Explore a playlist full of 2020 highlights, including songs by big stars (Jason Isbell, Bruce Springsteen, Taylor Swift) and up-and-comers (Bonny Light Horseman, Arlo Parks, Devon Gilfillian).

The late John Prine was awarded artist of the year, and Black Pumas and fiddler Brittany Haas took home hardware during the abbreviated show.

The musicians who massaged our temples for us this year took more than one approach — some immersive soundscapes, some acoustic lullabies, at least one wild pop-punk experiment.

Basho helped invent the playing style known as American primitive, but his music was nearly forgotten after his death. Then a few years ago, a trove of never-before-heard recordings suddenly surfaced.

In this session, what you're going to hear are solo performances — just Pallett, using effects and looping to create layers of sound.

NPR pop critic Ann Powers highlights new songs from Brit Taylor, Molly Parden, The Brummies and C.A. Jones.

The Americana artist's new song, written for Morning Edition's Song Project, is about having to hit the brakes on life after years in constant motion.

The Third Gleam has no big band, no synths, no electric guitar. Just the brothers and their longtime bassist, Bob Crawford, for a series of songs.

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd about displacement, her forthcoming album and the artist she is grateful for: Thundercat.

Nguyen processes feelings of dread in her new song for Morning Edition's Song Project, written after the skies over San Francisco turned orange from wildfire haze.

The Big Thief singer and guitarist holed up in the mountains of Western Massachusetts to record not one, but two albums, simply titled songs and instrumentals.

In her first TV performance since 2015, the singer-songwriter performs "Talkin' Bout a Revolution," the opening song from her classic 1988 debut.

Giddens explains how the new song she composed for Morning Edition's Song Project series grew from this year's extreme ups and downs.

From the Mountain Stage archives, hear four Bob Dylan interpreters perform covers of the iconic folk musician's songs.

Eavesdrop on the forward-thinking pianist as she talks with musical omnivore Rhiannon Giddens, who has just taken over Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road organization.