Meredith Ochs

As part of NPR's series highlighting female songwriters through history, we look at Cynthia Weil, who wrote hits like "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" and "On Broadway" with her husband Barry Mann.

The combination of the Flaming Lips' sprawling musical palette and Deap Vally's raunchy guitar glam is a psychedelic dream that will take your brain on a journey while your body is in isolation.

Fun, fearless and freethinking, Ester Dean's vivacious personality comes across in her work. The songwriter has written hits for Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry.

As a songwriter, Knight helped define the sound of '80s pop music. Her songs often felt like feminist anthems, even if they didn't start out that way.

Cynthia Weil wrote hits like "You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling" and "On Broadway" with her husband and songwriting partner Barry Mann, helping to shape the sound of '60s pop.

Born in Texas in 1918 and raised in California, Jessie Mae Robinson's songs have been recorded by hundreds of artists, from Louis Jordan to Lana Del Ray.

When The Byrds released "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" in 1968, it was a commercial failure. A half century after its debut, the album has become a classic.

"Convoy," a 1976 novelty song attributed to C.W. McCall, topped the charts with its celebration of citizens band radio, trucker lingo and rugged individualism.

Grammy-award winning country music singer Kacey Musgraves did something unusual in July. She put up twinkly lights, cut out paper snowflakes and recorded a Christmas album. Music reviewer Meredith Ochs says her album "A Very Kacey Christmas" is a twanged out, tiki-tinged celebration of the season that's kitschy without being corny.

A host of pop and rock musicians — including Lady Gaga, Cyndi Lauper and Beyoncé — took turns down country roads this year. Fans both old and new seem happy to follow them there.

Noah Gundersen uses his devout religious upbringing to examine faith and spirituality in his music. Meredith Ochs reviews his latest album, Carry the Ghost.

Rosie Ledet is a Louisianan singer, songwriter — and accordionist, steeped in zydeco. She just released her tenth album, Raw, and reviewer Meredith Ochs says it weaves heritage with a danceable sound.

Music commentator Meredith Ochs reviews the new album by singer Shelby Lynne, I Can't Imagine.

My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James describes the title of the band's new album, The Waterfall, as a metaphor for life beating you down. But in a gentler sense, the music itself is kind of like a waterfall — cascading notes, opaque layers of sound, rippling arrangements that ...

For a decade, Paramount Records was one the most influential labels in the country. Now, a two box set collection tracks its rise and fall in the early 20th century.

Chris Stein's photos in Me, Blondie and the Advent of Punk Rock document a city that is barely recognizable today.

Singer and guitarist Barbara Lynn is well-known for her classic late '60s soul music sound. Back then, she toured with James Brown and Otis Redding, and appeared on American Bandstand...

Texas-native Lera Lynn sings about past relationships. But her music moves beyond the one-note storied, country sound. On her latest album, The Avenues, Lynn fuses folk, country, jazz and pop.

Singer-songwriter Sunny Sweeney's Cinderella story started in a Texas bar, where she was discovered and signed by a Nashville record label. She hit the Billboard charts with her major...

Jenny Lewis began her career as a kid actress in TV series such as Roseanne. But in the '90s, she began singing instead. Reviewer Meredith Ochs says that Lewis' third solo album, The ...