Dec 08 Watch 3:23 U.S. service members perform ‘Ocho Kandelikas’ for Hanukkah By Dan Sagalyn Each year, the NewsHour asks the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service at the Pentagon to produce holiday songs with service members singing. On this second night of Hanukkah, we present "Ocho Kandelikas" by the composer and singer Flory Jagoda. Continue watching
Dec 05 Watch 8:01 Tariq ‘Black Thought’ Trotter on his impact on hip-hop and new memoir, ‘The Upcycled Self’ By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport, Simon Epstein The Roots are one of hip-hop’s most important and influential groups and lead lyricist and emcee Tariq Trotter, better known by his stage name Black Thought, has established himself among the leading rappers. The Grammy-winner tells his own story in,… Continue watching
Sep 24 Usher to headline Super Bowl halftime show in 2024 By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Associated Press The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Sunday that Usher would lead the halftime festivities from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11. Continue reading
Sep 22 Watch 9:06 How COVID lockdown helped save the Tedeschi Trucks Band By William Brangham The husband-and-wife creative duo behind the 12-member Tedeschi Trucks Band have been called two of the best roots musicians of their generation. But after a decade of success and touring, they hit a rough period after the death of a… Continue watching
Sep 04 Steve Harwell, frontman for Grammy-nominated band Smash Mouth, dies at 56 By Maria Sherman, Associated Press The band's manager, Robert Hayes, says Harwell died of acute liver failure. Continue reading
Jul 31 Watch 6:59 How Jason Aldean’s controversial hit song became a cultural flashpoint By Jeffrey Brown, Courtney Norris, Karina Cuevas One of the most popular country music hits of the summer is Jason Aldean's "Try That In A Small Town." But the song has ignited controversy and faced backlash from fans who say the lyrics encourage racism and violence. The… Continue watching
Jul 20 CMT pulls Jason Aldean music video that was filmed at a lynching site By Maria Sherman, Associated Press In the video, Aldean performs in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee -- the site of the 1946 Columbia race riot and the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate. Continue reading
Jul 05 Watch 7:01 Skyrocketing cost of living threatens Austin’s status as live music capital of the world By Laura Barrón-López, Tess Conciatori, Sam Lane For more than a decade, the Austin area has been the fastest-growing large metro region in the country. That explosion has brought sweeping changes to the Texas capital and its renowned music scene. Laura Barrón-López reports for our arts and… Continue watching
Jun 03 Kaija Saariaho, pioneering composer hailed as one of the 21st century’s greats, dies at 70 By Ronald Blum, Associated Press Kaija Saariaho, who wrote acclaimed works that made her the among the most prominent composers of the 21st century, died Friday. She was 70. Continue reading
Jun 01 Watch 6:22 Cassette tapes make unexpected comeback in era of music streaming By Stephanie Sy, Madison Staten, Lena I. Jackson In an era of music streaming and digital downloads, an old format is once again becoming popular. Modern music audiences are rewinding and hitting play on a cassette tape revival. Stephanie Sy reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. Continue watching