Bob Boilen

The Alabama Shakes singer and guitarist brought an eight-piece backing band to the Tiny Desk for a set of deeply personal and affecting songs.

The vibrancy of the band can feel childlike and candy-coated. But the group's songs are more about the pain of entering adulthood and leaving some of that sweetness behind.

After performing at the Tiny Desk as one third of the group Mountain Man, Molly Sarlé returns for a soul-stirring solo performance.

"Maybe it's the start of something, and maybe it's not." That's how Bob Boilen described the very first Tiny Desk concert in 2008.

In his second visit to the Tiny Desk, Josh Ritter had America on his mind. "We all have to fight against this notion that we're not all human beings."

This week's All Songs Considered includes an all-new song from the late Leonard Cohen, lyrically devastating work from (Sandy) Alex G, a battle of inner demons from Chastity Belt and more.

There's a hush to the music of Nilüfer Yanya that made the Tiny Desk the perfect stage for her sound.

In this Guest DJ session, the off-the-wall singer talks about living out of his car and working at a warehouse before his Tiny Desk Contest entry went viral. He's since signed with Warner Records.

Giddens shares songs from her latest album, There is No Other, in an emotional and transfixing performance at the Tiny Desk.

The tracks Bob Boilen shares on this week's All Songs Considered all have a cinematic quality, from a new Thom Yorke cut for the film Motherless Brooklyn, to Ride's best new album in 20 years.

The Tallest Man On Earth's second appearance at the Tiny Desk comes almost 10 years to the day after his first. He returns with a touch of grey and a beard, but no less intense or moving.

This edition of All Songs Considered has songs of gratitude from Pinegrove, a take on intimacy from Norway's Jenny Hval, a song of quietude from Anna Meredith and the magic of the Mellotron.

The three Israeli sisters in A-WA mix Yemenite and Arabic traditions with splashes of reggae and hip-hop.

We fill you in on how to shade your summer pink with unapologetically good pop music that is ready for any mood.

47SOUL's message of equality is meant for the world. It's music without borders, mixing old and new, acoustic and electronic from a band formed in Amman Jordan, singing in Arabic and English.

Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz made everything seem so easy, with just a few acoustic instruments and a single microphone behind the Tiny Desk, performing songs full of joy and thoughtfulness.

This week's essential mix includes stirring solo work from Alabama Shakes singer Brittany Howard, a surprise release from Big Thief, a cathartic instrumental from The Messthetics and more.

School is really hard — and for many, music is the one thing that grounded them or made them feel connected to something bigger. Hear a mix of songs that listeners told us got them through school.

Among Authors' music isn't casual; there are songs within these songs, and they're not always catchy. They'll take you on a journey worth following.

Carrie Brownstein joins the All Songs gang to chat about relentless earworms, annoying novelty songs and other songs our hosts think of as quite possibly the worst of all time