WYSO’s music coverage celebrates the power of sound to connect, inspire, and tell stories. From in-depth features on local and regional musicians to live performance recordings and explorations of musical traditions, our reporting captures the diversity and depth of musical expression in Southwest Ohio and beyond. Whether it’s bluegrass, hip-hop, jazz, classical, or experimental sounds, WYSO highlights the artists, venues, and audiences that make music a vital part of our community. Through programs like Excursions, The Outside, and Kaleidoscope, we bring you new voices and timeless sounds with the storytelling and soul of public radio.
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Though he died in 1997 at the age of 30, singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley's music continues to resonate.
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We listen back to archival interviews with two Opry members: bluegrass musician Scruggs, who perfected three-finger banjo picking, and country star Lynn. Originally broadcast in 2012 and 2010.
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Claims that Jingle Bells started as a Thanksgiving song are making the rounds online again. So, how did the holiday classic actually come to life?
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One hundred years ago this week, the radio barn dance that came to be known as the Grand Ole Opry was first broadcast from Nashville. Being part of the show still matters to country artists today. -
After releasing two albums in 2025, rap's great modern philosopher and griot is having one of his best-ever runs. He may not have all the answers, but his questions are everything we need right now. -
We're bringing back our listener poll to help stick a fork in 2025 and make sense of all the amazing music that came out. So... tell us your top five albums (or EPs) this year. -
San Francisco resident Dennis McCaffrey spoke with Kaleidoscope host Juliet Fromholt about his experience witnessing the original Last Waltz performance by The Band. -
ObituariesThe musician and actor helped propel reggae into the international spotlight, thanks in part to his songs and starring role in the 1972 film The Harder They Come. -
The very first K-pop band to play behind the Tiny Desk gives us a decade-long, catalog-spanning medley. -
These love songs — Neko Case's "Oh, Neglect...," Valerie June's "Runnin' and Searchin'" and Olivia Dean's "Man I Need" — each express a refreshingly realistic ambivalence toward romance.
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Bionic and the Wires is a band that makes music by turning the electrical activity of fungi into playable sounds.
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Two works newly attributed to J.S. Bach got their first performance in centuries this week.
