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A deeply personal and revealing record from Brockhampton, Dutch artist Benny Sings, breakout rapper Lakeyah, the Vijay Iyer Trio and more make NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on Apr. 9.Featured Albums:1. Benny Sings — MusicFeatured Song: "Nobody's Fault"2. Brockhampton — Roadrunner: New Light, New MachineFeatured Song: "The Light"3. Lakeyah — In Due TimeFeatured Song: "Look At Me"4. claire rousay — A Softer FocusFeatured Song: "Peak Chroma"5. Mon Laferte — SeisFeatured Song: "Se Me Va Quemar El Corazon"6. Matthew E. White & Lonnie Holley — Broken Mirror: A Selfie ReflectionFeatured Song: "Broken Mirror: A Selfie Reflection"7. Sheep, Dog & Wolf — Two MindsFeatured Song: "Two Minds"8. Cehryl — Time MachineFeatured Song: "Outside the Party, Inside the Dream"9. The Vijay Iyer Trio — UneasyFeatured Song: "Children of Flint"Other notable releases for April 9: Ballaké Sissoko — Djouro; Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble — Now; Max Richter — Voices 2; Rhiannon Giddens & Francesco Turissi — They're Calling Me Home; Taylor Swift — Fearless (Taylor's Version); Yaya Bey — The Things I Can't Take With Me.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite songs of the week, including a Leonard Cohen cover from First Aid Kit, reflections on the comforts of home from Rhiannon Giddens and more. 1. Bachelor, (Jay Som & Palehound): "Stay in the Car," from Doomin' Sun2. Wallice: "Hey Michael," from Off The Rails EP3. Major Murphy: "Real," from Access4. Iceage: "Shelter Song," from Seek Shelter5. Rhiannon Giddens (feat. Francesco Turrisi): "Avalon," from They're Calling Me Home6. First Aid Kit: "Famous Blue Raincoat/Anthem," from Who By Fire7. Skullcrusher: "Song for Nick Drake," from Storm In Summer EP

NPR Music picks the best new albums out this week, including new albums by Leslie Jordan, Flock of Dimes, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and more.1. Nasty Cherry — The Movie EP Featured Song: "Six Six Six"2. Mello Music Group — Bushido Featured Song: "One of the Last (feat. Marlowe)"3. Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad with Gary Bartz — Jazz Is Dead 6Featured Song: "Spiritual Ideation"4. Leslie Jordan — Company's Comin' Featured Song: "Working on a Building (feat. Ashley McBryde & Charlie Worsham)"5. Flock of Dimes — Head of Roses Featured Song: "Price of Blue"6. Dry Cleaning — New Long Leg Featured Song: "Scratchcard Lanyard"7. Godspeed You! Black Emperor — G_d's Pee (AT STATE'S END) Featured Song: "OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (for D.H.)"

In March, we indulged R&B pleasures from Joyce Wrice and Solomon Fox, we missed our friends with a sweet song by Joel Young, dreamed of summer with Hirsch, bum-rushed IKOQWE's razor-edged boom-bap, and discovered the cosmic secrets of Floating Points and Pharoah Sanders. Songs featured on this episode: • IKOQWE: "Pele" from The Beginning, The Mediums, The End and The Infinite • Joyce Wrice: "Losing" from Overgrown • Solomon Fox: "Rockaways" from Solomon• Hirsch: "Reaction" from Denihilism • Joel Young, "Friend"• Floating Points & Pharoah Sanders: "Movement 5" from PromisesFollow the Press Pause playlist for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

The singer and fiddler shares the stories and inspiration behind her sweetly affecting record, Under The Pepper Tree in this conversation with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen.

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on Mar. 26 include the relentlessly infectious songs of AJR, Israeli rapper and singer Noga Erez, Tune-Yards, jazz legend Dr. Lonnie Smith and more.Featured Albums:1. AJR — OK ORCHESTRAFeatured Song: "Joe"2. Noga Erez — KIDSFeatured Song: "End of the Road"3. Clark — Playground In A LakeFeatured Songs: "Lambent Rag," "Forever Chemicals," "Earth Systems"4. Miko Marks — Our CountryFeatured Song: "Ancestors"5. Tune-Yards — SketchyFeatured Song: "Make It Right"6. Dr. Lonnie Smith — BreatheFeatured Song: "Track 9"7. serpentwithfeet — DeaconFeatured Song: "Sailor's Superstition"Other notable releases for Mar. 26: Armand Hammer & The Alchemist — HARAM; Dntel — The Seas Trees See; El Michels Affair — Yeti Season; First Aid Kit — Who By Fire; Floating Points/Pharoah Sanders/London Symphony Orchestra — Promises; Rod Wave — Soulfly.

"Somebody's like, 'Beeps are the new cowbell,' and I agree!" Julien Baker unpacks the experimentation of her new album, Little Oblivions, with Torres' Mackenzie Scott.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite new tracks of the week, including an uplifting piece from Kishi Bashi, the Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté, the return of Gem Club and more. Featured Artists And Songs:1. Kishi Bashi: "Wait for Springtime," from Emigrant EP2. Gem Club: "Spirit & Decline" (Single)3. Red Ribbon: "Renegade," from Planet X4. Madi Diaz: "New Person, Old Place" (Single)5. Montparnasse Musique: "Panter," from Montparnasse Musique6. Toumani Diabaté & The London Symphony Orchestra: "Mamadou Kanda Keita," from Kôrôlén7. Witch Camp (Ghana): "Left To Live Like an Animal," from I've Forgotten Now Who I Used To Be

Hear monumental new music from Jon Batiste, country legend Loretta Lynn, the rapper Benny the Butcher and more on NPR Music's list of the best new albums out this week.Featured Albums:1. Jon Batiste — We AreFeatured Song: "We Are"2. Loretta Lynn — Still Woman EnoughFeatured Song: "You Ain't Woman Enough"3. Melissa Carper — Daddy's Country GoldFeatured Song: "Makin' Memories"4. Vegyn — Like A Good Old FriendFeatured Song: "I See You Sometimes"5. Benny The Butcher — The Plugs I Met 2Featured Song: "Live By It"6. Middle Kids — Today We're The GreatestFeatured Song: "R U 4 Me"7. Colin Miller — HookFeatured Song: "From the Other Room"8. Maria DeHart — QuarantunesFeatured Song: "In My Head"9. New Pagans — The Seed, The Vessel, Roots And AllFeatured Song: "Christian Boys"Other notable releases for March 19: Alex Somers — Siblings and Siblings 2; A.A. Williams — Songs From Isolation; Lana Del Rey — Chemtrails Over The Country Club; Landlady — Landlady; Pink Siifu and Fly Anakin — $mokebreak.

Host Bob Boilen shares more songs about finding both light and darkness in life on this week's All Songs Considered, including a devastating new single from Lucy Dacus. 1. Ben Howard: "Far Out," from Collections From The Whiteout2. Lucy Dacus: "Thumbs" (Single)3. Sour Widows: "Crossing Over," from Crossing Over EP4. Kelli Scarr: "Eve of Spring" (Single)5. Cautious Clay: "Roots" (Single)6. Lightning Bug: "The Right Thing Is Hard To Do," from A Color of the Sky

NPR Music's picks for the best albums out on March 12 include Valerie June's magical meditations, a Blake Mills and Pino Palladino collaboration, Selena Gomez's first Spanish language record and more.Featured Albums:1. Valerie June — The Moon And Stars: Prescriptions For DreamersFeatured Songs: "You And I" and "Starlight Ethereal Silence"2. Selena Gomez — RevelaciónFeatured Song: "Adios"3. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills — Notes With AttachmentsFeatured Song: "Soundwalk"4. Lushlife — RedamancyFeatured Song: "Depaysement"5. LOUISAHHH — The Practice of FreedomFeatured Song: "Love Is A Punk"6. Graham Lambkin — SolosFeatured Songs: "Ginkamix" Other notable releases for March 12: Allie Crow Buckley — Moonlit and Devious; DJ Muggs — Dies Occidendum; Lake Street Dive — Obviously; Leanne Betasamosake Simpson — Theory of Ice.

All Songs Considered's Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson listened to the nearly 300 artists performing at this year's online edition of SXSW and share their most exciting discoveries. This includes the Korean electro-pop duo HAEPAARY, the South African folksinger Bongeziwe Mabandla, the gentle Australian pianist Sophie Hutchings and the occasional detour into Welsh indie-rock, danceable hip-hop and more.

An absolute eccentric, Peter Stampfel picked one favorite song for every year of the 20th century, then performed and recorded them all for an enormous collection.

Our picks for the best new albums out on March 5 include an ambitious remix from Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats, the surreal hip-hop of Genesis Owusu, flickering dance pop from Jane Weaver and more.Featured Albums:1. Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats — Unlocked 1.5Featured Song: "Cosmic"2. Ian Sweet — Show Me How You DisappearFeatured Song: "My Favorite Cloud"3. Adult Mom — DriverFeatured Song: "Wisconsin"4. Hafez Modirzadeh — FacetsFeatured Song: "Facet 33 Tides"5. Genesis Owusu — Smiling With No TeethFeatured Songs: "Centrefold," "Drown," "Smiling With No Teeth," and "On The Move!"6. Jane Weaver — FlockFeatured Song: "The Revolution of Super Visions"7. Elizabeth and the Catapult — Sincerely, eFeatured Song: "Together Alone"Other notable releases for March 5: Arab Strap — As Days Get Dark; Fruit Bats — The Pet Parade; Jesswar — TROPIXX; Jimbo Mathus and Andrew Bird — These 13; Kings of Leon — When You See Yourself; Tigers Jaw — I Won't Care How You Remember Me.

In February, new albums by Aaron Lee Tasjan, Wild Pink and Black Country, New Road had us yearning for live music; VanJess sang matters of the heart; and Will Liverman devoted an entire album to Black composers. Songs featured on this episode: • Aaron Lee Tasjan: "Computer of Love" from Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!• Wild Pink: "Oversharers Anonymous" from A Billion Little Lights• Black Country, New Road: "Science Fair" from For the First Time• VanJess: "Slow Down" from Homegrown• Maxine Funke: "Lucky Penny" from Seance• Will Liverman: Three Dream Portraits: No. 2, Dream Variation from Dreams of a New DayFollow the Press Pause playlist for the NPR Music staff's favorite new songs.

NPR Music's picks for the best new albums out this week include Julian Baker's Little Oblivions, the warped pop of Jimmy Edgar, stirring protest songs from Chris Pierce, a debut from Sam Dew and more.Featured Albums:1. Julien Baker — Little Oblivions Featured Song: "Highlight Reel"2. Karima Walker — Waking The Dreaming BodyFeatured Song: "Window I"3. Chris Pierce — American SilenceFeatured Song: "Sound All The Bells"4. Don Cherry — Cherry JamFeatured Song: "You Took Advantage Of Me"5. Jimmy Edgar — Cheetah BendFeatured Song: "Cheetah"6. Sam Dew — Moonlit FoolsFeatured Song: "Rap Shit"7. Adrian Younge — The American NegroFeatured Song: "James Mincey Jr."8. A Winged Victory For The Sullen — Invisible CitiesFeatured Songs: "The Merchant Of Seven Nations" and "The Celestial City"Other notable releases for Feb. 26: Blanck Mass — In Ferneaux; Cloud Nothings — The Shadow I Remember; Glitterer — Life Is Not A Lesson; Lucy Spraggan — Choices; Nick Hakim — Will This Make Me Good (Remixes)

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his favorite tracks of the week, including Charlie Hickey's collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers, José González's first song in Spanish and more.Featured Songs And Artists:1. Charile Hickey: "Ten Feet Tall," from Count The Stairs2. Francis of Delirium: "Let It All Go," from Wading3. Floatie: "Catch a Good Worm," from Voyage Out4. Matt Sweeney and Bonnie "Prince" Billy w/ Mdou Moctar: "Hall of Death," from Superwolves5. José González: "El Invento" (Single)6. Ethel Cain: "Michelle Pfeiffer," from Inbred7. Mint Julep: "Pulse," from In A Deep And Dreamless Sleep

NPR Music's picks for the best new albums out on Feb. 19 include the disco euphoria of SG Lewis, soaring, instrumental rock from Mogwai, the Somali supergroup 4 Mars, Tash Sultana and more.Featured Artists And Albums:1. SG Lewis — timesFeatured Song: "Back to Earth"2. Pauline Anna Strom: Angel Tears In SunlightFeatured Song: "Temple Gardens At Midnight"3. Mogwai — As The Love ContinuesFeatured Song: "F*** Off Money" 4. Tash Sultana — Terra FirmaFeatured Song: "Crop Circles"5. Lava La Rue — Butter-FlyFeatured Song: "Magpie"6. 4 Mars — Super Somali Sounds From The Gulf Of TadjouraFeatured Song: "Dhulka Hooyo"7. Cassandra Jenkins — An Overview On Phenomenal NatureFeatured Song: "Crosshairs"8. The Hold Steady — Open Door PolicyFeatured Song: "Unpleasant Breakfast"Other notable releases for Feb. 19: Animal Collective — Crestone; Another Michael — New Music And Big Pop; David Gray — Skellig; Hand Habits — Dirt; Indigo Sparke — Echo; Katy Kirby — Cool, Dry Place; Wild Pink — A Billion Little Lights.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares thrilling new music from Tune-Yards, Tōth's tale of playing the trumpet — and fainting — during a funeral, the stunning voice of a singer named mehro and more.Featured Songs: 1. mehro: "Chance With You," from SKY ON FIRE 2. Tōth: "Turnaround (Cocaine Song)," from You And Me And Everything 3. Buzzy Lee: "Strange Town," from Spoiled Love 4. Johanna Samuels: "Nature's Way," from Excelsior! 5. Moontype: "About You," from Bodies of Water 6. Tune-Yards: "hold yourself," from sketchy.

NPR Music's shortlist for the best albums out this week includes new ones from the English rapper slowthai, R&B singer Pink Sweat$, the jazz super group R+R=Now, His Name Is Alive and more.Featured Albums:1. slowthai — TyronFeatured Songs: "45 Smoke," "Push" and "ADHD"2. Pink Sweat$ — Pink PlanetFeatured Song: tbd3. R+R=Now — R+R=Now LiveFeatured Song: tbd4. Jakbo Bro — Uma ElmoFeatured Song: tbd5. Various — Cuba: Music And RevolutionFeatured Song: tbd6. Dominique Fils-Aimé — Three Little WordsFeatured Song: "While We Wait"7. Anika Pyle — Wild RiverFeatured Songs: "Failure II" and "June"8. His Name Is Alive — Hope Is A CandleFeatured Songs: "Still" and "Halo"Other notable releases for Feb. 12: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah — New Fragility; Claud — Super Monster; Death by Unga Bunga — Heavy Male Insecurity; Django Django — Glowing in the Dark; Jillette Johnson — It's A Beautiful Day And I Love You; Pale Waves — Who Am I?; Sports — Get A Good Look Pt. 1; Various — Judas and the Black Messiah OST