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Joshua Bell plays a Stradivarius violin built in 1713 that's been notoriously stolen a few times. On his latest CD, the young virtuoso borrows a few great classical melodies and transposes them. He discusses his results with NPR's Liane Hansen.

With quirky melodies and a uniquely clever songwriting style, Sparks has remained one of the most innovative art-pop bands of the past three decades. While never gaining much more than a cult following, Sparks' peculiar brand of pop smarts has influenced everything from '80s synth-pop to Queen.

Any history of rock 'n' roll is sure to acknowledge the influence of piano master Jerry Lee Lewis, who popularized his own brand of rock.

On "Nile," Valerie Troutt approaches her lyrics with stirring conviction, but she never oversells the song. Fortunately, she doesn't have to — "Nile" is a ballad blessed with an enchanting melody and arrangement, brimming with thoughtful, heartfelt optimism.

Grant-Lee Phillips' nineteeneighties would seem to be an odd creative detour — the set finds him covering '80s alt-rock classics by the likes of R.E.M., the Cure and the Pixies — but it's surprising how smoothly its tributes fit into his homespun, heartfelt catalog.

At the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus — a gothic cathedral in Cleveland — classical guitarist Jason Vieaux recently chose a new guitar. It's a crash course in how a musician selects an instrument.

The hip-hop group Modill has absorbed the best of Chicago's blues, soul, house and funk traditions, distilling its essence into their debut album, Midnight Green.

Chris Isaak's more than two decade-long recording career proves that he is a man who sticks to his guns. His newest release, a greatest hits compilation titled The Best of Chris Isaak, is a carefully selected collection of Isaak's most popular fan favorites.

When MTV first started in 1981, the network broadcast wall-to-wall music videos. Since then the network has grown increasingly corporate with less music and more commercialism. MTV's Movie Awards show, airing tonight, is sign of how far from those beginnings the channel has come.

"We make music to collide with the world." The Puerto Rican superstar discusses Nibiru, his musical beginnings and the state of Latin urban music.