Sidney Madden
Sidney Madden is a reporter and editor for NPR Music. As someone who always gravitated towards the artforms of music, prose and dance to communicate, Madden entered the world of music journalism as a means to authentically marry her passions and platform marginalized voices who do the same.
Originally from Boston, Madden graduated from Hofstra University in New York with a bachelor's degree in journalism and sociology. As a freelancer, she earned bylines at MTV, People's Choice, Nylon Magazine and more before joining the editorial team at storied hip-hop pillar XXL Magazine.
During her time at XXL, both as an editorial assistant and assistant editor, Madden pitched, wrote and edited news posts and features for the outlet and interviewed artists ranging from all eras and facets of rap — from Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent to Kendrick Lamar, Cardi B and Lil Uzi Vert. In addition to working on cultural touchstones like the magazine's annual Freshman Class covers, in 2016, Madden assisted in reporting out one of the magazine's seminal investigative packages, The Current Status of Every Murdered Rapper's Case, which revealed the high percentage of unsolved murders involving rappers over the last 30 years.
Madden joined the NPR Music team in 2017, serving as editorial lead for digitizing and editing music stories that air on NPR's premiere news magazine programs, Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. In 2018, she began producing Tiny Desk Concerts with a special focus on bringing burgeoning, left-of-center artists from the worlds of R&B and hip-hop to the desk. To date, her Tiny Desk Concert productions include Jorja Smith, Megan Thee Stallion, DVSN and Snoh Aalegra. She's also created reports for on-air and digital that contextualize hip-hop culture within society's larger strata — whether it's unpacking the genius marketing of Cardi B, Tyler, The Creator's subversive heartbreak or the socioeconomics that fuel Solange's downhome Afrofuturism.
In September 2020, after two years of research, reporting and development, Madden became the co-host of Louder Than A Riot, NPR Music's first narrative investigative podcast that traces the interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration.
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With 11 nominations for Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé now has more than any artist in Grammy history. Her competition this year includes Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Post Malone. -
Two more lawsuits have been filed against the hip-hop mogul, alleging that, in separate incidents, he groomed and coerced 10- and 17-year-old boys. -
In the 12th lawsuit filed against the hip-hop mogul since last November, an unnamed victim alleges that Sean Combs coerced her into sex, impregnated her, then threatened her into silence. -
Thalia Graves alleges Combs and his bodyguard, Joseph Sherman, raped her, recorded the attack without her knowledge and later distributed the video as pornography in the 11th suit against him. -
The music mogul was arrested late Monday in New York and now faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution after months of civil lawsuits. -
As the leader of Maze, Beverly crafted songs like the slinky, euphoric "Happy Feelin’s" and the breakup anthem "Before I Let Go," wedding his dulcet singing to buoyant grooves. -
On Never Gets Late Here, Shenseea takes the scope of dancehall even higher. And, yet, the Jamaican singer tells NPR that she's already looking forward: “Just look out for new music. We’re not stopping." -
While Night 3 of the DNC was capped with Tim Walz accepting the vice presidential nomination, there were a few other twists along the way — from Oprah to Stevie Wonder and more Republicans. -
National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman delivered a poem to rouse the audience in celebration of Vice President Harris. -
In between impassioned speeches by political VIPs --- including former President Bill Clinton, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and 2024 Vice President candidate Tim Walz --- the heavy hitters of the music world lit up Chicago’s United Center arena. Night 3 was host to performances by Stevie Wonder, John Legend with Sheila E. and Maren Morris.
