Ben Folds reflects on his songwriting process, injecting empathy into lyrics, and why he believes that "we don't need any new albums."

President Biden delivers the first Oval Office address of his presidency. It comes a day after Congress passed a bipartisan deal to lift the debt ceiling, narrowly avoiding the deadline.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Chilean musician Alex Anwandter about his new disco-influenced album El Diablo en el Cuerpo.

Can Congress keep up with the pace of growth in artificial intelligence? Paul Scharre of the Center for a New American Security talks about the current attempts to regulate A.I.

Kara Jackson is mostly known for her poetry. But singing was her first love, and she's now out with her debut album, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?

New recordings of old jazz performances at Baltimore's now-closed Famous Ballroom are being released for the first time.

Ed Sheeran has won a copyright trial brought by the co-writer of Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On.

On his debut album, Sea/Sons, Abraham Alexander reflects on his upbringing as the son of Nigerian immigrants in Greece and the family's eventual journey to settle in the U.S.

NPR's Juana Summers talks with singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams about her new memoir Don't Tell Anyone the Secrets I Told You.

New recordings of old jazz performances at Baltimore's now-closed Famous Ballroom are being released for the very first time.

Nathan Young, a marketing professional from England, spent 365 days making recipes by cookbook writer Nigella Lawson — with enthusiastic guidance from Lawson herself.

New reporting from ProPublica raises further questions about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' financial entanglements.

As access to the abortion pill mifepristone hangs in legal limbo, former FDA Commissioner Jane Henney reflects on the agency's decision to approve the drug in 2000.

NPR's Linda Holmes and Eric Deggans recap the new explosive episode of the HBO series Succession.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with South African musician Nakhane about their new album, Bastard Jargon. Percussive and made for the dancefloor, it also probes deep cultural and political questions.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Alberto Carvalho, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, after union workers began a three-day strike.

NPR's Robin Hilton sits down with composer Volker Bertelmann to talk about how he channeled the drama and horror of World War I into his Oscar-nominated score for "All Quiet On The Western Front."

A cultural center in Senegal is creating a safe space where artists can use their platform to speak about climate change while also finding opportunities in the art and music scene.

By day, Saint-Louis native Pape Dieye is a boat captain-turned-tour guide for a fancy hotel that caters to Westerners. By night, he turns down requests to smuggle human beings across the ocean.

A year into the war in Ukraine, evidence of alleged war crimes by Russian soldiers is mounting.