Begging songs and basketball's musicality (wi...

Madonna has returned this summer with Confessions II: an album full of huge hooks, pounding bass, and sincere emotion. It’s the queen of pop's first record in seven years, and serves as a sequel to her 2005 smash hit, Confessions on a Dance Floor. The record ties together threads ...  Show more

For many people – including Charlie and Nate – studying classical piano as a child always felt like a chore. Now, as adults, there’s a newfound appreciation for classical music, but the art form isn’t always accessible. One of the people trying to change that is the world-renowne ...  Show more

Music works a kind of poetry in us. This poem is like a mix-tape of Hanif Abdurraqib’s memories, complete with a soundtrack that’s as roaring as it is tender. An adult now, he remembers moments of grief and growth in the adults of his childhood, and how Journey’s “Don’t Stop Beli ...  Show more

Rob ranks the books he was forced to read in high school before turning his focus on the greatness of Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” from her 1995 album ‘New Beginning.’ Later, Rob is joined by fellow Ohio native and author Hanif Abdurraqib to discuss why Ohio breeds such g ...  Show more

The rapper’s sixth No. 1 album is here. Listen to a conversation about his career, and the long exchange between hip-hop and basketball. Guests: The New York Times's Elena Bergeron and Rap Portraits' Yoh Phillips. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and S ...  Show more

Conversations about his songwriting, his struggles and his striking sweetness outside of music. Guests: Jeff Johnson; The New Yorker's Amanda Petrusich; and Nick Weidenfeld. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your ...  Show more