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The week of Thanksgiving, NPR Music producer Stephen Thompson completed a daunting task: He listened to nothing but new holiday CDs for an entire 18-hour drive. The trip yielded prizes and punishments, and even a minor Christmas miracle.

The singer-songwriter performs selections from his debut CD State of Mind. He talks about his music, his collaborations and how he feels about being compared to his mentor, Stevie Wonder.

Two years ago, Allison Russell's breakthrough album took the roots music world by storm. Now nominated for the genre's highest honor, Russell has a new goal: to open Americana up even more.

Streaming has turned the once-rare deluxe edition into a given for pop albums. Many feel clunky or inessential — but a few artists have found ways to take the format high-concept.

We had 140 jazz journalists weigh in on their favorite releases of the year. Here are their top overall picks, with top finishers in Latin jazz, vocal, debut and historical categories.

For fans of PJ Harvey, Mark Kozelek and Cat Power.

The Chicago quartet's charming new song is a theme for unbridled joy.

Watch the singer and violinist who stood out from 6,000-plus entries in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest. Gaelynn Lea performs two of these four songs with fellow Duluth, Minn., musician Alan Sparhawk of Low.

Before we reveal this year's Tiny Desk Contest winner, discover some of the best of the nearly 6,000 entries we received.

The saxophonist's 2014 album was dedicated to the memory of his 6-year-old daughter, killed in the 2012 mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. Hear his quartet perform the genre-spanning music in concert.