RNZ Music
Featured Music Stories
David Bowie's Space Oddity turns 50
Dr Mitch Goodwin explores the history and cultural significance of one of David Bowie's early and enduring hits, written when he was just 22, and inspired by images of the Earth taken from space during the Apollo 8 moon mission. Video, Audio
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The murky world of unofficial Spotify playlist curators
1 minute agoThe rise of music streaming has created a bunch of new ways for musicians to get their music heard, but some of them aren’t quite what they seem.
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Spinal Tap: 35 years of turning it up to 11
Writer, comedian, musician and actor Michael McKean says the band recently played at in LA to celebrate the band’s 35th anniversary but the last time they played in “full war paint, wigs and spandex” was 2009. Video, Audio
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Song Crush: Hot new music
In this episode you can dabble in disco, flirt with funk, and indulge in some capital 'P' pop. Tony Stamp hosts, along with 95bFM programmer Sarah Thomson and RNZ Worlds Of Music presenter Trevor Reekie. Video, Audio
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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Music Alive: Nikki Chooi & Jerusalem Quartet
1 minute agoA double edition from the 2019 Adam Chamber Music Festival held in Nelson. Award-winning Canadian violinist Nikki Chooi in recital and then the Jerusalem Quartet.
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Music Alive: National Youth Orchestra's Summer Camp
2 minutes agoMatthias Balzat plays Elgar's Cello Concerto with the National Youth Orchestra conducted by Guy Noble, and the orchestra plays Beethoven and Dvořák .
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The Planets
24 Jul 2017In honour of the moon landing anniversary, this week we're 'Reaching for the Skies' on RNZ Concert. Explore Gustav Holst's famous orchestral work 'The Planets' with images from NASA and ESA missions. Video, Audio
Featured Music Programmes
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Nashville Babylon 15 July, 2019
15 Jul 2019On tonight's Nashville Babylon Mark previews the forthcoming Southern Fork Americana Festival with music from Pokey LaFarge, the Felice Brothers and Molly… Audio
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Nashville Babylon 8 July, 2019
8 Jul 2019On this week's show Mark plays new music from Tanya Tucker and New Zealand's Pig Island. There's also blues courtesy of Ray Charles, Mike Henderson and Sister… Audio
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Nashville Babylon 1 July, 2019
1 Jul 2019On this week's Show Mark pays tribute to legendary New Orleans songwriter and producer Dave Bartholomew who died last week, aged 100. There's also new music… Audio
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Nashville Babylon: Kris Kristofferson and Justin Townes Earle
24 Jun 2019On this week's Nashville Babylon Mark previews live shows from Kris Kristofferson and Justin Townes Earle, spins a track from Springsteen's new album, plays a… Audio
Recent Music Stories
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The music of David Lynch films
David Lynch is one of the most distinctive and important directors of 20th century cinema. We take a trip through some of the finest musical moments in his decorated career Audio
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The Jerusalem Quartet front up
The Jerusalem Quartet give New Zealand String Quartet violist Gillian Ansell a glimpse into their genesis as an ensemble meeting as teenagers in Israel soon after emigrating from the Soviet Union.
… Video, Audio
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Ariana Tikao brings mana wahine to the stage
16 Jul 2019The stories of a prominent Ngai Tahu storyteller and leader from the 19th century, Teone Taare Tikao are being brought to life on stage by one of his descendants. Audio
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The murky world of unofficial Spotify playlists
16 Jul 2019The rise of music streaming has created a bunch of new ways for musicians to get their music heard, but some of them aren’t quite what they seem.
Coming up
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Dunedin Symphony Orchestra highlights the city's talents
This weekend the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra highlights the talents of two of the city's finest musicians - Violinist Tessa Petersen and 'cellist Heleen du Plessis. Audio
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Great Album - Italian Love Songs by Dean Martin
15 Jul 2019Italian Love Songs by Dean Martin. Audio
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VIDEO PREMIERE: Ed Waaka - ‘War on the Street’
15 Jul 2019The new video from Auckland singer-songwriter Ed Waaka was shot in his childhood neighbourhood of Belmont. ‘War on the Street’ is a reminder that “love and empathy are the way forward” in challenging…
Coming up
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Girls Rock! Camp musicians perform their final showcase
15 Jul 2019Last week we told you about a school holiday programme for girls, trans and non-binary young people that's hoping to help produce future rock stars. Over the course of six days, the 42 young people… Video, Audio
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Gareth FARR: The Bone Feeder
14 Jul 2019Opera by Gareth Farr and Renee Liang, The world première production by Auckland Arts Festival in association with New Zealand Opera at the Waterfront Theatre in Auckland, March 2017. Video, Audio
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Esperanza Spalding - 12 Little Spells
14 Jul 2019Jazz bassist and singer, Esperanza Spalding's new album 12 Little Spells is surely about as personal as you can get: a collection of songs about various parts of the body. William Dart checks out the… Video, Audio
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Easy Rider: a ground-breaking film soundtrack
Easy Rider was not only the fourth highest grossing American film of 1969, but it also set the precedent for the rock movie soundtrack album. Fifty years on, Trevor Reekie recalls it's impact. Video, Audio
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Julie London and the music of the sixties
It's the 50th anniversary of the moon landing: we take a trip on a spaceship with Julie London.
A tribute to the inventor of bossa nova, Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, who has died.
Video
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Mediaworks kills the video star
New Zealand no longer has a local music TV channel after MediaWorks took Edge TV off the screen last week.
Five years after promising ‘radio with pictures on steroids’ it seems the effects have… Audio
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Hymns on Sunday 14 July 2019
14 Jul 2019Hymns 'ancient and modern' today, from the early Greek hymn Hail, Gladdening Light to Michael Perry's Like a mighty river flowing. Audio
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History through the Piano: The World of Mozart
John Drummond looks at famous pieces of piano music as windows into the world in which they were created. A composer cannot help but reflect the world he lives in, his understanding of life, his… Audio
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Introducing: Young Lyre
13 Jul 2019Auckland five-piece Young Lyre introduce their new single 'Nobody Else'. Audio
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Villainy
13 Jul 2019Neill and Thom from Auckland rock band Villainy talk to Yadana Saw about people getting their name wrong, their current tour of NZ and which fictional criminal mastermind they relate to most. Audio
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Nadia Reid - Stomping Grounds
13 Jul 2019Nadia shows us the places that mean the most to her, and takes a trip down memory lane, returning to the high school where she discovered her love of folk music and formed a bond with other musicians.
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Worlds of Music episode 145 July 13 2019 featuring Nick Drake
13 Jul 2019Music from the world, for the world, hosted by Trevor Reekie. Audio
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Classical music mysteries: 'Case Notes'
Black magic, theft, grave digging, gruesome crimes...some of our most famous classical composers led dark and interesting lives. It certainly wasn't all powdered wigs and harpsichord recitals for… Audio
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Julia Deans - Famous Cantabrian expats stage Like Water
13 Jul 2019The Christchurch Arts Festival is about to kick-off (July 26 - August 4th) and this year it has a different emphasis: it will focus on Christchurch artists rather than a roster of international… Audio
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The Mixtape: Paddy Free
12 Jul 2019Paddy Free is one half of pioneering NZ electronic act Pitch Black, producer of some classic albums like Salmonella Dub's Inside The Dub Plates, composer for contemporary dance productions, and has… Video, Audio
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NZ Live - Terror of the Deep
12 Jul 2019Wellington jangle-rock four-piece Terror of the Deep have just released their fourth studio album, The A-Team. Audio
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