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Alicia Keys. Her new, self-titled album tops our shortlist of the best new albums out on Sept. 18. Milan Zirnic/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Milan Zirnic/Courtesy of the artist

New Music Friday: The Top 9 Albums Out On Sept. 18

September 18, 2020 • NPR Music's picks for the best new albums out on Sep. 18 include a long-awaited, self-titled release from Alicia Keys, PC Music's A.G. Cook, a rediscovered Thelonious Monk recording and more.

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Playlists

Hand-picked songs curated by the NPR Music staff

Hispanic Heritage Month On World Cafe: The Playlist

World Cafe celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month Rich McKie/WXPN / Getty Images hide caption

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Rich McKie/WXPN / Getty Images

Hispanic Heritage Month XPN

Take a musical journey throughout Latin America, through cities in Central America, South America and Mexico to explore the rising Latinx voices and sounds that often fall under the radar.

Comic book artist Daniel Warren Johnson (Murder Falcon, Extremity) illustrates the music of Viking's Choice. Horns up! Daniel Warren Johnson hide caption

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Daniel Warren Johnson

Viking's Choice

Opens with Soul Glo and the siiiickest scream your Viking has heard in a long time. New tunes from War on Women, No Thank You and New York rapper ELUCID. Throwbacks to Sunn O))) and William Parker.

NPR

Press Pause

A steady stream of great tunes have popped up on streaming services while coronavirus news has dominated headlines. Here's what you've missed.

This Is How I Feel: A Playlist By Young Black Listeners

Music speaks truth to anger and frustration, but also provides a sense of hope and beauty. Rashida Chavis for NPR hide caption

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Rashida Chavis for NPR

This Is How I Feel

Music has always been a vital part of protest and social justice. We asked our young Black listeners: Is there one song that's helping you address your feelings right now?

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Editors' picks

Essential stories and videos from npr music

50 Years Ago, Black Sabbath Found Its Sound And Took Metal Worldwide

Black Sabbath circa 1970. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

50 Years Ago, Black Sabbath Found Its Sound And Took Metal Worldwide

Recorded in a few days and released just months after the band's self-titled debut, Paranoid delivered bleak but unforgettable songs about war, corruption and trauma.

Anjimile's debut album, Giver Taker, is out Sept. 18. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Anjimile Just Can't Wait To Be King

Ahead of the release of their debut album, Giver Taker, the Boston singer-songwriter talks to NPR Music about singing in choirs, healing through songwriting and being inspired by The Lion King.

From left to right, some of the Latinx figures we think deserve monuments: Ivy Queen, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sonia Manzano and Anacaona. Rodrigo Varela; Ron Galella Collection; David Livingston; The Civilization, volume III, 1882/Getty Images hide caption

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Rodrigo Varela; Ron Galella Collection; David Livingston; The Civilization, volume III, 1882/Getty Images