This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music a couple cuts from a fascinating new album from Kronos Quartet and Mahalia Jackson, featuring her amazing singing and in conversation with Studs Terkel in 1963.

Also, new Detroit tunes from Dames Brown, The Legal Matters, another Nick Piunti preview, the duo Rosetta Pebble and more!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 31, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Against The Dying Of The Light” – Jose Gonzalez
• “(It Takes All Kinds) To Make A World” – Gail Ann Dorsey
• “The Stars Are Out Tonight” – David Bowie
• “Opening Night” – Arctic Monkeys
• “Hold On” – Mahalia Jackson & The Kronos Quartet
  
• “What Would You Do” – Dames Brown
• “Rendevouz” – Will Sessions + Dames Brown, Amp Fiddler
  
• “I Got You” – Tedeschi Trucks Band
  
• “I Wish You Love” – Frank Sinatra
• “Stay Away” – Charles Bradley
• “Can’t Hold Us” – Sampa The Great
  
• “Handshake Deal” – Nick Piunti
  
• “Get On The Right Thing” – Wings
  

• “Music Always” – AV & The Inner City
• “Perfect Day” – Al Green w/Raye
• “2Sided” – Arlo Parks
• “Sweet Love” – Stephen Sanchez
• “The Message” – The Legal Matters
• “Chicago” – Mavis Staples
  
• “In The Saddle” – Whitney
• “Practice” – Jamila Woods w/Saba
• “Your Old Stand By” – Mary Wells
• “Disco Life” – Say She She
• “Bend In The River” – Rosetta Pebble
• “Hair Down” – Samm Henshaw
• “Shapes & Sizes” – Joan Armatrading & The Kronos Quartet
• “This World Will Make You Think” – Mahalia Jackson & The Kronos Quartet

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music a new album coming next month from Nick Piunti, Detroit rocker and restaurateur. Plus Lucinda Williams’ new album, a prescient 2014 track from YUSUF/Cat Stevens and more.

Also, we celebrate 50 years of David Bowie’s “Station To Station” album at 50, and 70 years of Verve Records!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 24, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “To Love Somebody” – Al Green
• “Let’s Take Our Time” – Aaron Fraser & Durand Jones & The Indications
• “Ain’t That A Trip” – The James Hunter 6 ft. Van Morrison
• “Dead End – Snail Mail
• “I Am America” – Jeff Daniels & Thornetta Davis
  
• “Manic Monday” – Prince
• “Taste On My Lips” – Ya Tseen (w/Portugal. The Man and Meshell Ndegeocello)
  
• “Pride II” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Tanana” – Portugal. The Man
• “WAP” – The Claypool Lennon Delirium (coming to Meadowbrook 5/31)
• “Against The Dying Of The Light” – Jose Gonzalez
• “Get Back” – Samm Henshaw
• “You get the Feeling” – Squeeze
  
• “Hourglass” – Squeeze
  

• “Fall Moon” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones (coming to St. Andrews 4/29)
  
• “Site Unseen” – Courtney Barnett (coming to The Majestic 5/21)
• “Hold Tight” – Rozzi
• “Who’s That” – Brother Wallace
• “Big In Madrid” – Nick Piunti
• “Golden Years” – David Bowie
  
• “Blueberry Hill” – Louie Armstrong
• “Glory” – Dames Brown ft. Waajeed
  
• “I Was Raised In Babylon” – YUSUF/Cat Stevens
• “Freedom Speaks” – Lucinda Williams
• “Let’s Do It” – Ella Fitzgerald
• “Day By Day” – Samara Joy

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music the happiest of birthday wishes to Dolly Parton who turns 80 on Monday, plus the late Bobby Weir in various musical arrangements, new music from waterbaby, Mitski, Arlo Parks and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 17, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “2Sided” – Arlo Parks
  
• “Holding On” – Disclosure w/Gregory Porter
  
• “You’ve Got What It Takes” – Ledisi w/Gregory Porter
  
• “For Real” – 
  Eric Hirshberg & Aloe Blacc
• “A Hazy Shade Of Winter” – The Accidentals
  
• “I Can’t Make You Love Me” – Prince
• “Feels Alright” – Spoon
  
• “Sugar Magnolia” – Grateful Dead
  
• “The Algorithm Song” – Jon Spear
  
• “Memory Be A Blade” – waterbaby
• “The Flood” – Ye Vagabons
  
• “When Love Comes To Town” – Slash, Shemekia Copeland, Myles Kennedy, Joe Bonamassa
  

• “Seven Bridges Road” – Dolly Parton
  
• “Wildfowers” – Trio
• “World On Fire” – Dolly Parton
• “Jolene” – Beyonce
• “Smoky Mountain DNA” – Dolly Parton & Family
  
• “9 To 5” – Allison Krauss
  
• “Only A River” – Bob Weir
  
• “Walkin’ Blues” – Bob Weir and Rob Wasserman
  
• “Where’s My Phone” – Mitsky
• “Deeper” – Disclosure w/Leon Thomas
  
• “Heart Inside My Head” – Nick Puinti
  
• “Hell In A Bucket” – Grateful Dead
  

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music looking ahead to new releases coming in the first few months of 2026, including Robyn’s first new album in 7 years, upcoming albums from Iron & Wine and Lucinda Williams, and brand new music this week from Mon Rovia, Father John Misty, Madison McFerrin and Common.

Also tunes from Ledisi with Gregory Porter, Prince, Joe Jackson and more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 10, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Field Song” – Mon Rovia
• “The Old Law” – Father John Misty
• “Talk To Me” – Robyn
• “Dangerous Blues” – Luke Winslow-King
• “Everybody Knows” – The Legal Matters
  
• “Sweet Love” – Stephen Sanchez
  
• “This Time For Real” – Chet Faker
  
• “Hair Down” – Samm Henshaw
  
• “Welcome To Burning-By-Sea” – Joe Jackson
• “Memphis” – Joe Jackson
• “Ready To Let You Down” – Joseph
  
• “I Still Need Love 2” – The Twilite Tone (w/Madison McFerrin, Common)
  

• “Sister Golden Hair” – The Dandy Warhols
• “In Your Ocean” – Iron & Wine
• “Hoodoo Woman” – Tinsley
  
• “They Keep Trying To Find You” – Bonnie Prince Billy
• “Plastic Cigarette” – Zach Bryan
  
• “Take Me To Graceland” – Jack Spivey
  
• “Boy In The Bubble” – Paul Simon
• “Peace Of Mind” – Wesley Joseph ft. Danny Brown
• “drivers license” – David Byrne
  
• “The 6th Of January (Yasgur’s Farm)” – Amy Grant
• “The World’s Gone Wrong” – Lucinda Williams ft. Brittney Spencer
• “Dead Man Walking” – The Infamous Stringdusters

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Since we usually look at classic album anniversaries on the first Saturday of the month, this week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we’ll do the same but look at the entire year!

In 2026, it’ll be the 50th anniversary for 2 classic Seger albums, a 30th for the late Aaliyah, a 20th for J Dilla’s “Donuts,” a 10th for The Raconteurs… plus debuts from The Ramones, Corrine Bailey Rae and many more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 3, 2026

HOUR ONE: CLASSIC ALBUM ANNIVERSARIES IN 2026

• “Rock And Roll Never Forgets” – Bob Seger ’76
• “Put Your Records On” – Corrine Bailey Rae ’06
• “Hold On I’m Coming” – Sam & Dave ’66
• “Wrap It Up” – The Fabulous Thinderbirds ’86
• “6th Avenue Heartache” – The Wallflowers ’96
  
• “Have A Talk With God” – Stevie Wonder ’76
• “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ In My Heart” – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles ’66
  
• “These Boots Are Made For Walking” – The Supremes ’66
  
• “Push It” – Salt N Pepa ’86
• “So Much To Say” – Dave Matthews Band ’96
• “Don’t Cry” – J Dilla ’06
  
• “Help Save The Youth Of America” – Billy Bragg ’86
  
• “SOS” – Rihanna ’06
  
• “Hasten Down The Wind” – Warren Zevon ’76
  

• “(I’m A) Road Runner” – Jr. Walker & The All Stars ’66
• “Roadrunner” – The Modern Lovers ’76
• “She Cries Your Name” – Beth Orton ’96
• “Tomorrow Never Knows” – The Beatles
• “Our Song” – Taylor Swift ’06
• “All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)” – Peter Frampton ’76
  
• “Where Did Our Love Go” – J Geils Band ’76
• “Traveling Man/Beautiful Loser” – Bob Seger ’76
• “Hot Like Fire” – Aaliyah ’96
  
• “Tears Dry On Their Own” – Amy Winehouse ’06
• “A Simple Desultory Phillipic” – Simon & Garfunkel ’66
• “Blitzkrieg Bop” – The Ramones ’76
• “Guitar Town” – Steve Earle ’86
• “Love Hangover” – Diana Ross ’76

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, as Hanukkah ends and Christmas week begins, naturally it’s time for the annual holiday music extravaganza!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for December 20, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 1)” – David Sedaris
• “Mi La Gozo” – Cheo Feliciano
• “Everybody Knows It’s Christmas” – Roland Gift
• “The Christmas Song” – Roberta Flack
• “Christmas Time Is Here” – Jill Jack
  
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 2)” – David Sedaris
• “I’ll Be Your Santa Baby” – Rufus Thomas
  
• “Happy Joyous Hanukkah” – The Klezmatics
  
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 3)” – David Sedaris
• “It’s Christmas” – Cory Henry
• “This Christmas I’m Coming Home” – Leon Bridges & Norah Jones
  
• “Mele Kalikimaka” – Jake Shimabukuro & Jimmy Buffet
  
• “At The Holiday Party” – St. Vincent
• “Happy Kwanza” – Teddy Pendergrass
  

• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 4)” – David Sedaris
• “Someday At Christmas” – The Accidentals
• “No So Merry Christmas” – Michigander
• “No So Merry Christmas” – Raul Malo
• “Christmastime Is Here” – Spoon
• “8 Days” – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
  
• “Driving Home For Christmas” – Kathy Kosins
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 5)” – David Sedaris
• “Who Took The Merry Out of Christmas” – Staples Singers
  
• “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” – Ella Fitzgerald
• “Mistletoe And Holly” – aron!
• “Hanukkah Blessings” – Barenaked Ladies
• “Santaland Diaries (excerpt 6)” – David Sedaris
• “What Are You Doing New year’s Eve?” – Herb Alpert

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org