Featured Music Stories
The NZ music industry's #MeToo reckoning?
Broadcaster and music industry veteran Charlotte Ryan responds to recent revelations of harassment and exploitation, and her own experiences, within the New Zealand music industry.
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Shona Laing: 50 years of music
Shona Laing, one of New Zealand's most fêted musicians, joins Karyn Hay to reflect on her long career as a singer-songwriter, and the highs and lows ahead of a new photo exhibition about her. Audio
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Dawn Raid - a movie about an important local record label
A new film follows the story of two Manukau Polytechnic students who turned a bootleg T-shirt business and hip-hop night at a local bar in Otara into the influential Dawn Raid Entertainment empire. Video, Audio
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Songs about NZ places
17 Jan 2021Many songs have been sung about places in New Zealand so we've marked them on this map to explore and soundtrack your journeys across this land.
RNZ Concert
RNZ Concert is New Zealand’s fine music network. Concert promotes New Zealand music and composition and features live broadcasts of concerts and recitals, as well as international content from other public radio broadcasters, podcasts, and on-demand programmes.
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Last few days to download this Podcast Classic
Sing-a-long with four fantastic soloists, Voices New Zealand Chamber Choir and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven's groundbreaking 'Choral Symphony'. Audio
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Playlist: The Stars are Comforting
6 minutes agoBeatrice Tinsley would have been 80 years old this week. Download the story of her career in astrophysics and her love of music, as described in letters to her family, from student days to her tragically early death.
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Hymns on Sunday
10 minutes agoHear hymns sung in some great acoustics, including St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London, Washington National Cathedral, and the Wellington Cathedral of St Paul right here in New Zealand. ‘Amens’ have never sounded so good! Audio
Featured Music Programmes
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Nashville Babylon 24 January 2021
24 Jan 2021On this week's Nashville Babylon Mark has birthday tunes for Sam Cooke and Lucinda Williams plus tracks from the Front Lawn, Dave Alvin, Nina Simone and Esther… Audio
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Nashville Babylon 17 January, 2021
17 Jan 2021On this week's show Mark has music from Johnny Otis, Midlake and Iris DeMent, blues courtesy of Muddy Waters and Elmore James plus a live song from Kelly Joe… Audio
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Nashville Babylon 10 January, 2021
10 Jan 2021This week's Nashville Babylon is a celebration of ace A&R man and record producer Jerry Wexler featuring music from Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Champion… Audio
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Nashville Babylon 3 January 2021
3 Jan 2021On this week's show Mark welcomes in 2021 with birthday tunes for Stephen Stills and George Martin plus blues from Big Joe Turner, a track from Little Feat plus… Audio
Recent Music Stories
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The bliss of bagpipes
3:47 pm todayAmelia Langford discusses what makes bagpipes special and plays some examples. Audio
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Music Critic: Dianne Swann
2:13 pm todayToday Dianne looks at new music from Arlo Parks, her new album, Collapsed in Sunbeams is being released tomorrow. Closer to home she also talks about the third album released last week, by Wellington… Audio
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Sofa Session - New Zealand String Quartet
27 Jan 2021The New Zealand String Quartet join us live in the studio for a special hour-long Sofa Session. Video, Audio
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Lotto and Six60 withdraw controversial scratchie tickets
27 Jan 2021Lotto scratchie tickets featuring the pop band Six60 are being withdrawn after a public backlash.
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First Song: Tone6 release their first single
27 Jan 2021A group of six talented singers from SAINTZUP Performing Arts School, Tone6, is releasing their first single today. Another Level of Emotion. Audio
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Music with Kirsten Johnstone
27 Jan 2021Kirsten joins Kathryn to look at some new covers of songs by Kate Bush, Dire Straits and Amy Winehouse. Audio
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Sea shanty about NZ settlers resurfaces about 190 years later
26 Jan 2021A sea shanty called Wellerman is rising up the UK record charts about 190 years after the Weller family settled in Aotearoa. Audio
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How to write: A jingle
26 Jan 2021For this week's 'How to Write' session, Larry Killip, joins Jesse talk about writing jingles. Audio
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First song with Paul Cathro
25 Jan 2021Paul Cathro from the band Ha The Unclear joins us for First Song today. Audio
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New Zealand sea shanty takes the world by storm
25 Jan 2021There's a certain trend this summer that's taking the world by storm - the humble sea shanty First it was a viral sensation on TikTok sung by a Scottish postman, Nathan Evans - he's now got a record… Audio
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The Through Line #8
24 Jan 2021Karyn takes us on a musical journey from Prince Tui Teka to Snow Patrol, think six degrees of separation. Audio
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Being performs new song 'Speak Softly' live in the RNZ studio
24 Jan 2021Being is the indie-pop project helmed by Auckland-based musician and poet Jasmine Balmer. Being will be performing at the Auckland Folk Festival alongside the likes of Troy Kingi, The Eastern, Delaney… Audio
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Summer Song Crush - Dianne Swann
23 Jan 2021Tony sits down with musician and critic Dianne Swann, to share some of their favourite musical discoveries of 2020. Audio
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Worlds of Music - Ep 215 features an interview with Jimmy Carter, from the Blind Boys of Alabama
23 Jan 2021Music from the world, for the world, hosted by Trevor Reekie. Audio
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Six60 fans reminded to turn on Bluetooth before concert
23 Jan 2021Hawke's Bay health officials are urging people to turn on the Bluetooth function of their Covid Tracer app ahead of a major concert today.
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The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector
23 Jan 2021Spector, who transformed pop with his "wall of sound" recordings, worked with the Beatles, the Righteous Brothers, and Ike and Tina Turner has died.
In 2009, he was convicted of the 2003 murder of… Audio
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The Through Line #7
23 Jan 2021Karyn takes us on a musical journey from Shona Laing to Siouxsie and the Banshees, think six degrees of separation. Audio
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Learning the art of deep listening
23 Jan 2021Listening is like breathing, it's something we do without even thinking. But if we really want to dive into a piece of music, we can practice 'Deep Listening' - a way of hearing every possible element… Audio
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Dawn Raid Entertainment's story heads to the big screen
20 Jan 2021The story of the rise and fall of Dawn Raid Entertainment - the ground-breaking South Auckland Hip Hop and RnB label - is coming to the big screen this week.
Directed by Oscar Kightley, the feature… Audio
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Joe ZAWINUL arr David Bremner: Birdland
18 Jan 2021Performed by the National Band of New Zealand conducted by David Bremner in the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber, Hamilton, 1 November 2020. Audio
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Joseph John RICHARDS arr D Broadbent: Midwest March
18 Jan 2021Performed by the National Band of New Zealand conducted by David Bremner in the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber, Hamilton, 1 November 2020. Audio
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Johnny RICHARDS arr Harper: La suerte de los tontos
18 Jan 2021Performed by the National Band of New Zealand conducted by David Bremner in the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber, Hamilton, 1 November 2020. Audio
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Anders EDENROTH, Matti KALLIO arr Harper: Nordic Polska
18 Jan 2021Performed by the National Band of New Zealand conducted by David Bremner in the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber, Hamilton, 1 November 2020. Audio
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