The last surviving original member of the Band died on Tuesday. He was a master on keys and saxophones who could conjure a panoply of…

Hear tracks by Perfume Genius, Lucy Dacus, Bartees Strange and others.

Hear tracks by Japanese Breakfast, Lambrini Girls, SZA and others.

Listen to Peter, Paul and Mary’s finale singalong, plus songs from Odetta, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and more.

With Peter, Paul and Mary, the musician, who died on Tuesday at 86, eased folk songs into the Top 10.

The power of a lasting song is that it breaks free of its origins. Hits should be more than celebrity narratives.

Hear tracks from Bartees Strange, Madi Diaz, GloRilla and Kehlani, and others.

Hear tracks by Benjamin Booker, Julien Baker and Torres, and more.

Listen to 68 tracks that made major statements, boosted big beefs, propelled up-and-comers and soundtracked the party this year.

In a peak moment of pop monoculture, synthesizers pumped up songs and MTV forever changed how artists were seen. Here’s how — and why.