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• Ariana Grande stares down the public eye in 'Petal' : Pop Culture Happy Hour | NPR
Ariana Grande has been omnipresent the last few years. Discussions of her relationships and her weight have made Grande an internet fixture in recent years. She’s coming off a long run promoting and starring in the two Wicked films, and her hit song “Hate That I Made You Love Me” has been everywhere this summer. She’s also announced she’s taking a step back from public life after her current tour. So with the release of her new album, Petal, what do we make of Grande’s latest batch of songs, and do they successfully capture this moment in her life?Looking for more buzzy pop music conversations? Check out:Olivia Rodrigo seems pretty sad, but does she still generate bangers?On 'Arirang,' BTS nods to K-pop's past, present and futureConnect with Pop Culture Happy Hour:Letterboxd / FacebookOur weekly newsletterSupport public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.

• Wild Card: Shania Twain | NPR
On Wild Card, famous guests answer the kinds of questions we often think about but don't talk about. Country legend Shania Twain reflects on what she looks forward to about getting older.

• Syd and Steve Lacy, voices of The Internet, chase the same quiet cool | NPR
The R&B group's breakout stars released new solo albums on the same day — one leaning out of the spotlight while the other confronts viral fame.

• Shania Twain wants to take her time: “I want to live to be 200.” : Wild Card with Rachel Martin | NPR
“You cannot rely on somebody else to push you out of the plane — you have to jump,” Shania Twain tells Rachel. For someone who has lived a life marked by so much loss and profound success, she has a lot to reflect on and is doing so the best way she knows how: through music. Her new album is called “Little Miss Twain.” She talks to Rachel about her difficult childhood and rediscovering her voice.To listen sponsor-free and support the show, sign up for Wild Card+ at plus.npr.org/wildcard

• Odd Future's Syd talks about her new album, 'Beard' | NPR
A former member of the star-making hip-hop collective Odd Future, Syd returns with a new solo album, "Beard," a title inspired by the peach fuzz on her upper lip.

• The Rolling Stones are for the young | NPR
You could look at Foreign Tongues, the Rolling Stones' 25th album, as a tour of the group's musical variations. But it mixes reliable fun and remarkable energy with a generous attitude toward aging.

• This week's pop charts are all about The Weeknd — and the Grammys | NPR
This week, The Weeknd's new album Hurry Up Tomorrow debuts atop the Billboard 200 albums chart, and the biggest winners and performers from the Grammys experience big chart bumps.

• What was The Weeknd? | NPR
Abel Tesfaye's hedonistic alter-ego meets his end on Hurry Up Tomorrow, forcing listeners to ask just who we've been partying with all this time.

• The world of 'Eusexua,' according to FKA twigs | NPR | Jan. 24, 2025, 11 a.m.
You have your new album. You've just announced the huge Eusexia tour, and I think no one will be surprised to know that you are going to bring it back to Prague, where the inspiration came from ...

• Bad Bunny's politics of presence | NPR
Benito's Saturn Return leads to a folk revival on 'DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,' remixing the poetics and politics of Puerto Rican roots music.

• Lil Baby and Bad Bunny have fantastic chart debuts | NPR
Two debuts claim the top two spots on Billboard's main album's chart: Lil Baby and Bad Bunny.

• Bad Bunny's 'Debí Tirar Más Fotos,' Explained : All Songs Considered | NPR
Alt.Latino hosts Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras, and NPR reporter Isabella Gomez Sarmiento break down what exactly makes the record so Puerto Rican and why its Bad Bunny's most reflective, ambitious and ingenious album yet.

• No surprise this week: Kendrick Lamar rules the charts | NPR
A week after Kendrick Lamar's new album, GNX, was surprise released, it proved to be a chart phenomenon, debuting at No. 1 on the album chart and claiming the Top 5 spots on the singles chart.

• No surprise this week: Kendrick Lamar rules the charts | NPR
A week after Kendrick Lamar's new album GNX was surprise released, it proved to be a chart phenomenon, debuting at No. 1 on the album chart and claiming the top five spots on the singles chart.

• On 'Small Changes,' Mercury Prize-winning artist Michael Kiwanuka lets down his guard | NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks to Mercury Prize-winning singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka, about his latest album, "Small Changes," and his musical influences.

• Michael Kiwanuka strips back his sound on 'Small Changes' : World Cafe Words and Music Podcast | NPR
The English singer, songwriter and producer says his fourth record represents a period of big life changes.