NPR Music's Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Sheldon Pearce discuss new albums from St. Vincent, Charley Crockett, Iron & Wine. They explore the evolution of Iron & Wine's sound, the themes in the lead single 'Lead the Way', and the fusion of electronic and classical influences in new music. Explore a variety of upcoming albums from diverse genres.

Listen to discussions about highly anticipated albums releasing this spring, including works by Vampire Weekend, Waxahatchee, and Portishead's Beth Gibbons. Explore the evolving sounds of different artists and get excited about the diverse range of music genres coming soon.

NPR's Ann Powers and Sheldon Pearce join critic Christina Lee and host Robin Hilton to countdown the top 10 albums of 2022, as selected by the NPR Music team, contributors and partner stations.See NPR Music's list of the top 50 albums from 2022 and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce and critic Ann Powers discuss Beyoncé's Act II: Cowboy Carter album, along with other new releases like Reyna Tropical and Kelly Moran. They explore the emotional depth of the albums, blending country and modern pop, and reflecting on joy amidst looming threats. Ann also highlights feminist movement history in music releases.

NPR Music's Nate Chinen and Sheldon Pearce review Carlos Niño's ambient-jazz album 'Placenta' touching on themes of pregnancy. They also discuss DIIV's shoegaze-inspired sound and Andrew Bird's jazz tribute. Other albums include Tiny Habits, Vince Staples, and Alex Sipiagin. The podcast ads focus on health, travel insurance, and online learning.