The release of Beyoncés Cowboy Carter has sparked a national conversation about who gets to sing country music and the complex roots of the genre. Which got Alt.Latino thinking — what about the Latinos in country?This week, Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras travel to Austin, Texas to speak with AmeriChicana musician Carrie Rodriguez about the difference between violin and fiddle, strings and "strangs," and who gets to play country music.Songs featured:•Carin Leon, Leon Bridges: "It Was Always You (Siempre Fuiste Tu)"•Cuco Sanchez: "La Cama de Piedra"•Merle Haggard: "Big City"•Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: "San Antonio Rose"•Robert Earl Keen: "Feelin' Good Again"•Chip Taylor, Carrie Rodriguez: "Dirty Little Texas Story"•Eva Garza: "Quiero Verte Una Vez Mas"•Rick Trevino: "Doctor Time"•Ruben Ramos: "Crying Time"•Sammy Arriaga: "Tennessee Whiskey - Spanglish"•The Mavericks: "There Goes My Heart"•Louie TheSinger: "Come and Take It"•Carrie Rodriguez: "I Dreamed I Was Lola Beltran"•Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Our friends at Pop Culture Happy Hour dig into the highly anticipated Cowboy Carter and consider whether Beyoncé is knocking down the doors of the country establishment, or looking for validation.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We update our running list of the year's best songs with Charlotte Day Wilson's beguiling "Canopy," wry punk from Gustaf, a breathtaking new solo work from Adrianne Lenker and more.Featured artists and songs:1. Gustaf: "Starting and Staring," from 'Package, Pt. 2'2. Mustafa: "Imaan" (Single)3. Adrianne Lenker: "No Machine," from 'Bright Future'4. Charlotte Day Wilson: "Canopy," from 'Cyan Blue'5. Gary Clark Jr.: "Maktub," from 'JPEG RAW'6. Nourished by Time: "Hell of a Ride," from 'Catching Chickens'Questions, comments, suggestions, general feedback? Email us: allsongs@npr.orgSign up for the NPR Music newsletter to keep up with the Tiny Desks, playlists, features and more.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Shakira just released her first album in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, and most listeners and critics have high praise. But this episode of Alt.Latino puts the record to the test. Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Isabella Gomez Sarmiento talk about what makes a Shakira record a Shakira record, how pop artists reinvent themselves and loving your favorite artists even if you don't always love their music.Songs featured in this episode:•Shakira: "Puntería"•Shakira: "La Fuerte"•Shakira: "Obtener un Si"•Shakira: "El Jefe"•Paul Simon: "You Can Call me Al"•Shakira: "Cómo Dónde y Cuándo"•Santana: "Smooth"•Shakira: "Cohete"•Karol G, Shakira: "TQG"•Miles Davis: "Bitches Brew"•Shakira: "Monotonía"•Shakira: "Escondite Ingles"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino, and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Beyoncé's breathlessly-anticipated Act II: Cowboy Carter is finally here, and NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce shares his initial reactions after staying up late to listen to the album as soon as it hit streaming services. But Queen Bey isn't the only artist with a new album worthy of discovery and dissection this week, and Sheldon is joined by Ann Powers to talk about a handful of other albums that deserve celebration. Those include a pair of albums — by Reyna Tropical and Kelly Moran — shaped by tragedy and its aftermath.Featured albums:1. Beyoncé, Act II: Cowboy Carter2. Reyna Tropical: Malegría3. Kelly Moran: Moves in the Field4. Chastity Belt: Live, Laugh, LoveOther notable releases for March 29, 2024:• Alejandro Escovedo, Echo Dancing• Chicano Batman, Notebook Fantasy• Dawn Landes, The Liberated Woman's Songbook• Jim White, All Hits: Memories• Kenny Chesney, BORN• Rico Nasty & Boys Noize, HVRDC0RE DR3MZ EP• Ride, Interplay• Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Revelations• Shabazz Palaces, Exotic Birds of Prey• Sheryl Crow, EvolutionLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

It's music to the rescue on this week's All Songs Considered, with a mix of songs to slow the blood, including the one track scientists believe can reduce anxiety by up to 65%.Featured songs and artists:• Marconi Union: "Weightless"• Mary Lattimore: "Wawa by the Ocean" from 'Collected Pieces'• Van-Anh Nguyen and Noshika Masuda: "Spiegel im Spiegel" by Arvo Pärt• Brian McBride: "Girl Nap" from 'The Effective Disconnect' • Laraaji: "Meditation No. 1" from 'Day of Radiance'• Arooj Aftab: "Saans Lo" from 'Vulture Prince'• Eluvium: "One" from 'Talk Amongst The Trees'• Enya: "Watermark" from 'Watermark'• Adele: "Somoene Like You" from '21'• Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, John Pritchard & London • Philharmonic Orchestra: "O Mio babbino caro" from 'Kiri Te Kanawa Sings Puccini and Verdi'• Yo La Tengo: "Our Way To Fall" from 'And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out'• Cassandra Jenkins: "Hard Drive" from 'An Overview of Phenomenal Nature'• Ruth Laredo: "Clair de Lune" from 'My First Recital'• Rachika Nayar: "Our Wretched Fantasy" from 'Heaven Come Crashing'• Radiohead: "Everything in its Right Place" from 'Kid A'• Clem Snide: "Nick Drake Tape" from 'A Beautiful EP'Visit our site to see the Top 10 songs scientists say are the most relaxing.Feedback? Write us: allsongs@npr.orgGet the NPR Music newsletter.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

NPR Music's Rodney Carmichael interviews the rap visionary about her new album, faking it until you make it and why success can breed suicidal thoughts.If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 9-8-8, or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Though it isn't quite as packed with huge names as last week, we're digging through another robust assortment of terrific albums. Daoud Tyler-Ameen and Stephen Thompson open by hailing Tigers Blood, the latest album from a singer-songwriter — Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee — who sounds more assured and potent than ever.Plus: inescapably catchy global pop from South African singer Tyla, genre-straddling roots music from Sierra Ferrell, indescribable electronic compositions from Jlin and more.Featured albums:1. Waxahatchee, Tigers Blood2. Tyla, Tyla3. Sierra Ferrell, Trail of Flowers4. Jlin, AkomaOther notable releases for March 22:• Rosie Tucker, 'Utopia Now!'• Empress Of, 'For Your Consideration'• Adrianne Lenker, 'Bright Future'• The Jesus and Mary Chain, 'Glasgow Eyes'• Future & Metro Boomin, 'We Don't Trust You'• SiR, 'HEAVY'• Good Morning, 'Seven'• Tatyana, 'It's Over'• Aoife O'Donovan, 'All My Friends'• Brothers Osborne, 'Break Mine'• Cakes da Killa, 'Black Sheep'• Matt Champion (of Brockhampton), 'Mika's Laundry'• Gary Clark Jr., 'JPEG RAW' • Glass Beams, 'Mahal' • Gossip, 'Real Power'• Julia Holter, 'Something in the Room She Moves' • Nourished by Time, 'Catching Chickens' EP • Rosali, 'Bite Down'• Shakira, 'Las Mujeres La No Lloran' Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The weather's heating up and so are the music releases. The hosts of Alt.Latino share their most quintessentially them picks, with Latin jazz across the board from Felix and indie pop-rock bops from Ana. The two sit down to ping-pong favorite picks back and forth from different parts of the country — plus, Felix puts Ana's picks to an impromptu test.Featured tracks:Lara Project, "Extraños"Julieta Eugenio, "Breath I"Esteman, Villano Antillano, "Noches de Verano"Rodrigo Recabarren, Pablo Menares, Yago Vazquez, "Santiago"Elsa y Elmar, "Entre Las Piernas"Hurray For The Riff Raff, "Hawkmoon"Audio for this episode of Alt.Latino was edited and mixed by Joaquin Cotler. Hazel Cills is the podcast editor and digital editor for Alt.Latino and our project manager is Grace Chung. NPR Music's executive producer is Suraya Mohamed. Our VP of Music and Visuals is Keith Jenkins.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

We update our tally of the year's best contenders with the effervescent Bombay Bicycle Club, Residente's epic and profound "313," cellist Maya Beiser's take on Terry Riley's In C and more.Alt.Latino's Anamaria Sayre and NPR Music's Tom Huizenga join host Robin HiltonFeatured Artists And Songs:1. Bombay Bicycle Club: "Willow (feat. Lucy Rose)," from 'Fantasies'2. Ela Taubert: "Como Paso" (single)3. Jlin: "Sodalite (feat. Kronos Quartet)," from 'Akoma'4. Maya Hawke: "Missing Out," from 'Chaos Angel'5. Residente: "313" from 'LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN'6. Maya Beiser: "In C," from 'Maya Beiser x Terry Riley: In C'Questions, comments, feedback? Email us: allsongs@npr.orgListen to the show sponsorship-free and support public radio with NPR Music +.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy