You Must Hear This …..

'I Built The Platform Myself': M.I.A. On Being Heard While making the new album Matangi, the singer-rapper discovered she had a divine counterpart: a Hindu goddess who shares both her birth name and her taste for self-expression. She speaks with NPR's David Greene about fame, war and controversy. Read this story

ALL SONGS CONSIDERED America, The Primitive: 5 New Guitar Records That Would Make John Fahey Proud From faithful solo sets to Television-indebted deconstructions, 2013 has been a renaissance to the fingerstyle guitar. And more so than any year, American Primitive ain't just for loners anymore. Read this story

FAVORITE SESSIONS KCRW Presents: White Denim The down-and-dirty Austin rock band just released a new full-length album, Corsicana Lemonade, and gives KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic a taste of how it sounds live. Watch White Denim perform "Cheer Up/Blues Ending" live in the KCRW studios. Watch the video

MUSIC LISTS No Earbuds Allowed: 5 Songs For Commuting By Bicycle Soon-to-be London correspondent Ari Shapiro whipped up a playlist for NPR Music that's especially for commuters who travel by bicycle. Even though you should totally never listen to music and bike at the same time. Read this story

ALL SONGS CONSIDERED New Mix: The Beatles, James Blake, Colin Meloy, More On this week's essential mix we share a rare, previously unreleased cut from The Beatles. We also hear how James Blake was inspired to write this year's amazing "Retrograde," cover tunes from Colin Meloy and Shearwater, a new Bee-Gees styled cut from Broken Bells and more. Download the show