Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two albums from two one-named singers: Madonna's Hard Candy and the self-titled release from Swedish pop singer Robyn.
Ken Tucker reviews rock, country, hip-hop and pop music for Fresh Air. He is a cultural critic who has been the editor-at-large at Entertainment Weekly, and a film critic for New York Magazine. His work has won two National Magazine Awards and two ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards. He has written book reviews for The New York Times Book Review and other publications.
In some ways, COVID shrank the distance between musicians and listeners. But then, it also threw nearly everything about the industry into disarray, and for many, things have never been the same.
Symphony orchestra audiences aren't known for their rowdiness, but the vice president and second lady Usha Vance were loudly booed by the crowd as they entered the Concert Hall on Thursday night.
During the COVID pandemic, NPR's Morning Edition commissioned pieces by musicians from various genres. Five years later, we listen back on the project.
NPR Music's Stephen Thompson welcomes Matt Reilly, of Austin public radio station KUTX, to discuss new albums from Charley Crockett, Twin Shadow and more.