AC/DC On ‘Morning Edition’; Tiny Desk Meets GlobalFEST

Plus, the man who made K-pop a global household name. by Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna Josh Cheuse/Courtesy of the artist There’s something comforting about returning to favorite artists or albums years later. This week, we caught up with artists who continue to release exciting work long after their debuts. Morning Edition spoke to [AC/DC]( whose latest album, Power Up, is a tribute to the band's late co-founder, Malcolm Young, and an unlikely comeback from all kinds of loss. Guitarist Angus Young says Power Up is the kind of good rock and roll album we need in 2020: “Something you can tap along, sing along and take your mind away from what's around you.” And World Cafe shared an [interview with Alanis Morissette]( celebrating the 25th anniversary of her album Jagged Little Pill — and the musical based on its songs, which was nominated for 15 Tony awards — and diving into her most recent album, Such Pretty Forks in the Road. You oughta know, Marissa Lorusso and Lyndsey McKenna --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Featuring - Bang Si-hyuk is the chairman and CEO of [Big Hit Entertainment]( the label of K-pop superstars BTS. Together with his team, Bang has made K-pop a global household name, particularly in the U.S. Now, they’re faced with having to recreate the BTS "miracle." - Famed audio engineer [Bruce Swedien]( died Monday at the age of 86. Swedien shaped the sound of several albums with Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson, including Thriller, Dangerous and Bad. - [JaQuel Knight choreographed iconic routines]( for artists like Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion. Now, he’s working to copyright his dances in hopes it will keep corporations from profiting off them unfairly. - Twenty years ago, OutKast’s Stankonia took full advantage of the new millennium, breaking new ground cleared from the debris of nostalgia. [Read our conversation]( between scholars and critics Regina Bradley, Christina Lee and Gavin Godfrey about the album. --------------------------------------------------------------- New Music - This week’s All Songs Considered [new music mix from Bob Boilen]( is a testament to the power of collaboration. Hear Jay Som team up with Chastity Belt's Annie Truscott, Bon Iver collaborate with yMusic's CJ Camerieri, and Indigo Spark with contributions from Big Thief's James Krivchenia and Nick Hakim. - This week on [New Music Friday]( from All Songs Considered: the debut studio album from the unstoppable Megan Thee Stallion, the first-ever all-Spanish album from Kali Uchis, sunny psych-rock from Mamalarky and more. - Our friends at KUTX shared a video this week of one of 2020's [most promising breakthrough acts]( London-based singer and songwriter Arlo Parks, performing her song “Hurt.” --------------------------------------------------------------- Tiny Desk [Adrianne Lenker Tiny Desk (home) concert]( NPR This week’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts span the globe. [Adrianne Lenker]( gave a breathtaking performance in a camper trailer parked somewhere in Joshua Tree National Park, [Michael Kiwanuka]( performed a warm, soulful set from a dimly lit London flat and [Owen Pallett]( carefully layered acoustic guitar, vocals and strings in a bedroom in Toronto. Also this week: We asked our friends on the [Code Switch]( to share their favorite Tiny Desk concerts for [our latest Tiny Desk playlist](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Louder Than A Riot This week on Louder Than A Riot, we conclude the [trilogy of episodes about Bobby Shmurda]( following the Brooklyn rapper through all his courtroom drama, from the hiring and firing of three different lawyers to last-ditch outbursts in court. His legal obstacle course has a lot to tell us about prosecutorial overreach and the power of conspiracy laws. --------------------------------------------------------------- Incoming Start 2021 with some of the best music from around the world. From Jan. 11-14, we're teaming up with globalFEST to bring the annual festival to you! Presenting [Tiny Desk meets globalFEST]( a series of video performances featuring 16 artists from across the world, hosted by Angélique Kidjo. --------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing [Tweet vs. Fleet]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [nprmusic@npr.org](mailto:nprmusic@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! 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