NPR Music

First Listen: Elvis Costello & The Roots, 'Wise Up Ghost' Recorded in a year's worth of experimental sessions, Wise Up Ghost sounds like the best of Costello's stuff, and like nothing he's done before. Working with musicians who've figured out how to apply hip-hop principles to a band dynamic, Costello locates himself within that framework to produce some of the most focused and visionary work of his later career. Stream this album

THE MIX Don't Look Back In Anger: Britpop At 20 The phenomenon known as Britpop took shape in 1993 after the success of Suede's self-titled debut album. Twenty years later, we look back at the era's best songs and speak with musicians who witnessed it firsthand. Hear this mix

INTERVIEWS 'Electric Lady' Janelle Monae On Creating The Unheard The 27-year-old singer's music is often called futuristic — in part because her early releases revolved around a robot love story, but also because her work so firmly resists classification. She discusses her new album, The Electric Lady, here with NPR's Jacki Lyden. Hear this interview

FAVORITE SESSIONS Sharon Van Etten, 'Tarifa' (Live) Van Etten surprised KEXP by performing an unreleased song from her next album during the station's recording session at the Portland-area festival Pickathon 2013. Luckily, the cameras were rolling for "Tarifa." Watch this video