Jason Miller
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Getty Images
Democrats hold significant advantages going into Election Day, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll. But lagging enthusiasm among key groups is just one indicator that gains may not come easy.
Janelle O’Dea
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Illinois Answers Project
TRENDING STORIES
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
NPR Music culture critic and reporter Rodney Carmichael ruminates on the latest in rap culture. This week: Is the rap mogul's self-selection a crowning achievement or a final affront?
Donwilson Odhiambo
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Getty Images
Kevin Dietsch
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Getty Images North America
COMMUNITY VOICES - WEEKDAYS AT NOON & 10 PM, SATURDAYS CV-X AT 5 PM
This I Believe 2026 essayist Aleigha Marburger of Hillsboro High School
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From an indie darling getting called a "psyop" to plagiarism allegations against a rising pop star, this year feels like an especially fraught time to bicker about authenticity in the music industry. -
The prediction market has hired a former FBI official to make sure political insiders don't use the platform for profit from confidential election information. -
Controversy over an artist being fake — or someone thinking they are — is hardly new. Here are some of the craziest moments in recent music history when the boundary between real and fake collapsed. -
Mississippi has the largest proportional Black population in the country. It's one reason the U.S. Senate race has seen millions in last-minute spending and high-profile campaign visits. -
"Is it real?" is the most pressing question in music in 2026, and it's one that feels impossible to adequately answer, in almost any context. -
Kane was followed in the voting by Kylian Mbappé. Spain star Alexia Putellas won her third women's Ballon d'Or. Outside, fans packed the streets and climbed light poles near the London Palladium. -
The NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Monday night that Jay-Z will be the featured performer for the halftime festivities on Feb. 14 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. -
The Milwaukee Brewers are one victory from their first World Series title after routing the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 on Monday night thanks to a trio of young players who have shined in October. -
A localized ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia took effect early Tuesday ahead of a humanitarian mission brokered by U.S. first lady Melania Trump, as missile attacks resumed in Kyiv. -
President Trump campaigned Monday in Mississippi, as he continued a closing midterm rally blitz that has highlighted Republicans' challenges ahead of an election that could drastically shift power in Washington.
SOCIAL ACTION - THANKS FOR SHARING!
Jerry Nowicki
/
Capitol News Illinois
Democratic Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton vowed to serve as a check on President Donald Trump, while Republican Don Tracy largely defended the president’s positions on tariffs and the war in Iran as the two sparred in their only face-to-face meeting.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
THE X FROM NPR ILLINOIS (91.9 HD3 and streaming)
Karen Almond
/
Metropolitan Opera
With music by Missy Mazzoli, George Saunders' award-winning Civil War novel comes to surreal life in a stage adaptation making its world premiere at The Metropolitan Opera.
Photos by Bob Riha, Jr. / Greg Doherty / Michael Putland / Getty Images. Illustration by Jackie Lay.
Jason Kempin
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Getty Images for ACM
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