The 2010s In Music; Musicians Cut Ties With Amazon

Plus, a new Janis Joplin biography and a new way to watch studio sessions from public radio

by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Parkwood Entertainment As the 2010s are coming to an end, All Songs Considered has been taking a look back at the music and moments that shaped this decade. Our series of podcasts begins, as so many good stories often do, with Beyoncé . As we thought about this decade, we noticed a series of trends that emerged — social media blew up, the lines between genres got blurry, the way music was released got unpredictable — and Beyoncé amplified all of them. Classical music has gone through a period of immense change over the last 10 years, though the genre’s institutions have been rocked by scandal and financial floundering. Now, there are more forward-thinking practitioners than ever before (and five of the past 10 music Pulitzers were awarded to women).  And while it may feel like the major streaming services have become unavoidable, we chose to examine the alternative: In the 2010s, Bandcamp emerged as a different path forward for artists and listeners. Since its founding in 2008, the service has become a buzzing, artist-friendly hub for music lovers, with pay-what-you-want pricing and lots of rabbit holes leading to music you won't find anywhere else. Changing the game, one digital drop at a time, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Newsletter continues after sponsor message New Music With the end of 2019 fast approaching, the recent deluge of riveting new releases continued this week. On All Songs Considered’s New Music Friday rundown, hear the offbeat soul of Rex Orange County and the throwback pop of King Princess, plus the first new album in seven years from Neil Young & Crazy Horse.  As the front person for indie rock band Hop Along, Frances Quinlan is known for her narrative songwriting and powerful voice. Now, she’s announced a solo album called Likewise. Its first single brings empathy and courage to a nightmarish dream. This week, Kesha announced her new album, High Road, and shared its first single: a gospel-inspired rave-up banger. And if the great and good Kesha just wants to party hard before she gets to heaven, who are we to judge? This week on All Songs Considered, Bob Boilen talked to Radie Peat and Ian Lynch from Lankum, an extraordinary band from Dublin, about the band’s new album and its unique brand of Irish music. Good news! Your favorite studio sessions from public radio stations across the country are now in one place: Live Sessions on NPR Music. Bookmark it for the latest performances from new musicians you need to know and artists you already love. Featuring This year, Kanye West rose from the ashes of a career flameout by taking his faith on tour. Ahead of the release of his so-called “gospel” album, scholar Ashon Crawley asks: What are we forgetting when we engage with West’s self-styled salvation? Earlier this month, Brandi Carlile and collaborators paid tribute to Joni Mitchell and her masterpiece Blue with a full-concert performance. The event, Ann Powers says, was an acknowledgment of Mitchell's work as shared language. Watch a film produced for the event featuring Sheryl Crow, Clive Davis, Elton John, Rosanne Cash, Emma Thompson and many more sharing their favorite Joni lyrics. After the announcement of an Amazon-sponsored music festival, hundreds of musicians pledged to cut business ties with the company because its Amazon Web Services subsidiary has a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Holly George-Warren’s deep research, eye for detail and clarity of delivery make for a more rounded and convincing image of Janis Joplin than ever before. Hear the Janis author on her latest biography on Fresh Air. It was a meeting of masters, and Jazz Night In America was there: Watch a concert capture of a first-time collaboration between banjo player Béla Fleck and harpist Edmar Castañeda at the 2019 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville. Tiny Desk Bob Boilen/NPR We love when a group brings costumes to the Tiny Desk— and CHAI, from Japan, did not disappoint. The group is on a mission to expand the conventional meaning of "cute,” and its performance included synchronized dancing, pom-poms and matching pink uniforms, with a heavy, angular sound. Incoming Next week, Tiny Desk is going big. We’ll be hosting four sold-out shows at Bob Boilen’s desk featuring mystery guests. If you didn’t manage to grab a ticket, you can still stream all the performances live: Sign up here to be notified of each evening’s live stream on NPR.org. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: nprmusic@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Books, Pop Culture, Health and more! Need a new playlist? Follow NPR Music on Spotify and Apple Music! You received this message because you're subscribed to NPR Music emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy