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Supergroups have a long tradition in popular music. Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson once joined forces as The Highwaymen. There were the Fania All-Stars, The Four Tenors and Audioslave. Now Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, Jim James and M. Ward, calling themselves Monsters of Folk, have released their debut album.

Out of the hallways at KEXP, passersby could hear an explosive, enthusiastic burst of guitars and drums. The sound was huge, but it came from only two scrawny young men, each playing furiously. Japandroids may be a duo, but it sure doesn't sound like one.

NPR Music has assembled a blue-ribbon panel of Madonna fans to offer memories, commentary and analysis of highlights from the Celebration collection.

At Monterey, Cullum links Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain" to Rihanna's "Umbrella," segues from Cole Porter to Jimi Hendrix, delivers a personal manifesto on a Charles Mingus riff, leaps off the piano into the air and never lets his audience down.

The British singer-songwriter first heard "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" 10 years ago, and he says he's had it on repeat ever since. He explains why he loves this 1967 collaboration between Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim — and why other listeners might love it, too.

One of the great trumpeters of the swing era, "Little Jazz" talks about a career that includes collaborations with Fletcher Henderson, Gene Krupa and Billie Holiday. In this session from 1986, Eldridge also shows off his piano chops and vocal gifts.

The Strawbs' members are survivors. Enduring for more than 40 years, their brand of rock has defied categorization, creating a virtual timeline of pop music. In a session from WXPN, the band goes through its long history and performs two songs.

With energy and dark humor, Deer Tick makes edgy, sparse Americana. After beginning as a duo, the group has evolved into a self-described rock-rock-rock outfit with a little something more: a twist of alt-country and gritty blues. Hear highlights from the Philadelphia Folk Festival.

As they celebrate their 35th anniversary as a band, all the original members of Cheap Trick have again gotten together to record The Latest. Here, the group performs new songs and old classics while showcasing an array of catchy hooks and blistering guitar riffs.

Singer Billy McCarthy and his band Pela put aside their high-voltage stage antics to introduce four new songs in a session from KEXP. But instead of what will inevitably end up as album versions, the group treated KEXP to acoustic arrangements.