Black Music Appreciation Month Playlist

June is Black Music Appreciation Month. Created by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, this month celebrates the African American musical influences that comprise essential parts of America’s cultural heritage. To commemorate the month, the queen of Indie Soul, Sy Smith, asked fellow indie artists to share songs covering various aspects of Black life and culture – joy, pain, struggle, triumph, love, etc.

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His Name Was PRINCE and He Was Funky

I remember the first time I listened to a Prince album. It was the summer of 1982 and the album was Controversy. My 12-year-old mind could barely understand everything I was hearing, but I knew two things for sure: (1) This guy rocked. (2) I could not let my mother catch me listening to this album (note: my mother was deeply religious and didn’t want us listening to any devil music)

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Andra Day Makes Strong Connections Through the Power of Great Music

Music has the power to bring people together despite our differences, and Andra Day's music possesses magic that people are drawn to.

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Gil Scott-Heron Poet to the People

I discovered Gil Scott-Heron’s music as a college student. While writing a term paper titled “The Linguistics of Hip-Hop”, I stumbled upon Scott-Heron’s seminal album, Winter in America.

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Tiny Desk Concerts Black Music Month 2024

NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series observes Black Music Month with a celebration of Black women. In the collection, you can watch performances by Meshell Ndegeocello, Kierra Sheard, Chaka Khan, Tierra Whack, Lakecia Benjamin, and Tems.