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Hip-hop and R&B acts dominate the field of nominees for this year's Grammy awards, announced Thursday. Beyonce, Jay-Z, OutKast and Pharrell Williams each earned six nominations. Hear NPR's Michele Norris and music writer Tom Moon.

In February 1860, Abraham Lincoln, an unknown lawyer from the West with no formal education, delivered a speech before a New York audience that transformed him into a serious presidential contender. A new book re-examines the Cooper Union speech credited with propelling Lincoln to the White House. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with scholar Harold Holzer about his new book, Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President.

Composer Stephen Schwartz has provided the music and lyrics for Broadway hits from Godspell to his latest, Wicked. He discusses the patchwork of artistic influences, from Beethoven to Sting, that have influenced his popular, emotionally powerful style. NPR's Neva Grant reports.

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Jack Weatherford about his new book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Weatherford has spent the past eight years in Mongolia researching the man he deems the greatest ruler the world has ever seen. He says that Khan was not the stereotypical barbarian of lore, calling him a statesman responsible for laying the foundations for global trade and diplomacy.

The band Modest Mouse has released their first album in four years. The group often referred to as the perfect indie-rock band suddenly finds itself enjoying pop success that had eluded it for 10 years. Mikel Jollett has a review of their new CD, Good News for People who Love Bad News.

Jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall's latest CD is called The Girl In The Other Room. The release is a departure from her past work, bypassing interpretations of jazz standards in favor of songs written by Krall and her husband, Elvis Costello. Tom Moon has a review of the album, released March 27 by Verve records.

The new film The Girl Next Door appears to be a typical teen comedy with an adult twist: what happens when a stunning former porn star moves in next door to a lucky high school senior. Some critics find its attempt to make the world of pornography seem mainstream disturbing. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan has a review.

The group Ollabelle came out of an open mike night in New York City called, "Sunday School for Sinners." Their music captures the sound and feeling of the American South, from it churches to its porches and honkytonks.

Motown founder Berry Gordy has decided to sell his stake in 15,000 Motown songs known as the Jobete collection to EMI Music Publishing. The catalog includes hits by the Supremes, Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, as well as many songs never released. With the deal, Gordy breaks all ties to the Motown empire he created and nourished. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards.

Singer-songwriter Thea Gilmore is just 24, but last fall she released her fifth CD, Avalanche. Her thought-provoking material reflects the influences of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello and the Replacements. NPR's Linda Wertheimer talks with Gilmore about her music.