This week brought new albums from a pair of beloved artists who emerged a little over a decade ago as purveyors of artful indie folk: Fleet Foxes, who announced their fourth full-length Shore on Monday and released it 24 hours later, and Sufjan Stevens, whose eighth solo album The Ascension arrives today, September 25. Each has navigated listeners’ weighty expectations in their own way: Fleet Foxes by eschewing promotion and embracing the vibrant simplicity of their early songwriting, and Stevens by avoiding the character sketches and personal narratives of his past albums in favor of broader questions about the state of the world. On this episode, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Features Editor Ryan Dombal and News Editor Matthew Strauss for a discussion of both albums and the artists who made them. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Next month, Matt Berninger of The National will release Serpentine Prison, his first solo album, produced by the legendary Memphis multi-instrumentalist Booker T. Jones. On this episode, Berninger chats with Pitchfork Staff Writer Sam Sodomsky about the songs that shaped him as a musician and informed the new album, touching on his childhood infatuation with Olivia Newton-John, The Smiths and U2 records he blasted while getting pelted with golf balls at his first job, and The National’s early aspirations to emulate the Silver Jews. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For years, Enya’s music was treated as a cultural punchline, the eerily soothing soundtrack to countless crystal shops and Pure Moods commercials. But lately, a new generation of artists—from Weyes Blood to Nicki Minaj—is proudly claiming the misunderstood Irish auteur as an influence. On this episode, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Contributing Editor Jenn Pelly, a recently converted Enya fanatic, for a discussion about the depth and complexity of Enya’s artistry and the ways she maintained creative control of her music and image in a male-dominated industry. Next week, Pitchfork will publish Pelly’s longform written feature on Enya's blooming influence in 2020, featuring interviews with many of the artists who look to her as a guiding light. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After its launch a few weeks ago, the Pitchfork Request Line is still ringing off the hook with listeners calling in for recommendations of music to soundtrack their lives. This week, we’re taking requests from an aspiring metalhead, a road tripper making a move from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and someone who just wants to get the hell out of 2020, if only for the length of a song. If you want to get a recommendation of your own, give us a call at (917) 524-7371 and tell us a story about what’s going on in your life right now.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A few weeks ago we launched the Pitchfork Review hotline, asking our listeners to call in if they want help finding music to soundtrack their lives. Thank you to everyone who’s called in. It’s been pretty great going through all the voicemails that we’ve gotten in from all over the country and hearing a little bit about what’s going on with you. In this episode, we answer requests for music to get over an ex and music for falling in love, and we also share our personal love and heartbreak stories.If you want to leave us a message to get a recommendation of your own, give us a call at (917) 524-7371. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

By this time of year, there’s usually consensus around what the “Song of the Summer” is. But 2020 isn’t like any other summer in so many ways, including the pop charts. The Billboard Hot 100 has been all over the place for the past several months, with a new artist rising to the top most weeks, including Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, the Weeknd, Lady Gaga, and DaBaby. In this episode, we’re going to break down what makes a song of the summer and take a look at our favorites from 2020. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

British singer/songwriter Lianne La Havas recently released her third album, a self-titled collection of songs about love, heartbreak, and independence. Pitchfork editor Puja Patel recently spoke with Lianne at home in London over video chat for Pitchfork’s Listening Club. They talked about the nostalgia of breakup songs, staying true to yourself, Lianne’s cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes,” and the advice she took from Prince.If you want some help finding new music, leave us a voicemail at ‪(917) 524-7371. Tell us a story about what's going on now in your life that you need a soundtrack for. We’ll take a listen and pick a few to feature on an upcoming episode, where Pitchfork's music critics will recommend you something new. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Listening to new music is what we do all day here at Pitchfork. But it isn’t always easy. Sometimes (OK, a lot of the time) it can be tempting to just throw on an old favorite rather than dig into something fresh. On this week’s episode of our podcast, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Reviews Editor Jeremy Larson to talk about the science behind why it’s difficult to engage with music you’re unfamiliar with–and also why it’s worth it.Follow PitchforkRadio on Instagram and Twitter to find out more about Pitchfork's audio/podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Last week, Taylor Swift surprised her fans with the announcement of the imminent release of a new 16-track album, entitled folklore. The National’s Aaron Dessner co-wrote or co-produced 11 of the songs, and it also features collaborations with Bon Iver and Jack Antonoff. “Most of the things I had planned this summer didn’t end up happening, but there is something I hadn’t planned on that DID happen,” Taylor’s announcement said of the making of the album. At its best, folklore reinforces something that has been true throughout Swift’s career: her biggest strength is her storytelling. On this week’s episode, Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Senior Editor Jillian Mapes and Associate Editor Anna Gaca to discuss everything Taylor Swift—and her most recent release. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On June 19th, Bob Dylan released his 39th album, Rough and Rowdy Ways -- his first full length album of original songs in nearly a decade. Throughout his career, Dylan has followed moments of silence with something wholly new. In the mid-sixties, after a motorcycle accident brought Dylan’s creative and popular explosion to a halt, he retreated for a year and a half. Then, he released John Wesley Harding -- a stark and simple album with standouts like “All Along the Watchtower” and “I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine.” Thirty years later, Dylan released Time Out of Mind, after years of doing mostly folk cover albums. Time Out of Mind, produced by Daniel Lanois, had an atmospheric and dark quality never heard before in Dylan’s previous work. Similarly, Rough and Rowdy Ways sees Dylan breaking new ground again. Pitchfork Editor Puja Patel is joined by Staff Writer Sam Sodomsky and Contributing Editor Andy Cush as they break down Dylan’s comeback albums and discuss his most recent album. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices