NPR Tiny Desk Concerts
Season 2016
201691 episodes
Episode 1
Rapsody
Jan 5, 2016
Watch the rapper perform three songs from Beauty And The Beast live at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 2
Mariachi Flor De Toloache
Jan 8, 2016
While on tour with The Arcs, the powerhouse mariachi band performs live in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 3
Natalie Merchant
Jan 12, 2016
The singer-songwriter gives a warmhearted performance of two new songs, an old favorite and a hymn.
Episode 4
Benny Sings
Jan 15, 2016
The Dutch singer layers R&B, jazz and pop over hip-hop beats in his first-ever U.S. appearance.
Episode 5
River Whyless
Jan 19, 2016
The North Carolina band fills its rootsy music with unexpected instruments and clever ideas.
Episode 6
Wolf Alice
Jan 22, 2016
The band's music can be noisy and primal, but at the Tiny Desk it showed a different side.
Episode 7
The Arcs
Jan 25, 2016
It's our 500th show at the Tiny Desk, featuring The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach and his new band.
Episode 8
EL VY
Jan 29, 2016
The National's Matt Berninger and Menomena's Brent Knopf team up in an intimate setting.
Episode 9
Car Seat Headrest
Feb 8, 2016
Will Toledo is a wordsmith with a vision, as well as a DIY sound that's still finely crafted.
Episode 10
Chelsea Wolfe
Feb 12, 2016
Wolfe takes three songs from the metallic Abyss and makes them howl by their lonesome.
Episode 11
Ben Folds
Feb 16, 2016
Performing solo, Folds performs three songs from his new album and two old favorites.
Episode 12
Wilco
Feb 23, 2016
Bands don't typically get to play the Tiny Desk more than once, but Wilco is a natural exception.
Episode 13
Brushy One String
Feb 27, 2016
The word-of-mouth star's sound is made by one big fat E-string and a rich, powerful voice.
Episode 14
Lake Street Dive
Feb 29, 2016
Performed live at the Tiny Desk, the band's songs often tilt toward soul or rock danceably.
Episode 15
Monsieur Periné
Mar 4, 2016
The Colombian band channels an unlikely inspiration: 1920s-era, guitar-driven jazz from the U.S.
Episode 16
Julien Baker
Mar 7, 2016
The young Tennessee singer performs three of her spare, sad, simple songs at the NPR Music offices.
Episode 17
Gaelynn Lea
Mar 11, 2016
Watch the singer and violinist who stood out from 6,000-plus entries in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest.
Episode 18
Graham Nash
Mar 14, 2016
In a short set that spans 50 years, the CSNY veteran's voice resonates and cuts to the core.
Episode 19
Tedeschi Trucks Band
Mar 25, 2016
Singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks celebrate the blues, jazz and much more.
Episode 20
Anthony Hamilton
Mar 28, 2016
Hear the soul star and his band perform "Amen," plus three songs that have defined his career.
Episode 21
Ane Brun
Apr 1, 2016
Watch Brun play three new songs, each of which speaks to newfound freedom and fresh opportunities.
Episode 22
PWR BTTM
Apr 4, 2016
The duo has a keen sense of mischief and a gift for honest, punk-infused, tongue-in-cheek pop gems.
Episode 23
Mothers
Apr 8, 2016
Mothers' members chose a few of their slowest, most languid songs to perform in the NPR offices.
Episode 24
Palehound
Apr 11, 2016
Ellen Kempner and her band perform tense and evocative songs amid the silence of a rapt crowd.
Episode 25
Seratones
Apr 15, 2016
The Louisiana band takes gospel into the garage, and what comes out is fiery rock 'n' roll.
Episode 26
Benjamin Clementine
Apr 18, 2016
There are intimate moments of revelation in Clementine's immersive, breathtaking performance.
Episode 27
Julia Holter
Apr 22, 2016
The most minute details become a grandiose spectacle in Holter's cosmic cabaret.
Episode 28
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
Apr 25, 2016
The band's punchy horn section, bluesy vocals and harmonica solos instantly demand attention.
Episode 29
Peter Frampton
Apr 27, 2016
Frampton brought some classic songs to the Tiny Desk. We couldn't help but sing along.
Episode 30
Florist
Apr 29, 2016
Emily Sprague performs three delicate songs with help from members of New York's Epoch collective.
Episode 31
Eighth Blackbird
May 2, 2016
Watch the sextet perform new music by David Lang, Bryce Dessner and Robert Honstein.
Episode 32
Monika
May 6, 2016
When you hear Monika, life feels good: The singer's performances and presence are simply winning.
Episode 33
Lara St. John
May 9, 2016
With her intrepid pianist in tow, the violinist performs rowdy tunes that will leave you breathless.
Episode 34
Daymé Arocena
May 13, 2016
Arocena's voice combines Aretha Franklin's soul and the sabor of Cuban music queen Celia Cruz.
Episode 35
Steve Kimock
May 16, 2016
The veteran jam-rock guitarist's dedication to his instrument is matched only by his imagination.
Episode 36
Andy Shauf
May 20, 2016
The Saskatchewan singer-songwriter performs three quietly affecting songs in the NPR Music offices.
Episode 37
Robert Ellis
May 23, 2016
Ellis plays thoughtfully stripped-down arrangements from his ambitious country record.
Episode 38
Carrie Rodriguez
May 27, 2016
Watch the singer, guitarist and fiddler play three songs that reflect her many cultural influences.
Episode 39
Andrew Bird
May 31, 2016
For this performance of three new songs, Bird comes with a stripped-down acoustic band.
Episode 40
Barry Douglas
Jun 3, 2016
Watch the award-winning Irish pianist play traditional songs from the homeland.
Episode 41
Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop
Jun 6, 2016
Iron & Wine's singer performs three songs with the charming, inventive singer Jesca Hoop.
Episode 42
Weaves
Jun 10, 2016
The band's music is playful and quirky — sometimes loud, sometimes gentle and always a trip.
Episode 43
Chick Corea & Gary Burton
Jun 13, 2016
The two highly decorated jazz legends could barely fit their instruments behind the Tiny Desk.
Episode 44
Alessio Bax
Jun 17, 2016
For Father's Day, watch the pianist play lullabies to his daughter, who nearly steals the show.
Episode 45
Brandy Clark
Jun 20, 2016
The country singer-songwriter has a rare gift for making any room feel warmly human.
Episode 46
Mashrou' Leila
Jun 24, 2016
A rock band from Beirut performs songs that mix hedonism and hyper-literate lyrics.
Episode 47
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran
Jun 28, 2016
The saxophonist and pianist play three tunes that draw from their past while looking to the future.
Episode 48
Adia Victoria
Jun 30, 2016
Performing at the NPR Music offices, Adia Victoria's voice is powerful and direct, with no artifice.
Episode 49
Los Hacheros
Jul 5, 2016
Los Hacheros' members tap into the deep groove of Afro-Caribbean music that inspires modern salsa.
Episode 50
Valley Queen
Jul 8, 2016
Valley Queen plays with nuance and depth, rooted in a California country sound.
Episode 51
Jane Bunnett
Jul 12, 2016
The Canadian jazz multi-instrumentalist performs with some of the top young women musicians in Cuba.
Episode 52
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band
Jul 15, 2016
There's a point when a jam is just a jam, but when a jam becomes a journey... man.
Episode 53
Gregory Porter
Jul 18, 2016
Porter's music can be serious and heartwarming, but it never loses its sense of wonder and delight.
Episode 54
John Congleton And The Nighty Nite
Jul 22, 2016
The decorated producer seizes the spotlight with songs about how extraordinary it is to be ordinary.
Episode 55
Xenia Rubinos
Jul 25, 2016
Rubinos uses her Afro-Caribbean roots as a jumping-off point for inventive, provocative songs.
Episode 56
Lucy Dacus
Jul 29, 2016
The Virginia musician writes songs that can be thoughtful, playful and powerful.
Episode 57
Kevin Morby
Aug 1, 2016
The singer, known for Woods and The Babies, performs carefully crafted songs with powerful lyrics.
Episode 58
Rachel Barton Pine
Aug 5, 2016
Watch the genial violinist commune with nearly 300-year-old music for solo violin by J.S. Bach.
Episode 59
The Jayhawks
Aug 8, 2016
The beloved band displays its signature country-tinged rock and close harmonies in four new songs.
Episode 60
René Marie
Aug 12, 2016
Joined by her Experiment In Truth band, the jazz singer performs songs from Sound Of Red.
Episode 61
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals
Aug 15, 2016
Watch the invigorating, genre-busting bandleader, drummer, singer and rapper perform four songs.
Episode 62
Eddie Palmieri
Aug 19, 2016
An icon for modern and Latin jazz, the veteran performer continues to break tradition and innovate.
Episode 63
Margaret Glaspy
Aug 22, 2016
No overplaying, no frills, just great music and an artist who sounds thrilled to be playing it.
Episode 64
Nina Diaz
Aug 26, 2016
As a solo artist on leave from Girl In A Coma, the singer finds new ways to sound ferocious.
Episode 65
Big Thief
Aug 29, 201610m
The band's songs exude muscular warmth, with lyrics that are both memorable and meaningful.
Episode 66
William Bell
Sep 7, 2016
The 77-year-old blues and soul hitmaker returns to the spotlight with the aid of a 12-piece band.
Episode 67
The Secret Sisters
Sep 12, 2016
The Alabama sibling duo's music can be hymn-like: plain but powerful, heartsick and hopeful.
Episode 68
Saul Williams
Sep 16, 2016
You can feel the singer and poet's passion in every sharp, thoughtful, powerful, provocative word.
Episode 69
Corinne Bailey Rae
Sep 19, 2016
The genre-defying English singer-songwriter performs material from her first album in six years.
Episode 70
Blue Man Group
Sep 26, 2016
The world-famous entertainers retrofitted their instruments and confetti cannons to fit the desk.
Episode 71
Joshua Bell & Jeremy Denk
Sep 30, 2016
Two A-list classical artists work up a sweat as they revel in the turbulent, tender music of Brahms.
Episode 72
Common At The White House
Oct 4, 2016
The veteran rapper fronts an all-star band at the White House.
Episode 73
Haley Bonar
Oct 11, 2016
The Minnesota singer-songwriter achieves a nifty balance of intimacy and impeccable polish.
Episode 74
RDGLDGRN
Oct 14, 2016
A striking mix of rock, hip-hop, funk, go-go and Brazilian sounds, fused with energy and humor.
Episode 75
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Oct 17, 2016
The two songwriters celebrate the romance and vitality of the modern railroad.
Episode 76
Blind Pilot
Oct 21, 2016
The folk-pop band performs four songs from its shimmery new album, And Then Like Lions.
Episode 77
Drive-By Truckers
Oct 24, 2016
The long-running rock band holds a mirror to the hard realities of America right now.
Episode 78
Joseph
Oct 28, 2016
The trio strips anthemic songs down to the essentials: just sisterly harmonies and acoustic guitar.
Episode 79
The Westerlies
Nov 2, 2016
The self-described "accidental brass quartet" swims comfortably in jazz, classical and pop music.
Episode 80
Ta-ku & Wafia
Nov 7, 2016
The two Australians' chemistry is apparent the instant you hear their voices intertwined in song.
Episode 81
Adam Torres
Nov 11, 2016
The Austin singer-songwriter showcases his high, lonesome voice and atmospheric storytelling.
Episode 82
John Paul White
Nov 14, 2016
Formerly half of The Civil Wars, White returns to perform three songs from his solo debut, Beulah.
Episode 83
Attacca Quartet
Nov 18, 2016
The young quartet navigates smoke rings, alligators and the stormy fluctuations of the 18th century.
Episode 84
Tegan And Sara
Nov 21, 2016
The Canadian pop duo crafts acoustic versions of pop anthems like "Closer and "Boyfriend."
Episode 85
Margo Price
Nov 28, 2016
TMDB rating 10.0TMDB
On the morning after Election Day, Price sang three cathartic country songs loaded with new meaning.
Episode 86
Pinegrove
Dec 2, 2016
Watch the New Jersey band squeeze four songs into a scrappy, warmhearted 13-minute set.
Episode 87
Ro James
Dec 5, 2016
The R&B singer performs three funky, sexy, stripped-down songs from his debut album, Eldorado.
Episode 88
Alsarah & The Nubatones
Dec 9, 2016
In the band's hands, East African music comes alive in a mix of tradition and contemporary sounds.
Episode 89
Gucci Mane
Dec 12, 2016
The rapper has spent the year on an extended victory tour. Here are the spoils.
Episode 90
Derek Gripper
Dec 16, 2016
The classically trained guitarist performs songs originally written for the kora.
Episode 91
The Oh Hellos
Dec 19, 2016
The nine-piece band returns to the Tiny Desk to fill the air with fake snow and real joy.