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With quirky melodies and a uniquely clever songwriting style, Sparks has remained one of the most innovative art-pop bands of the past three decades. While never gaining much more than a cult following, Sparks' peculiar brand of pop smarts has influenced everything from '80s synth-pop to Queen.

A new exhibition at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts offers a rare glimpse into the archives of the late songwriter Lou Reed.

The show is live in Philly this week, and we invited one of the city's heroes. Darryl "Cornbread" McCray is the father of modern graffiti, but what does he know about the game of tag?

Joshua Bell plays a Stradivarius violin built in 1713 that's been notoriously stolen a few times. On his latest CD, the young virtuoso borrows a few great classical melodies and transposes them. He discusses his results with NPR's Liane Hansen.

Just as punk rockers broke the rules in the 1970s, so did a slew of equally rebellious singers and their groups a generation earlier. Rockin' Bones, a new CD collection, features the music of 1950s rockabilly artists who were the iconoclasts of their day.

Any history of rock 'n' roll is sure to acknowledge the influence of piano master Jerry Lee Lewis, who popularized his own brand of rock.

At the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus — a gothic cathedral in Cleveland — classical guitarist Jason Vieaux recently chose a new guitar. It's a crash course in how a musician selects an instrument.

New York plans to offer $14,600 in housing subsidies to lure math, science and special-education teachers to the city. It's the latest tool that several public school districts -- in this case the nation's largest -- hope will attract good teachers to expensive housing markets.

Chris Isaak's more than two decade-long recording career proves that he is a man who sticks to his guns. His newest release, a greatest hits compilation titled The Best of Chris Isaak, is a carefully selected collection of Isaak's most popular fan favorites.

American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino is climbing up the R&B charts. One of her songs, "Baby Mama," is a tribute to young, single mothers. But as her popularity grows, critics worry the song is sending the wrong message.