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From the Top is America’s largest national platform celebrating young, classically trained musicians. In a special Kansas City episode, we'll hear performances by five area musicians.

Dig below the strata of pop songs so ubiquitous you can't stand to hear them anymore, and you'll find plenty of riches in the Top 40, from country crossover to innovative R&B and classic pop.

A trio of amazing young musicians, from ages nine to 18, give jaw-dropping performances that will bolster your faith in the future of great music making.

Not to be outdone by its fellow Top 10 listmakers, KEXP presents its Top 11 debut albums of the year. Seattle's Fleet Foxes headlines a deep class of great rock, pop, disco, hip-hop, folk and electro-dance records.

It was a banner year for the acoustic guitar. NPR Music partner Folk Alley presents the best the genre had to offer.

Throughout his three-decade history leading the Berlin Philharmonic, the conductor struggled to find perfection in the symphony orchestra. Karajan biographer Richard Osborne offers a list of five albums that embody the maestro's magic.

There's indie rock. And then there's indie rock in horn-rimmed glasses. The Texans at KUT pick out the top 10 "smart rock" albums of 2008, headlined by the new efforts of a few brainy Austin acts.

It was an unusually strong year for great unknown artists. While bigger, more established bands continued to attract the most attention, smaller, lesser-known acts made the most memorable music of 2008. All of the great unknown artists featured here made music that was inspired, original and heartfelt.

At any given point in 2009, World Cafe host David Dye's Top 10 list would inevitably look different. So consider this a snapshot — and otherwise subject to change at any time. Some picks won't be new to most readers, but others qualify as left-field musical discoveries.