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Khaled is Algeria's best-known singer, as well as a pioneer of the music known as rai, which means "opinion." His opinions got him exiled from his native country for the past 20 years, but he recently returned as a hero. Khaled's new CD, Liberte, is a return to his roots.

All summer long, NPR's Melissa Block has been asking musicians, listeners and a novelist about their favorite summer songs and what kind of memories they evoke. During those conversations, Block has been flooded with memories of her own. She and Madeleine Brand pick their own summer songs.

At a time when soul music is heavily tricked-out, singer Maxwell likes to pare things down, inviting listeners in with his smooth, fluttery singing and raw emotion. In 2001, Maxwell scored a top-selling album, then disappeared. He's back with a new album, BLACKsummers' Night.

For Bennett, the French song "It Was Me" is the essence of what happens when people fall in love.

Take one part Billie Holiday, two parts Doris Day, toss in a little island indie-pop and you get Zee Avi, a 23-year-old singer-songwriter from Malaysia who's just released her eponymous debut album. Avi talks to Guy Raz about her musical influences.

The members of The Posies were barely out of their teens when they got a record deal with a major label. Their power pop stormed commercial radio 15 years ago, but it's been a while since one of their songs hit the charts. The band keeps playing, though, and its members still make money from music.

Phish fans have much to celebrate right now. Five years ago, the jam-rock band band broke up after more than two decades. Now, it's back together and on the road, playing sold-out shows across the country. Member Trey Anastasio says the reunion feels like a second chance.

Guitarist Jeff Aug holds the world record for most concerts performed in different countries in 24 hours. Playing without a pick, he called it the Wounded Fingers Tour. In a session with Scott Simon, Aug recently demonstrated his three-finger guitar style. See the video.

Multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers has sparked sessions by Miles Davis and Tony Williams, and he fostered New York's Loft Jazz scene of the 1970s. Now he's doing the same in the land of Mickey Mouse.

The Norwegian singer-songwriter's new album, Heartbeat Radio, draws from diverse musical and lyrical sources. Indie-rock and jazz both infiltrate his sound, while unlikely topics inspire his words.