NYC Music News

When André 3000 Spoke to (Then Performed for) The New York Times

The rapper-turned-flutist improvised in the middle of The Times’ office following a wide-ranging conversation on Popcast.

Published on: December 21, 2024, 10:53 am

13 New Holiday Songs: Kelly Clarkson, GloRilla and Kehlani, Charlie Puth and More

Hear tracks from Bartees Strange, Madi Diaz, GloRilla and Kehlani, and others.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 6:26 pm

Jelly Roll, Shaboozey and Others Helped Country Break Through in 2024

Our critic hit the road to talk with Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell and other artists to understand why country music was inescapable in 2024.

Published on: December 19, 2024, 10:02 am

A D.I.Y. ‘Messiah,’ Starring You and Yours as Choristers

Our critic joined with amateur singers and professionals for a “Messiah” sing-in at David Geffen Hall, just one “Messiah” on the city’s holiday calendar.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 3:24 pm

Michael Brewer, Whose ‘One Toke’ Was a Big Hit, Is Dead at 80

The duo Brewer & Shipley reached the Top 10 in 1970 with “One Toke Over the Line,” a ditty about marijuana that ran afoul of Nixon-era censors.

Published on: December 21, 2024, 6:54 am

In Memoriam: The Musicians We Lost in 2024

Hear songs from Quincy Jones, Melanie and Toby Keith.

Published on: December 21, 2024, 4:43 am

21 Movies, Books and Albums With a Theater Focus to Consume During the Holidays

Make it through the holidays with these movies, books and music from the past year that are adapted from stage productions or evoke a theatrical spirit.

Published on: December 21, 2024, 12:33 pm

Elton John’s Documentary ‘Never Too Late’ on Disney+

The star is in positive, future-looking mode in this Disney+ documentary, directed by his husband, David Furnish, and R.J. Cutler.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 10:02 am

David Lang on Why Composers Are Drawn to Sacred Music

Many Christmas standards were not written by Christians. David Lang explains the appeal for him, a Jewish composer of a modern holiday classic.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 10:01 am

Review: In ‘Gypsy,’ Audra McDonald’s Gonna Show It to Ya

Hold your hats and hallelujah, our leading musical tragedienne offers an ultra-dramatic Rose in George C. Wolfe’s Broadway revival.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 5:01 am

‘Dead Outlaw,’ a Musical With a Corpse, Is Broadway Bound

“Dead Outlaw,” a musical about the mummified body of a bandit, will open at the Longacre next spring, following a successful Off Broadway run.

Published on: December 20, 2024, 1:17 am

17 Notable Boxed Sets: Bob Dylan, Green Day, Alice Coltrane and More

Joni Mitchell’s experimental period, Green Day’s ambitious concept album and Alice Coltrane’s thrilling 1971 Carnegie Hall concert arrived in new packages this year.

Published on: December 19, 2024, 10:01 am

Megan Thee Stallion Seeks Restraining Order Against Tory Lanez

Her lawyers said Mr. Lanez had facilitated a “campaign of harassment” from prison, where he is serving a 10-year sentence after being convicted of shooting her.

Published on: December 18, 2024, 9:02 pm

Drug Charges Against Sean Combs Associate Are Dropped in Florida

The charges against Brendan Paul, a former Syracuse University basketball player who was arrested amid raids on Mr. Combs’s homes, were dropped after he completed a diversion program.

Published on: December 18, 2024, 4:55 pm

The Making and Remaking of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’

Eighty years after its release, the sentimental holiday standard continues to enchant listeners and inspire the musicians who take it on.

Published on: December 19, 2024, 6:47 pm

‘Emilia Pérez,’ ‘Wicked’ Make the Oscar Shortlists

The musical appears twice for best song, along with big names like Pharrell Williams and Elton John. “Wicked” is potentially up for best score.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 8:58 pm

6 New Songs You Should Hear Now

Hear just-released music from Julien Baker and Torres, Horsegirl and Amber Mark.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 9:45 pm

Old Voice Mails? Instructional VHS Tapes? They’re Music to His Ears.

Paul de Jong makes collaged songs out of obscurities he collects in his Mall of Found: a library of low-budget, homespun and dated pieces of spoken-word media.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 4:00 pm

The TV Shows, Movies and Music That Readers Loved in 2024

Critical favorites like “Anora,” “Cowboy Carter” and “The Bear” still left room for more recent arrivals like “Wicked” and Broadway’s “Maybe Happy Ending.”

Published on: December 20, 2024, 3:06 pm

Michael Tilson Thomas Is Prolifically Himself on Disc

As Thomas turns 80, new collections of his recordings reveal the legacy of a maestro who has exuberantly refused to conform to expectations.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 10:02 am

Jay-Z Will Seek Dismissal of Assault Lawsuit His Lawyer Calls a ‘Sham’

The woman who accused him of raping her in 2000, when she was a minor, acknowledged to NBC that there were inconsistencies in her account, but stood by her claim.

Published on: December 16, 2024, 11:27 pm

John Eliot Gardiner’s Once and Future Orchestras Duel

Banished from his ensembles after striking a singer, John Eliot Gardiner has assembled a new group, with the same programming at the same venue.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 3:38 pm

Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie Give a Surprising Education in Opera

“Paris & Nicole: The Encore,” a sequel to “The Simple Life,” is a comedic lark about creating an opera, with enlightening lessons along the way.

Published on: December 16, 2024, 1:57 pm

New Holiday Music From Clay Aiken, Jennifer Hudson and More

Our critics on Christmas records from Jacob Collier, Megan Moroney, the Christmas Tree-O and more.

Published on: December 16, 2024, 7:11 pm

Chappell Roan, Kai Cenat, Shannon Sharpe Are Among Our Breakout Stars of 2024

Across the arts world, these 10 performers broke away from the pack this year by channeling guts and grit into their work.

Published on: December 16, 2024, 8:27 pm

Zakir Hussain, Tabla Virtuoso Who Fused Musical Traditions, Dies at 73

His collaborators included John McLaughlin, Béla Fleck, Ravi Shankar, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Grateful Dead.

Published on: December 17, 2024, 5:23 pm

Book Review: ‘Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words,’ by Michael Owen

In “Ira Gershwin: A Life in Words,” Michael Owen offers a sympathetic portrait of the lyricist, overshadowed in a life that had him tending the legacy of his younger sibling George.

Published on: December 15, 2024, 8:10 pm