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Ann Powers' favorite songs and albums of the year combined hooks, innovation, back story and individuality.

First rule of smörgåsbord: Pace yourself. You've got to make your way through dozens of dishes — fish courses, ham, cheeses, warm entrees. And don't forget dessert. Or should we say desserts?

For the seventh year in a row, Lance Armstrong has won the Tour de France. And this was a victory lap of sorts. Armstrong will retire at 33. Racing fans will miss him, but look forward to new competition.

Essence might be the longest-running magazine for black women, but the authors of a new book, The Man From Essence, say that the road to building the brand had many twists and turns.

If you're searching for music off the beaten path, here's the list for you. NPR Music's Tiny Desk editor and resident Viking scours the corners of the music world to find his favorite records of 2025.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine sorted through 10,000 studies to determine the good and bad health effects of marijuana. Tight drug restrictions impede research, they say.

Every January, we hear some of the world's tastiest acts at a one-night showcase in Manhattan. From Korean folk songs spun into glam-rock glitter to blazing Cuban brass, this year was no exception.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Cecilia Rouse, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, about Biden's State of the Union address and the impact of the war in Ukraine on the U.S. economy.

NPR's pop critic and correspondent shares her favorite albums of this year.

NPR Music's pop critic says her favorite albums of this tumultuous year demonstrated the value of embracing fragility and vulnerability.

The NPR Music critic and All Songs Considered contributor's favorite records of the year include the best of British rap, whimsical and melancholy electronic experiments and spellbinding dreampop.

In our time, it's easy to shut your mind, driven by fear or misinformation. This year, NPR Music's pop critic found the antidote in music that encouraged exploring.

Mayawati Kumari is the chief minister of one of India's largest and poorest states. She's also the richest woman in India and one of the best known. Now there's talk about her possibly becoming the country's next prime minister.

This week on Alt.Latino, we celebrate the music that rocked our world in 2012 — from a Colombian electronic journey to a Chilean rap masterpiece and a Mexican film soundtrack that left us breathless.

A sampler of the many genres — garage, techno, house and bass music — that made a mark (and made us want to move) in 2012.

In a year when the industry bet on fresh tech and virtual worlds, NPR's hip-hop and R&B editor found these albums powerfully immersive all on their own.

These are the politics stories that drew in the most readers this year. And the top story is not about President Trump.

In the past week, Alcaraz turned 19 — and then outplayed three of the world's top five players.

Hear the ZZ Top guitarist like you've never heard him before.

Earle's "Look the Other Way" is a funky evocation of misery — blues for driving with the top down.