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Local Colombian music permeates the soundscapes crafted by the band Aterciopelados. But what gives the group's music its universal appeal is something less tangible: a quality of dry-eyed optimism that proves both persuasive and reassuring in these troubled times.

For many, the autoharp is remembered as the slightly geeky, easy-to-play instrument from grade-school music class, or as simple accompaniment for folk and country singers. But Basia Bulat, who sings and plays the autoharp on Oh, My Darling, hopes the time has come for people to discover the beauty and potential in the instrument.

Reggae music has gone a lot of places over the years, from minimalist dub to culture-warring dancehall. Almost 40 years on, Spear still hews to the reggae basics: a deep, easy groove; brassy R&B flavorings; and a mystical take on history. His new CD is Jah is Real.

The all-male vocal quartet, which draws its name from the supreme rulers of yore, has been selling out Irish stadiums with harmony-drenched folk songs. Now on tour in North America, the group visits NPR for a studio performance and interview.

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter's new album, Little Wild One, tackles the subjects of post-Sept. 11 New York City and motherhood. Osborne discusses the record and how her new appreciation of New York helped provide the inspiration.

There probably isn't a major symphony orchestra in the U.S. — or abroad — that hasn't played the music of John Adams. His distinctive sound has made Richard Nixon sing and won a Pulitzer Prize. His new autobiography, Hallelujah Junction, reveals an American composer's history.

The singer's 1973 hit has been covered more than any of her other songs. She says it remains popular in part because of how universal it is: Everyone relates to the singer's sense of inadequacy.

For WNYC's Soundcheck host John Schaefer, the best classical music of the year came not from new releases, but from the news in the classical music world. The biggest story was the New York Philharmonic's performance in Pyongyang, North Korea.

She's best known for her electronica-tinged approach to Middle Eastern music. But for her latest release, Atlas takes an all-acoustic approach to folk songs from around the globe, from the Arab world to Appalachia.

When pop stars collaborated with African musicians in the 1980s and '90s, they embraced sounds once heard as foreign and exotic. Now a new generation of American musicians is creating homegrown rock music with a West African twist.