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Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Upcoming Event

Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday
Dec 08

UCSB Arts and Lectures

Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday

The Granada Theatre

All Events
From LA noise, to Soundcloud rap gone skyward, to skintight discodelia, these are the albums that defined our 2023.

From LA noise, to Soundcloud rap gone skyward, to skintight discodelia, these are the albums that defined our 2023.

from Best of 2023

What’s the best heartfelt gift (that cost nothing) you’ve ever received?

What’s the best gift you’ve received that didn’t cost a thing? KCRW wants to hear from you.

KCRW's Favorite Songs of 2023

Our unranked and totally subjective favorite tracks of 2023, hand-picked and fiercely defended by KCRW DJs and curators.

Morning Becomes Eclectic playlist: Dec. 7, 2023

KCRW's signature music program features new releases, live performances, and artist interviews hosted by Novena Carmel & Anthony Valadez.

Today’s Top Tune: Yard Act - ‘Dream Job’

Yard Act , the art-rocking quartet from Leeds, gave us their sophomore album Where’s My Utopia? earlier in the year, co-produced by the band and Gorillaz’ Remi Kabaka Jr.

Featured Shows

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KCRW's signature daily music show. New releases, live performances, and interviews.

Morning Becomes Eclectic

KCRW's signature daily music show. New releases, live performances, and interviews.

 Bookworm, a premier literary talk show providing intellectual, accessible, and provocative literary conversations. Hosted by Michael Silverblatt at KCRW.com.

Bookworm

Bookworm, a premier literary talk show providing intellectual, accessible, and provocative literary conversations. Hosted by Michael Silverblatt at KCRW.com.

 Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly politics show where we take on the tough, divisive issues you’re afraid to talk about with your own family.

Left, Right & Center

Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly politics show where we take on the tough, divisive issues you’re afraid to talk about with your own family.

 She was the most influential American DJ you’ve never heard of. Deirdre O’Donoghue was a vital force in the musical underground of the 1980s.

Bent by Nature

She was the most influential American DJ you’ve never heard of. Deirdre O’Donoghue was a vital force in the musical underground of the 1980s.

Latest DJ Shows

Morning Becomes Eclectic

KCRW's signature daily music show. New releases, live performances, and interviews.

Dec. 07 2 hr, 50 min

FREAKS ONLY

Future beats and a mind-melting mix of fuzz, bass, and funk. Served fresh every weeknight.

Dec. 06 2 hr

Francesca Harding

Music to make you feel.

Dec. 05 1 hr, 59 min

José Galván

An infectious harmony of varied sounds and melodies that bridge cultures and genres.

Dec. 04 2 hr

LeRoy Downs

A varied sonic experience to jazz, blending music, style, and culture.

Dec. 03 1 hr, 45 min

All DJ shows

Live Playlist

Full playlist

Upcoming Events

Devendra Banhart
Dec 07

Live Nation

Devendra Banhart

The Belasco Theater

Jenny Lewis
Dec 08

Live Nation

Jenny Lewis

Hollywood Palladium

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Popular

Fanatic! Here we are in the month of December. I’ve gotten some good listening in over the last few days.

from Henry Rollins

Metropolis playlist, December 2, 2023

from Metropolis

Carlos Niño shares a far-out guest DJ set and stories about contributing to some of the year's most exciting LP’s including André 3000’s “New Blue Sun.”

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Yola strips down the Soul II Soul house-pop classic “Back To Life” and Alice Russell returns with “Rain.”

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Los Angeles

 ‘Sad Happens’ and it’s okay, assures Brandon Stosuy

‘Sad Happens’ and it’s okay, assures Brandon Stosuy

 Greater LA

San Gabriel Mountains are getting trashed. This group wants to change that

 Greater LA

Market Report: Jeremy Fox hangs persimmons out to dry

 Good Food

Food & Drink

 Good Food 2023: Recipes, Guides, and Roundups

Good Food 2023: Recipes, Guides, and Roundups

 Best of 2023

Cubanos, guava pastries, community: Remembering Cafe Tropical

 Greater LA

Breaking bread has new weight in LA as Gaza war rages on

 Greater LA

Politics

 From House speaker to retiree: Kevin McCarthy’s stunning rise and fall

From House speaker to retiree: Kevin McCarthy’s stunning rise and fall

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Life imitates art: George Santos is ‘The Distinguished Gentleman’

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The word ‘genocide’ is often used in Israel-Hamas conflict. Is it accurate?

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Best New Music

 The 23 Best Albums of 2023

The 23 Best Albums of 2023

 Best of 2023

KCRW's Favorite Songs of 2023

 Best of 2023

Morning Becomes Eclectic playlist: Dec. 7, 2023

 Morning Becomes Eclectic

Arts

 Filmed theater is thriving via BroadwayHD and ‘Waitress’ at the movies

Filmed theater is thriving via BroadwayHD and ‘Waitress’ at the movies

 The Business

Disney CEO Bob Iger talks succession, Marvel, ABC sale

 The Business

Weekend film reviews: ‘Godzilla Minus One,’ ‘Eileen,’ ‘Silent Night’

 Weekend Film Reviews

Entertainment

 Remembering TV legend Norman Lear

Remembering TV legend Norman Lear

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Why are Brenda Lee, Dolly Parton, Cher beloved? They’re unapologetically themselves

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

‘So bad, it’s bad’: The long-forgotten Star Wars Holiday Special

 Press Play with Madeleine Brand

This Week on KCRW

From cookies to cakes, cookbooks to pantry essentials, Good Food has got the spice and many things nice to close out 2023.

Good Food 2023: Recipes, Guides, and Roundups

From cookies to cakes, cookbooks to pantry essentials, Good Food has got the spice and many things nice to close out 2023.

from Best of 2023

Ro "Wyldeflower" Contreras guest hosts FREAKS ONLY.

FREAKS ONLY playlist: Dec. 6, 2023

Ro "Wyldeflower" Contreras guest hosts FREAKS ONLY.

from FREAKS ONLY

The one-day Cal State LA faculty strike is the third of four planned statewide this week.

Cal State faculty’s rolling strikes arrive in LA

The one-day Cal State LA faculty strike is the third of four planned statewide this week.

from Greater LA

Sunset’s bright purple Cafe Tropical, which shut down suddenly last week, was known for its excellent Cuban food and its role as a safe haven for those in recovery.

Cubanos, guava pastries, community: Remembering Cafe Tropical

Sunset’s bright purple Cafe Tropical, which shut down suddenly last week, was known for its excellent Cuban food and its role as a safe haven for those in recovery.

from Greater LA

From a zookeeper he met on Twitter to musician Phoebe Bridgers, Brandon Stosuy’s latest book features 115 essays, poems, and stories on sadness and crying.

‘Sad Happens’ and it’s okay, assures Brandon Stosuy

From a zookeeper he met on Twitter to musician Phoebe Bridgers, Brandon Stosuy’s latest book features 115 essays, poems, and stories on sadness and crying.

from Greater LA

Norman Lear died on Tuesday at age 101. He masterminded some of the most groundbreaking shows of the 1970s: “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude,” and “Good Times.”

Remembering TV legend Norman Lear

Norman Lear died on Tuesday at age 101. He masterminded some of the most groundbreaking shows of the 1970s: “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Maude,” and “Good Times.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Cursive is making a comeback. Starting next year, instruction of the flowy penmanship will be mandatory for all California elementary school children.

New skill or waste of time? Cursive returns to CA classrooms

Cursive is making a comeback. Starting next year, instruction of the flowy penmanship will be mandatory for all California elementary school children.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham is out with his first novel in nearly a decade. It’s set during COVID, but the word “pandemic” doesn’t appear once.

‘Pandemic tackled all of us’: Michael Cunningham on ‘Day’

Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Cunningham is out with his first novel in nearly a decade. It’s set during COVID, but the word “pandemic” doesn’t appear once.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The Bakersfield Republican says he’ll resign from Congress at the end of the year, after being ousted from the House speakership. Does he leave with bitterness?

From House speaker to retiree: Kevin McCarthy’s stunning rise and fall

The Bakersfield Republican says he’ll resign from Congress at the end of the year, after being ousted from the House speakership. Does he leave with bitterness?

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Our first Best Of 2023 list of the year (the top 23 albums of ‘23) is here, and we’re breaking it all down.

Morning Becomes Eclectic playlist: Dec. 6, 2023

Our first Best Of 2023 list of the year (the top 23 albums of ‘23) is here, and we’re breaking it all down.

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Why isn’t there a Viagra type drug for women? What happens when your porn habits impact your dating life? When it comes to sex the answers aren’t always so simple.

Will there ever be Viagra for women?

Why isn’t there a Viagra type drug for women? What happens when your porn habits impact your dating life? When it comes to sex the answers aren’t always so simple.

from How’s Your Sex Life?

Have yourself a merry, waste-free Christmas. Let your impact be light!

Green holidays, without being a Grinch

Have yourself a merry, waste-free Christmas. Let your impact be light!

from The Anti-Dread Climate Podcast

Two critically acclaimed and KCRW favorite artists are joining forces.

Today’s Top Tune: Phoenix - ‘Artefact’ (Feat. León Larregui)

Two critically acclaimed and KCRW favorite artists are joining forces.

from Today's Top Tune

Junf is back with Raul and three new tracks! “No Juice” from Proux brings the Señor Discos energy to the dancefloor.

Get to the dancefloor

Junf is back with Raul and three new tracks! “No Juice” from Proux brings the Señor Discos energy to the dancefloor.

from Global Beat Mexico

Music to make you feel.

Francesca Harding's playlist, December 5, 2023

Music to make you feel.

from Francesca Harding

Legendary post-punks Tones on Tail are reuniting for Cruel World 2024 and we’re digging into their 1984 album “Pop” to celebrate.

FREAKS ONLY playlist: Dec. 5, 2023

Legendary post-punks Tones on Tail are reuniting for Cruel World 2024 and we’re digging into their 1984 album “Pop” to celebrate.

from FREAKS ONLY

The San Gabriel Mountains are the largest open public space in Los Angeles, but some of the range’s most popular spots are covered in piles of trash.

San Gabriel Mountains are getting trashed. This group wants to change that

The San Gabriel Mountains are the largest open public space in Los Angeles, but some of the range’s most popular spots are covered in piles of trash.

from Greater LA

The Hall of Fame’s class of 10 includes a range of artists, athletes, and developers. Some of the inductees’ ties to the county are loose, at best.

Orange County creates Hall of Fame, announces inaugural inductees

The Hall of Fame’s class of 10 includes a range of artists, athletes, and developers. Some of the inductees’ ties to the county are loose, at best.

from Greater LA