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6

Flying Lotus. waterbaby. The groovy affirmations of Joshua Idehen. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Nate Chinen from WRTI in Philadelphia about their favorite albums out Friday, March 6. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out March 6

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The best new albums out Feb. 27
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New Music Friday

The best new albums out Feb. 27

Bruno Mars. Mitski. Grief and celebration from Gorillaz. Robin Hilton welcomes Raina Douris from WXPN in Philadelphia to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Feb. 27. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 27

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20

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Five Towers/Three Six Zero

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20

WILLOW. Altin Gün. Fugazi alumni smashing punk into jazz. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Evan Miller from WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Feb. 20.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 20

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The best new albums out Feb. 13

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Mark Peaced/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Feb. 13

August Ponthier. Brent Faiyaz. Jill Scott's first album in more than a decade. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Nastia Voynovskaya from KQED in San Francisco to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Feb. 13.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 13

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The best new albums out Feb. 6

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Miles Kalchik/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Feb. 6

Ratboys. Beverly Glenn-Copeland. Caribou's club alter-ego. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee about their favorite new albums out Friday, Feb. 6.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Feb. 6

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Orestes Gomez

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 30

Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon. Emily Scott Robinson. Blood harmonies from Irish brothers Ye Vagabonds. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Dre Castillo from KVNF in western Colorado about the best albums out Friday, Jan. 30.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 30

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23

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Cedrick Jones/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23

Lucinda Williams. Julian Lage. The debut from rising Americana star Kashus Culpepper. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Jessie Scott from WMOT in Nashville about the best new albums out Friday, Jan. 23.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16

Ya Tseen. The Sha La Das. A mesmerizing collaboration between Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Alex Newman from KMHD in Portland to chat about the best albums out Friday, January 16.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 16

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New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 9

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Max Miechowski/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 9

Dry Cleaning. Jenny on Holiday. An introspective debut from Mon Rovîa. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville to talk about their favorite new albums out Friday, January 9.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 9

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The Best Albums of 2025

New Music Friday

The Best Albums of 2025

If we needed any more proof that the album isn't dead, 2025 was it. On this episode, Stephen Thompson is joined by Ann Powers and Daoud Tyler-Ameen to run through 12 dazzling albums that stuck with the NPR Music team this year. And for an even deeper exploration, check out the full lists of our critics' best albums of 2025 here.

The Best Albums of 2025

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The best new albums out Dec. 5

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Dec. 5

Dove Ellis. Melody's Echo Chamber. Editors' Tom Smith. Erin Wolf of Radio Milwaukee joins Stephen Thompson to discuss those albums and more on our last episode of New Music Friday this year.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Dec. 5

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The best new albums out Nov. 21

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New Music Friday

The best new albums out Nov. 21

Odeal. Snarky Puppy. The return of Tobias Jesso Jr. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Justus Sanchez from KNKX in Seattle and Tacoma to chat about their favorite new albums out Friday, Nov. 21.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 21

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The best new albums out Nov. 14

FKA twigs' second album of 2025, 'EUSEXUA Afterglow,' is out now. Young/XL Recordings hide caption

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Young/XL Recordings

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Nov. 14

FKA twigs. The Avett Brothers. Madi Diaz covering blink-182. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music is joined by Liz Warner from WDET in Detroit to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Nov. 14. 

New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 14

Listen · 36:25
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New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 7

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Noah Dillon

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 7

Mavis Staples. Young Miko. A jaw-dropping project from Rosalía. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson is joined by Alt.Latino's Anamaria Sayre and Liz Felix from WYEP in Pittsburgh to discuss their favorite new albums out November 7.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Nov. 7

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The best new albums out Oct. 31

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New Music Friday

The best new albums out Oct. 31

A Waxahatchee side project. Guided By Voices. keiyaA. Marfa Public Radio's Julie Bee joins NPR Music's Stephen Thompson to break down the best albums out on Halloween.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 31

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The best new albums out Oct. 24

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Oct. 24

Brandi Carlile. Miguel. Tortoise. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Ayana Contreras from KUVO in Denver about their favorite albums out Friday, Oct. 24.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 24

Listen · 38:55
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The best new albums out Oct. 17

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Oct. 17

Tame Impala. Silvana Estrada. Soulwax! Guest host Anamaria Sayre is joined by Travis Holcombe of KCRW in Los Angeles to chat about their favorite albums out Friday, Oct. 17.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 17

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Madi Diaz.

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Allister Ann/ANTI-

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Oct. 10

Madi Diaz. Madison Cunningham. The return of Mobb Deep. Guest host Rodney Carmichael chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, Oct. 10.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 10

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The best new albums out Oct. 3

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Charlotte Hadden/Fontana/Verve

New Music Friday

The best new albums out Oct. 3

dodie. Molly Nilsson. Leon Vynehall. We welcome Skylar Rochelle of 90.9 The Bridge in Kansas City to the show to recommend five albums not made by Taylor Swift.

New Music Friday: The best albums out Oct. 3

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