This year marks the 25th anniversary of R.E.M.'s debut full-length album, Murmur. The band is marking the occasion with a remastered version of the record and a deluxe edition that includes a bonus live concert from 1983. The Decemberists are also back, with a collection of new singles. Always The Bridesmaid features seven new songs the band is releasing in three installments, on vinyl and as digital downloads but not as CDs. Also on the show: Strokes drummer Fabrizio Moretti's side project called Little Joy, jazz trumpeter Steven Bernstein, electronica trio A.R.S., legendary guitarist Max Ochs, and the strangely compelling Heligoats.

When The White Album was released 40 years ago this month, fans were both baffled and awe struck by its sprawling world of sound. It was released as a double LP (almost unheard of at the time) and featured instant classics like "I Will," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and "Blackbird." But The White Album (its real name is simply The Beatles) was also filled with songs many found hard to digest, like the eight-minute, experimental sound collage "Revolution 9" or the inexplicably surreal "Honey Pie." On this edition of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen talks with Bruce Spizer, author of The Beatles On Apple Records, about the groundbreaking White Album and how it came to be.

A spectacular live recording of Neil Young performing in 1968, made just before the release of his very first solo album, is about to be made available for the first time ever. Sugar Mountain won't be out until December, but we've got the title track for you here as a sneak preview. We've also got an exclusive preview of new music from Sweden's Loney, Dear. The new album, Dear John, is due out in January, but you can hear the track "Airport Surroundings" now. Also on this edition of All Songs Considered: Nigerian musician Asa, legendary African guitarist Franco, ringtone composer Max Richter, and the Portland, Ore. duo Musee Mecanique.

We receive several hundred CDs a week at All Songs Considered and do our best to listen to a bit of everything. But there's only enough time and space on the show to cover a tiny fraction of them. That means a lot of great albums get missed. Fortunately, as we compile our ballot for the year's best CDs, NPR listeners have been helping us find some of those buried and overlooked musical gems. On this edition of All Songs Considered we share some of those picks: the best of the CDs we missed this year, including music from Flobots, Department of Eagles, Human Highway, and more.

On this edition of All Songs Considered we continue our talk with NPR reviewer and author Tom Moon about his new book, 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List. Tom describes the exhaustive research required to compile the list, and reveals some of his dumb-luck discoveries, like the late blues guitarist Blind Blake and reggae artist Hugh Mundell. We also look at some of the obvious classics that didn't make it in the book, including music from the psychedelic rock group Moby Grape and jazz legend Dave Brubeck. Plus, some of the artists who surprised Tom, like Latin jazz artists Cal Tjader, the hip-hop group Ultramagnetic MCs, and the hardcore punk band Bad Brains. This is a follow-up to our previous episode on must-hear recordings.

Sweden has been producing some of the best pop music of the past decade. On our latest mix we've got new music from singer Lykke Li (pronounced Leaky-Lee), and the sprawling, 30-member group I'm From Barcelona. Also on the show: the British band Wild Beasts with their oddly titled new song "Brave Bulging Buoyant Clairvoyants;" the wildly strange and wonderful Sparks; twin sisters and the former drummer for Secret Machines form the band School of Seven Bells; and the influential Elephant 6 Orchestra reunites for a magical and historic live performance.

Paul McCartney is about to release a new album he recorded with bassist and producer Martin Glover, a.k.a. Youth. Calling their project The Fireman, McCartney and Youth have put together an inspired mix of vocal pop and rock songs called Electric Arguments. It's due out in November, but we've got a sneak preview of it for you. Also on the show: Oasis is back with one of its best albums in years; Hear the song "To Be Where There's Life" from the CD Dig Out Your Soul. Simon Bookish is the performance and recording name of London-based composer Leo Chadburn. His music is part David Bowie, part Philip Glass. Hear a cut from his new album Everything/Everything. We've also got music for you from the Australia-based instrumental project Bombazine Black, a collaboration with singer Amy Rigby and '70s pop artist Wreckless Eric, Nashville's artful, Americana rock group Lambchop, and new music from Vic Chesnutt with Elf Power and the Amorphous Strums.

So much to hear. So little time. You can spend your entire life devouring music, both new and old, and barely scratch the surface of all there is to discover. NPR reviewer and author Tom Moon is trying to make it a little easier for music fans with his new book: 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die: A Listener's Life List. On this edition of All Songs Considered, we talk with Tom about his new book and listen to some of the incredible music he select, as well as some of the ones we think he missed.

It's been three years since Antony and the Johnsons released a CD. The band is back with a new EP featuring the strangely haunting voice of frontman Antony Hegarty. Hear "Shake the Devil" from Another World. Also on the show: a live recording of the Buena Vista Social Club performing at Carnegie Hall; old school soul from singer Raphael Saadiq; the vivid imagery of singer David Eugene Edwards and Woven Hand; songwriter Scott Jared, a music therapist by day and Super XX Man by night; and a wrecking ball of an album from the Athens, GA band Dead Confederate.

Okkervil River frontman Will Sheff shares some of his favorite (and fairly obscure) music with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. The two talk about Okkervil River's latest album, The Stand-Ins and listen to some of the songs Sheff has loved and been inspired by over the years. Hear music from soul singer Lorraine Ellison, the 1960s Jamaican group Carlton and the Shoes, former teen idol-turned introspective singer Dion, and The Penetrators — a 1970s band some would call punk, others would call garage rock.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen looks at some of the most anticipated CDs due out this fall, with reviewers Tom Moon, Will Hermes, and Meredith Ochs. Hear a sneak preview of TV On the Radio's spectacular new album, Dear Science, plus the latest and reportedly final CD from The Streets, a sultry new record from Lucinda Williams, more bootleg recordings from Bob Dylan, the comically cool Eagles of Death Metal, stunning harmonies from Blitzen Trapper, neo-folk chanteuse Jolie Holland, Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento, and the third installment in the Congotronics series, from the Kasai Allstars.

The hypnotic Canadian rock trio Land of Talk is about to release its debut full-length CD; we've got a sneak preview. For some, the first recordings of Creedence Clearwater Revival were flat, but newly-mixed versions of the albums let fans hear the band's music in rich fidelity. Hear "Born On A Bayou," from the reissued Bayou Country. Jesus H Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse make music that's irreverent to some, but hilarious to others. The band's new CD is Happier Than You. Also on the show: new music from Jesse Sykes, Ray LaMontagne and the remarkable mandolin playing of India's U. Shrinivas.

Were the 1980s the worst years for music? NPR listeners seem to think so, according the results of our poll. When asked to pick the best year for music, nearly everyone skipped the '80s entirely. On this edition of All Songs Considered, host Bob Boilen looks back at the decade of synth pop, hair metal, and hardcore with Stephen Thompson, editor of Song of the Day, Robin Hilton, All Songs Considered producer and host of Second Stage, and Carrie Brownstein, writer for the Monitor Mix blog.

The New York rock group Ra Ra Riot returns from an emotional roller coaster with a fantastic new CD. Hear a cut from The Rhumb Line. Singer Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley mixes it up on her latest solo CD, Acid Tongue. Argentinian singer Juana Molina has a mesmerizing new album out in October. We've got a sneak preview. Also on the show: Brooklyn duo High Places, the "Dreamend" songs of Ryan Graveface, "Failure" from singer Laura Marling, and PCP, also known as the Portland Cello Project.

With fall rapidly approaching, we'll soon begin making a list of the year's best albums. Two bands from last year's top-20 are back in the running again for this year: Okkervil River and Of Montreal. We've got a sneak preview of new music from both bands. Also on the show: Steve Earle and Gillian Welch offer songs from their performances at this year's Newport Folk Festival; Jeff Hanson sings with an improbable, but stunning voice on his new album, Madam Owl; New York-based The Walkmen have a beautiful, airy new CD that's both timeless and modern; and The Broken West is about to release one of the year's standout albums — their sophomore release — called Now or Heaven.

Twenty Seven years ago, Brian Eno and David Byrne made a record like no other: My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Now, nearly 30 years later, they're about to release a follow-up. We've got a sneak preview. Also on this edition of All Songs Considered: a surprising collaboration between reggae legend Lee "Scratch" Perry and Andrew W.K. Van Dyke Parks and Inara George (singer for The Bird and The Bee) team up for an unusual record of baroque-styled pop songs. We've also got new music from Earlimart, The Avett Brothers, live music from She and Him and Jim James of My Morning Jacket.

The singer-songwriter's new CD, Harps and Angels, is as good as anything he's ever done and, at times, better. He stopped by to DJ an episode of All Songs and talk about his favorite songs and the musicians that shape his music, especially Ray Charles, the Beatles and his uncle, Alfred Newman.

This year's Newport Folk Festival includes artists not necessarily associated with 'folk' music. But with artists reportedly playing songs and in style they normally wouldn't think to play, the festival looks to be a weekend full of great music moments. Host Bob Boilen speaks with Jay Sweet, editor-at-large for Paste Magazine and Associate Producer of the Newport Folk Festival. NPR will webcast concerts throughout the weekend. For more information go to npr.org/music.

Tom Waits doesn't tour a lot, and when he does, tickets are hard to come by. But you can hear the final U.S. concert from Waits' most recent tour here, or download the show by subscribing to the All Songs Considered Live Concerts podcast. In the meantime, this week's episode of All Songs features an excerpt from that performance. Also, hear Martin Quinn and Angelina Carberry share their Irish tradition; Celtic music from Cape Breton, with the spectacular fiddle of Kimberley Fraser; and African-inspired sounds with a distorted twist in the music of NOMO. And lovers of great pop music won't want to miss new music by The Silent Years and Brendan Canning of Broken Social Scene.

The secret identity of the electronic artist known as Podington Bear has been blown. Hear how it happened. We've also got music from the gentle-voiced singer, Doveman. He turns the dance-pop song "Let's Hear It For The Boy," from the Footloose soundtrack, into a slow dirge. Also on the show: Tilly and the Wall, a baroque viola piece, Teddy Thompson, the gifted son of Richard and Linda Thompson, Swedish singer Sarah Assbring, also known as El Perro Del Mar, and a nearly flawless new album from Germany's 20-year rock veterans, The Notwist.