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The Contenders, Vol. 5: Our running list of the year's best songs

Cellist Maya Beiser offers a remarkable interpretation of Terry Riley's "In C" on her latest album.
Boyang Hu
/
Courtesy of the artist
Cellist Maya Beiser offers a remarkable interpretation of Terry Riley's "In C" on her latest album.

On this week's show we check back in on our running tally of songs that could wind up on NPR Music's best-of-2024 lists. Alt.Latino's Anamaria Sayre and NPR's Tom Huizenga join host Robin Hilton to share the effervescent Bombay Bicycle Club, Residente's epic and profound "313," cellist Maya Beiser's mournful take on Terry Riley's "In C" and more, including a stellar new track from polymath Maya Hawke.


Featured artists and songs

  • Bombay Bicycle Club: "Willow (feat. Lucy Rose)," from Fantasies
  • Ela Taubert: "Como Paso" (single)
  • Jlin: "Sodalite (feat. Kronos Quartet)," from Akoma
  • Maya Hawke: "Missing Out," from Chaos Angel
  • Residente: "313" from LAS LETRAS YA NO IMPORTAN
  • Maya Beiser: "In C," from Maya Beiser x Terry Riley: In C