As “ground zero” for contemporary music discovery, the nationally-syndicated daily music program World Cafe has been giving public radio audiences an up-close view of the artistic process since October 14, 1991 – 30 years ago today.
To commemorate the milestone, this week World Cafe launched its “30 Over 30” (30 years over 30 weeks) series of special programming features that highlight its rich history as a trusted music guide. The highly regarded World Cafe is a dynamic, carefully crafted platform for musical discovery without genre boundaries.
“For 30 years, listeners have relied on World Cafe’s deeply human curation to explore content that continually broadens and heightens their music knowledge and enjoyment,” said Bruce Warren, Executive Producer. “Over the next 30 weeks, we’ll present ‘deep cuts’ from World Cafe archives – some of the best moments from the last 30 years – along with what we think is happening now, and next.”
Warren has been with World Cafe since its inception, when public radio station WXPN/Philadelphia leveraged its programming expertise and a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to design a national program that would attract younger listeners to public radio. Initially distributed by PRI (Public Radio International) to five affiliates, it was carried by approximately 50 radio stations by the end of 1992. NPR began distributing it in 2005, and today World Cafe is carried by 267 radio stations across the US. Combining terrestrial reach with online streaming, podcasts, on-demand archives, and video content, more than a million music fans engage with World Cafe content each month.
“As a crucial part of NPR Music’s programming, World Cafe has introduced its loyal audiences in an integrated manner to talented new and legendary musicians, with exclusive interviews, brilliant performances, powerful conversations and special features,” says Director of NPR Music Keith Jenkins. “World Cafe celebrates its 30th anniversary by offering to remember its great past as it looks forward to the next 30 years with its listeners.”
Hosted by Raina Douris, the daily, two-hour radio show and online content connects today’s essential and emerging artists with listeners through its hallmark in-depth artist interviews and in-studio performances. Longtime features such as Latin Roots and Sense of Place help introduce under-the-radar artists to a national audience and take listeners to great music cities around the globe. Douris and Contributing Host Stephen Kallao also co-host the weekly World Cafe Words and Music Podcast from WXPN.
Artists have seen their profiles and careers elevated due to being featured on World Cafe, and many credit the show with supporting them over the years, as well as breaking numerous songs. World Cafe maintains music bureaus in Philadelphia, Nashville and New Orleans, and has issued more than 40 Live at World Cafe CDs and two World Cafe books. The show’s attraction is also reflected in the popular Philadelphia concert venue World Cafe Live, which shares a building with WXPN and licenses the name.