We celebrate spring and new beginnings with a perfect mix of songs for starting over. This can take many forms: songs that spark a good, cleansing cry; songs that offer wisdom, or just a sure-fire jolt of adrenaline. But in the end, all of the tracks can help reconfigure your mood, your day or even your life. Host Robin Hilton is joined by NPR Music’s Noah Caldwell and Dora Levite.Featured artists and songs:(00:00) Intro(02:05) Nina Simone: “Feelin’ Good” from I Put a Spell on You(06:02) Cassandra Jenkins: “Hard Drive” from An Overview of Phenomenal Nature(10:29) Cajmere: “Brighter Days” from Brighter Days(15:42) Beastie Boys: “Sabotage” from Ill Communication(18:54) Wednesday: “Reality TV Argument Bleeds” from Bleeds(22:43) Gregory Alan Isakov: “Second Chances” from The Weatherman(27:09) Bob Marley: “Three Little Birds” from Exodus(30:56) LCD Soundsystem: “Oh Baby” from American Dream(35:18) Ryuichi Sakamoto: “Zure” from async(41:02) Amy Shark: “Amy Shark” from Cry Forever(45:26) Sluice: “Beadie” from Companion(50:05) The Allman Brothers Band: “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” from Eat a PeachSupport the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The British act Jungle had a big hit with “Back on 74” — and its unforgettable dance video — in 2023. Now, the group is back with “Carry On,” a breezy, sun-dappled song about surviving a broken heart. We give it a spin to open the show, along with a study on optimism from one of José González’s best albums, a celestial ambient cut from throat singer Tanya Tagaq and more.NPR classical critic Tom Huizenga joins host Robin Hilton as they update their running list of the year’s best songs.(00:00) Intro(01:03) Jungle: “Carry On” from ‘SUNSHINE’(07:42) Gabriel Kahane & Roomful of Teeth: “Not Even the Dead” from ‘Elevator Songs’(14:23) Quiet Light: “Self Tape” from ‘Blue Angel Sparkling Silver 2’(23:34) Tanya Tagaq: “Imiq” from ‘Saputjiji’(31:13) José González: “Etyd” from ‘Against the Dying of the Light’(37:49) Giya Kancheli: “Middelheim” from ‘Kancheli: Ex contrario, Middelheim & Tsutisopeli’Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

More than 6,000 artists entered this year’s Tiny Desk Contest, hoping to win their very own performance behind the actual Desk. We’ll announce the winner soon, but in the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite entries, from the riff-rock group Pump Action, to soul singer Les Greene, loop artist Jackie Marchal, singer-songwriter Yuri Shin and more.Tiny Desk series producer Bobby Carter joins All Songs Considered host Robin Hilton. (They’re also the two lead judges for the Contest.)Featured entries:(00:00) Intro(00:51) Pump Action: “Supernova”(03:34) Lily Talmers: “Big Idea”(07:18) Walker Burroughs: “Open Skies”(10:53) Les Greene and the Swayzees: "Long Story Short"(14:08) Nicolosi: “Are You Coming To The Ivy?”(17:20) Jackie Marchal: “Excavate The Girl”(21:43) the King will come: “welcome”(24:33) Yuri Shin: “Falling Rabbit”(27:54) Lauren Frihauf: “One Thing Always Leads To Another”(31:41) Meira: “Make Me Go”Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Our latest mix of the best new songs out now includes a stunning live version of Bon Iver’s “Heavenly Father,” a track the band originally wrote for the 2014 film Wish I Was Here, but never made available to stream before now. We’ve also got a stirring new ballad from Tori Amos, Luxembourg indie rocker Francis of Delirium (who assures us this is, in fact, a beautiful life), the long-awaited (if complicated) return of influential metal band Neurosis and more.NPR Music’s Lars Gotrich joins host Robin Hilton.(00:00) Intro(01:41) Bon Iver: “Heavenly Father” from VOLUMES: ONE (SELECTIONS FROM MUSIC CONCERTS 2019-2023)(08:25) Souled American: “Freeing Wheels” from Sanctions(13:58) Francis of Delirium: “It’s a Beautiful Life” from Run, Run Pure Beauty(20:28) Tara Clerkin Trio: “Somewhere Good” from Somewhere Good(28:58) Tori Amos: “Stronger Together” from In Times of Dragons(35:36) Neurosis: “Untethered” from An Undying Love for a Burning WorldSupport the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

We check back in with our running list of the best songs of the week, including Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of The Magnetic Fields classic “The Book of Love,” Noah Kahan’s anthemic new single “Porch Light,” one of Aldous Harding’s boldest songs to date and more. NPR Music’s Dora Levite joins host Robin Hilton.(00:00) Intro(01:29) Noah Kahan: “Porch Light” from ‘The Great Divide’(09:09) Olivia Rodrigo: “The Book of Love” from ‘Help (2)’(16:48) Ages and Ages: “Feel Amazing” from ‘Fine Thanks and You’(24:30) Aldous Harding: “One Stop” from ‘Train on the Island’(31:23) Ryan Lott: “Discontent” from ‘Marathon’ (38:20) underscores: “Tell Me (U Want It)” from ‘U’Support the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Will this finally be Diane Warren’s year at the Oscars, when she goes up against “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters and “I Lied to You” from Sinners? (Probably not.)Host Robin Hilton is joined by New Music Friday’s Stephen Thompson to cruelly rank those nominees along with “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams and “Sweet Dreams of Joy” from Viva Verdi!.(00:00) Intro(02:37) Fifth place(08:45) Fourth place(16:55) Third place(24:25) Second place(33:31) First place and our pick to win the OscarSupport the show with a review on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. And tell a friend!Questions, comments, suggestions or feedback of any kind always welcome: allsongs@npr.orgSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy