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Electronic music icons Boards of Canada — the Scottish sibling duo of Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin — return with their first LP since 2013.

Electronic music icons Boards of Canada — the Scottish sibling duo of Mike Sandison and Marcus Eoin — return with their first LP since 2013. Warp Records hide caption

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Warp Records

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 29

Boards of Canada. Kurt Vile. Iceage. Host Stephen Thompson chats with Andrew Brown of KUTX in Austin about their favorite albums out Friday, May 29. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out June 5

Listen · 41:25
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New Music Friday: The best albums out May 22

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 22

Aja Monet. Jack Antonoff's Bleachers. Radiohead's Ed O'Brien. Guest host Ann Powers chats with Aurora McGuckin of MVY Radio in Massachusetts about their favorite albums out Friday, May 22. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 22

Listen · 39:08
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Dua Saleh

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Ghostly International

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 15

Jobi Riccio. Dua Saleh. Tank and the Bangas. Plus, others not named Drake! NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Joe Kendrick of WNCW in North Carolina about their favorite albums out Friday, May 15. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer their personal picks in the lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 15

Listen · 42:57
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MUNA

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Dean Bradshaw

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 8

MUNA. Stephen Sanchez. Lykke Li. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Celia Gregory from WNXP in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, May 8. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round. 

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 8

Listen · 42:53
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American Football

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New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 1

Kacey Musgraves. American Football. Tori Amos. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Jewly Hight from WPLN in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, May 1. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out May 1

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New Music Friday: The best albums out April 24

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 24

Noah Kahan. Kehlani. The return of Metric. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with DJ Llu from Vermont Public about their favorite albums out Friday, April 24. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 24

Listen · 41:41
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New Music Friday: The best albums out April 17

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 17

Honey Dijon. Yaya Bey. Shadowy pop from Sofia Isella. Guest host Hazel Cills chats with Nastia Voynovskaya from KQED in San Francisco about their favorite albums out Friday, April 17. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 17

Listen · 41:58
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Ella Langley

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Columbia Records

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 10

Ella Langley. Wesley Joseph. The spellbinding Juni Habel. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Chloe Kimes from WMOT in Nashville about their favorite albums out Friday, April 10. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 10

Listen · 40:48
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New Music Friday: The best albums out April 3

New Music Friday

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 3

Thundercat. Arlo Parks. Devotional belters from Dermot Kennedy. NPR Music's Stephen Thompson chats with Erin Wolf from Radio Milwaukee about their favorite albums out Friday, April 3. Plus, a handful of NPR Music writers and critics offer personal picks in our lightning round.

New Music Friday: The best albums out April 3

Listen · 39:28
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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

Listen · 42:30
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Luke Combs

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Robby Klein/Sony Nashville

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

Listen · 39:37
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Sturgill Simpson.

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Frazer Harrison/Getty

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

Listen · 42:32
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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

Listen · 41:24
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The best new albums out Feb. 27
Lexie Alley/Courtesy of the artist

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

Listen · 40:34
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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

Listen · 38:33
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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

Listen · 38:15
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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

Listen · 37:35
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Orestes Gomez

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Courtesy of the artist.

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

Listen · 38:07
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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

Listen · 36:43
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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

Listen · 38:38
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New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 9

The new album from British band Dry Cleaning is called Secret Love. Max Miechowski/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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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

Listen · 38:40
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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

Listen · 56:56
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