I love live music, and I love seeing musicians overcome the challenges of their surroundings by making creative choices that elevate and expand on their artistry. So, I’ve always been an easy mark for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.

When former NPR host and producer Bob Boilen launched the series at his literal “tiny” desk in 2009, I’m not sure if anyone expected the YouTube feature to blossom into the cultural force it’s become. In the 17 years since Boilen and crew shoddily rigged that desk with microphones and amplifiers, the Tiny Desk series has birthed over 1,200 new and original performances from artists who are given nothing but the small corner of the Washington D.C. NPR office to bring their productions to life. The setup of the space and the realities of performing in such a claustrophobic environment helps bring out the dynamism of the artists who are chosen to perform there. At the Desk, performers can’t hide behind heavy production, tricks of light, choreography, or electronic beats backing them — all of their talent (or lack thereof in very, very few cases) is laid plain for us to see. And that’s exactly why we keep coming back for more.

Of the over 1,200 performances at the Tiny Desk, over 70 of them were by LGBTQ artists ranging in genre from smooth jazz and country-folk to pop and hip-hop. While each of these Tiny Desk performances is special in their own way, I still took on the behemoth task of watching each of them and ranking them by the same criteria. I only used the Tiny Desk Concerts recorded at the D.C. office, and I graded each performance with a score of one to five on the following categories: 1. Performer presence and enthusiasm, 2. Creative use of the Tiny Desk dynamics, 3. Choice and arrangement of songs in the set, and 4. Execution of the set from start to finish. After spending hours watching Tiny Desk Concerts and doing math I never planned on doing in my life, these are my official rankings for every Tiny Desk Concert performed by LGBTQ artists over the last 17 years.

Hopefully, through this list, you can find new musicians and performances to love or see wholly original sides of performers you already listen to regularly. Either way, I’m certain there’s something for you here if you just give these performances a chance. And please feel free to let me know if I’m missing anyone or if you have a different opinion about the rankings. I’d love to know what you think.

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84. Pwr Bttm (2016)

The rise and fall of Pwr Bttm is certainly one of the wildest situations in queer music in the last decade, and I struggled to find a place in the rankings that was appropriate for them. I’m including it here because, technically, the list would be incomplete without it. When Pwr Bttm broke onto the scene, they were flowing over with potential, and I think this performance captures that potential in a way that only a Tiny Desk Concert can. The performance of “C U Around” is one of the better moments on early Tiny Desk, hands down.

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83. Sera Cahoone (2009)

Sera was one of the first performers to ever do a Tiny Desk, and the brief interview with her in the beginning is one of the highlights of the performance. Sera was originally the drummer for Band of Horses before she released her self-titled debut. Her songs are a quiet and restrained blend of country, folk, and indie, which makes those earlier years of Tiny Desk a great home for her music, but you can tell she’s struggling to be fully comfortable in the setting for most of the recording.

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82. Le Butcherettes (2012)

This is a truly haunting performance, full of moody intonations and an abundance of eye contact from lead singer Teri Gender Bender to the audience and straight to the camera. Although it’s not one of the most powerful performances on the show, it is one of the weirder ones — in a very good way — by far.

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81. Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom (2012)

Miller’s performance here is a straight up jazz set with absolutely no useless filler. This one might be kind of difficult to get into for some people but, if you pay close attention, the intimate nature of the Tiny Desk helps illuminate the power of Miller’s compositional skills. As a band leader, she knows when to rev things up and bring them back down, and everyone follows her lead. It’s a wonderful performance to watch, even if it is a little more lowkey than others.

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80. Sesame Street (2019)

We all know Big Bird, Bert, and Ernie are gay, and that Oscar the Grouch is a lesbian, so I’m including this Tiny Desk in the rankings. Honestly, this is just a treat for the child version of me who lives inside my mind because I loved Sesame Street and The Muppets and music, and now I’m an adult who’s obsessed with music and still loves the muppets and their various productions. It’s also adorable to see so many NPR workers in the audience holding their children because they brought them for this performance.

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79. Ani DiFranco (2017)

Interestingly, this is one of the longer Tiny Desks. This was recorded about a year after Trump’s first election, and in true Ani DiFranco fashion,  she doesn’t shy away from using the performance to talk about it. She also does a little monologue about reproductive rights before playing “Play God,” which addresses the issue directly. I’ve never been a big DiFranco fan — I know, I know — but I do think this performance is some of the best material I’ve seen from her. Her and her band’s performance of “Swan Dive” here is as layered as the composition of the song itself.

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78. Betty Who (2019)

Something you can’t argue about when it comes to Betty Who’s Jessica Newham is that she has stage presence. She is such a charismatic performer, it feels like she’s been doing this forever. And this performance proves that’s true in just about any setting. Like most pop artists, her songs generally have a high level of production, so it’s interesting to see her and her band play with acoustic rhythms and less electronic beats.

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77. Indigo Sparke (2020)

In line with Sparke’s style of music making, this is such a quiet, personal performance. Not nearly as exciting as a lot of the performances on this list, but it has so much heart. It’s also thrilling to see her then-partner Adrianne Lenker join her for the last, then-untitled song of the performance. (That track later became “Burn” on her second album Hysteria.) This was the final Tiny Desk performance before COVID lockdown, and watching it back feels heavy with the weight of the years that followed, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

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76. SOAK (2015)

SOAK’s songs already feel extraordinarily quiet, and they didn’t change that at all for their performance at the Tiny Desk. Here, they are fully able to lean into the softness and serenity of their music while still building such a lovely and bright atmosphere. At the time of recording, they were only 19-years-old, so it feels amazing watching them capture so much in this performance.

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75. The Japanese House (2024)

Amber Bain’s music is uptempo but somehow still feels so gentle at the same time. This is the perfect Tiny Desk to watch on a Sunday morning when you can drink your coffee slowly and let the day unfold in whatever way it does.

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74. YACHT (2011)

Because they’re an electronic band that relies heavily on production value and I know what to expect from a Tiny Desk Concert, it’s a little painful to say this lacks a lot of the electricity of their recorded music. However, I think seeing them in a setting outside of dance clubs and the dance scene helps you discover new things to love about them. This performance also appears to be part of the shift for Tiny Desk, where the setups for the artists started getting larger.

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73. Girl in a Coma (2012)

By far, one of the best live performances I’ve seen from them.  Every member in the band is given a moment to showcase their talent individually, which highlights how incredibly cohesive they are as a group.

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72. Soccer Mommy (2023)

I have always been impressed by the way Sophie Allison’s voice manages to transcend even the loudest parts of the composition of Soccer Mommy’s songs. This performance gets you as close as you can get to seeing just how she manages to do it, and it’ll make you wish she played in settings like the Tiny Desk more often.

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71. beabadoobee (2022)

Beatrice Laus, who performs under the stage name beabadoobee, came out of the gate releasing songs that felt grungy with a bedroom pop sensibility. But in her Tiny Desk appearance, she lets her voice shine more than the composition and production, and I think that is where the strength of the performance lies. You also get an early glimpse here of “Glue Song,” which she didn’t release until 2023.

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70. Arlo Parks (2023)

Overall, this is such a beautifully-planned, heartfelt performance from an artist who defies categorization and surprises me with every new release. But even though the stripped down nature of the performance works well, I find myself missing some of the harder-hitting electronic drum beats of some of the songs Arlo and her band chose for this performance.

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69. Courtney Barnett (2014)

Barnett’s music is so playful and soulful at the same time, it’s not shocking her performance here embodies that perfectly. Her performance of “Depreston” is especially impressive, with the sweet and tender turn in the middle really hitting in this particular setting.

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68. Dan Deacon (2015)

Of course, he turned the audience into a dance party and made everyone there have a dance contest. Dan is so lively and spirited, just like his experimental electronic music, and his enthusiasm is infectious. This is such a fun one to watch.

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67. Aurora (2015)

Taking on the desk as a seasoned professional has got to be a challenge, but taking it on as a 19-year-old just getting your start in the industry? That takes a lot of chops. And Aurora shows she certainly has them in this performance. I think her performance of “Running With the Wolves” here is the best version put to tape.

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66. Juana Molina (2014)

Juana Molina is one of the most magical live performers I’ve ever seen in my life, and although this performance isn’t bad in any way, I just wish her and her band had more room to be themselves. This one feels almost a little too confined if you’re familiar with their work, but I think they still made better use of the space than a lot of other performances.

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65. Tinashe (2024)

The most magical thing about a Tiny Desk Concert is that it forces the artists who perform to rethink performance, and it gives us the opportunity to see artists we love in a brand new light. Tinashe’s performance here isn’t the best I’ve ever seen from her, but it does help bring out the subtleties of the songs she chose to perform in a way that a club or stadium concert could never.

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64. Anna Calvi (2012)

Although it’s one of the shortest Tiny Desks around, it’s still one of the most emotionally affecting — even in spite of not having the best mics on Anna for the vocals. She manages to fill every inch of the space with her incredible voice while her unusually expressive guitar playing helps round out the performance.

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63. Billie Eillish (2024)

I think I expected a little too much from this. I’m not the biggest Billie Eillish fan, but I wanted a lot out of this, and I don’t think it exactly hits all the places it could. That being said, I do think the more sparse arrangement for “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” that she and the band created for this performance is worth hearing, especially for those who think they’re not into the song or are sick of hearing it played on every TikTok and Instagram Reel ever recorded.

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62. Thao Nguyen (2009)

Since it was such an early one, the performance is super stripped down. Thao seems to thrive in the environment, and her guitar playing really shines in this environment, which brings a complexity to the performance that I haven’t seen in other recordings before.

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61. girl in red (2025)

Whether you’re a fan or not, it’s hard to deny that girl in red is producing some of the catchiest pop-rock songs of recent memory. They might not be the most vulnerable or sincere, but they are charming and alluring enough to keep you coming back for more. Watching Marie Ulven perform them live in this setting just adds to the appeal of these tracks. The opening track, “Phantom Pain,” sets the tone for a set that is a welcome, momentary respite from so much of what’s going on in the world right now.

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60. Caroline Rose (2015)

This performance is so fun, it feels like it flies by so much quicker than you want it to. Rose’s excitement is palatable, and her energy is as feverish as it would be if she was playing in front of hundreds of people at a sold out show. Even when it slows a little at the final song “I Will Not Be Afraid,” you still feel like you’re flying.

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59. Jay Som (2017)

This is an understated performance that makes a big impact. The band’s performance here comes on the heels of their second album, Everybody Works, and they play some of the best songs from it, including “The Bus Song.” The communication between Melina Duterte and her guitarist Oliver Pinnell adds an interesting and lively touch to the performance.

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58. King Princess (2022)

I’ll admit that even though I fully recognize what King Princess is trying to do, her playfulness always fell a little flat for me until I saw this Tiny Desk. I think the dynamics of the space helps keep Mikaela Mullaney Straus focused solely on performing as vulnerably and soulfully as she can, which makes all the tracks here much more appealing.

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57. Brandi Carlile (2012)

This is full of heart, just as most Carlile performances are. She bears it all for this performance, and leaves everything at the desk. The environment feels tailor-made for a performer like her who can easily command any room with her rugged, rich, soaring voice.

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56. boygenius (2018)

Don’t get me wrong, I like boygenius a lot but I think their solo performances were much stronger. They perform their arrangement flawlessly, of course, but they just don’t look as excited to be there this time around.

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55. Shamir (2015)

This performance was recorded right after the release of Shamir’s debut, which makes it so special to go back and watch. Shamir’s voice feels otherworldly as usual, but especially so in this pared down setting. Watching him play a right-handed guitar left-handed and upside down feels like a funny trick on your brain. His rendition of “Demon” blasts the performance into orbit and keeps you there for the entirety of the track.

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54. Omar Apollo (2022)

Flanked by a female Mariachi band, a horn section, and back up singers, Omar Apollo’s performance is a rollercoaster of emotions, but you can tell he and his band are completely content in this space. They bring us through the highs and lows of Apollo’s performance with a kind of grace that’s built from the unfettered reverence a group of people have built for one another through creative collaboration.

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53. Rosie Tucker (2024)

Rosie Tucker is four albums in and finally getting some larger recognition for their work. Their songs are a frenzy of catchy hooks, a sarcastic sense of humor, pop-punk attitude, and tenderness that will make even the dreariest day feel a little less depressing. Their performance here captures that sentiment exactly, and opens with an incredible rendition of their song “All My Exes Live In Vortexes.”

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52. Neko Case (2013)

This was a special Halloween performance, which makes it a little more fun because Case and her band are decked out in costumes. Case is an absolute powerhouse of a performer, and her work here gives you a closer view of how all of her work comes together. Worth watching even if you’re not a fan because the harmonies on “Calling Cards” between Case and bandmate Kelly Hogan are absolutely incredible.

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51. Ravyn Lenae (2022)

Ravyn Lenae’s gauzy falsetto seems perfectly matched with the still and calm setting of the Tiny Desk. Here, she and her band transform the space entirely with their funky, futuristic R&B melodies, and they let their slow songs build and build until they bring the whole performance home with a vibrant spark of energy through a performance of Lenae’s song “Sticky.”

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50. Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (2024)

If you’ve heard any of the original recordings of Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso’s experimental electronic pop songs, you’ll be in awe of how successfully they pull off this Tiny Desk. Beyond just being a blast to watch, their artistry and the talent of the musicians and producers they work with comes through entirely. Swapping their electronic beat-heavy compositions for sparse percussion and a horn rhythm section takes their songs in a completely new direction but they never lose that jubilance they’ve become known for.

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49. Baby Rose (2020)

I’m of the belief that Baby Rose should be much, much more well-known, and this performance is exhibit A for that argument. She not only manages to fit in five full-length tracks in the time she’s given, but with each one, her enthusiasm and energy increases and crescendos at the very end before she and her band bring the whole performance home softly and smoothly. At the end, you can hear her father yelling “That’s my daughter,” and I love that they left that in the video.

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48. Katy Kirby (2024)

I wasn’t familiar with Katy Kirby’s music at all until I watched this Tiny Desk last year, and she immediately gained a fan in me. Her arrangements are so unique in their composition and her voice rises so tenderly from the smooth and uptempo electric guitar riffs that it’s hard to do anything else as this performance plays. I have to say, it’s made even sweeter by the fact that the audience was composed almost entirely by young Girls Rock Camp D.C. campers.

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47. MUNA (2023)

Even on their moodier tracks, MUNA’s music is beaming with pure pleasure for music-making and working creatively with your friends. You can see that exact energy and adoration they have for one another in this performance, along with a wonderfully reworked version of “Silk Chiffon” that feels like such a refreshing take on the song that made them so popular in the first place.

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46. Perfume Genius (2017)

Mike Hadreas is an incredible performer and he knows how to rule any space, including the Tiny Desk, with his balance of emotional fragility and fervor for sharing the experience with others. This performance is especially exceptional when at the end, Hadreas and his partner Alan Wyffels perform “Normal Song” without the rest of the band.

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45. WILLOW (2024)

One thing that’s always been true about WILLOW is that she was born to be a performer and to perform in front of others, and this Tiny Desk is just another example of how true that is. Although she didn’t change her songs quite as much as others have for the environment, it’s still nice to see her huge voice and big performance personality take over this small space with ease and grace.

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44. Mothers (2016)

Mothers played some of their saddest, quietest songs for this performance, and the setting helps amplify the power and passion of the lyrics. The performance here proves, in an entirely new way, how electrifying Mothers’ music can be even when it’s at its slowest and most brooding.

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43. Big Thief (2016)

This is one of the best recorded performances I’ve ever seen from Big Thief. It is just so incredibly full of life, and that liveliness is just enhanced by the daylight provided by the logistics of a Tiny Desk show. I’m not a huge Big Thief fan, but I could watch this over and over.

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42. Phoebe Bridgers (2017)

This performance is from right after her debut was released, and you can see she’s still trying to figure out who she is when she’s performing — which is so cool to see. By the time she and the band get to the final song of the performance, “Killer,” you can see how much more settled she feels, and it’s such an incredibly moving journey to witness.

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41. The Internet (2015)

This one really got me hooked on Tiny Desks for life. Syd the Kid’s presence looms large in this pared down performance, and she feels entirely in control of the direction of the music. The way the band lightly plays their instruments throughout the set only helps elevate that.

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40. Tash Sultana (2017)

Remember when Tash Sultana burst onto the scene with that self-produced track “Jungle” and its accompanying DIY video? That was truly a moment, and I think their performance here harnesses that well. Jumping from separate instruments and two different microphones, their performance at the Desk is much more animated than you might expect. It’s exciting to watch a solo artist juggle so many roles at once while truly excelling at them all.

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39. The xx (2013)

Even in this environment (broad daylight), no beats from their producer/DJ Jamie xx, and just Romy and Oliver playing bass and guitar, you can see the power of The xx beginning to take shape in this performance. It is such a treat to see them so far out of their comfort zone, and I love revisiting this performance more than streaming their albums.

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38. Vagabon (2018)

Vagabon’s tenor feels so potent in this intimate setting. I feel like you can hear every nuance of every note in this performance. “Cold Apartment” fills every single inch of that room.

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37. Hurray for the Riff Raff (2018)

This band is such a joy to watch in any setting. So many of their songs are about surviving in spite of oppression and thriving even when you have nothing. In this performance, you get all the elements that make them so fun to listen to and watch: The influences of Puerto Rican bomba, salsa, country, folk, and roots music combined with Alynda Segarra’s expressive vocals make every single track feel like it’s blasting off into the atmosphere. There is an especially beautiful performance of “Pa’lante” here that I can guarantee will bring you to years if you hear on a day you really need it.

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36. Speedy Ortiz (2023)

Sadie Dupuis can pretty much kill it on any stage, and this performance proves that even further. What’s exceptional about her and her band’s performance here, though, is that it features a track from each album Speedy Ortiz has released and works as a fun retrospective of an incredibly accomplished band that doesn’t get nearly as much credit as it deserves.

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35. Raveena (2022)

Flanked with decorations the band brought themselves, this performance really sticks out to me for how incredibly tight it feels. Everyone in Raveena’s band is hitting their queues just perfectly to make way for Raveena’s unique and delicate voice to slice through it all. The pleasant composition of the harmonies helps round out an already memorable performance. Every moment feels like you’re floating on a cloud, even when the subject matter of the lyrics takes a slightly darker turn.

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34. Snail Mail (2017)

This performance is even more spectacular when you remember Lindsey Jordan just graduated from high school the year before it was recorded. The garage rock sound of Snail Mail thrives in such an intimate setting, and Lindsey’s voice rises above it all to encompass the entire space. This is my favorite version of “Thinning” by a mile…there’s just so much heft to the lyrics and composition of the song here.

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33. NoSo (2022)

Following the release of their incredibly tender debut album, Stay Proud of Me, NoSo brought three of the most powerful songs from the album to the Tiny Desk for a gorgeously soft performance that feels much bigger than it sounds. Featuring Baek Hwong, the artist who performs as NoSo, on vocals and guitar alongside just drummer and violinist, the warmth and sentimentality comes through wonderfully here, especially on the closing track, a heartrending version of “Everything I’ve Got.”

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32. Yaya Bey (2024)

Yaya Bey’s Tiny Desk appearance was, no doubt, one of the most honest and emotional performances of the last couple of years. Bey’s music has always come from a place of fervent tenderness, often channeling her own personal turmoil into some of the most prismatic, genre-combining songs in the industry today. Her power, creativity, and openness is on full display here, not only giving us some new, stripped down arrangements of popular songs like “meet me in brooklyn” but by also opening up about personal losses before “reprise.”

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31. Julie Byrne (2018)

Byrne is such a compelling songwriter and composer, and any space where the quiet power of her music can take over without competing with anything else truly brings that out. This performance is exceptional for that exact reason. Byrne commands the space entirely, and that control extends outward towards you as you’re watching.

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30. Indigo De Souza (2023)

There’s something so astonishing about an artist who seems genuinely interested in making people feel seen and heard through their work. Indigo De Souza gives it all away to her audiences, even in this Tiny Desk performance. Her connection to everyone around her is so palatable you can feel yourself getting sucked into her orbit as you watch.

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29. Screaming Females (2012)

The pared down nature of the Tiny Desk does nothing to confine the power of the band’s melodic, punchy punk music. Paternoster’s melodic, high-pitched voice switches easily between registers as she plays, proving that she can accomplish that particular sound in any place at any time.

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28. dodie (2023)

According to the description about this performance on NPR, dodie had a lot of scheduling and personal issues when it came to getting to D.C. to perform at the Tiny Desk. But watching this, you absolutely cannot tell. This performance feels like the epitome of an artist and her band at the top of their game. Every song flows seamlessly into the next and the arrangement of tracks is perfect for the dynamics of the Tiny Desk.

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27. Sam Smith (2023)

With the backing of a full choir, Sam Smith’s raw and unedited performance here helps drive home why they’re considered one of the most talented vocalists of recent years. I’m not the biggest fan of their music, but this feels almost religious even to me.

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26. Megan Thee Stallion (2019)

Like Megan herself, this performance is about 88% charisma. She starts by telling the crowd, “Don’t be afraid to get ratchet,” and then proceeds to joke with them and call out to them throughout the entire performance. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s a lot different than so many other Tiny Desks performances, but still feels like it fits in perfectly. She’s not at her loudest or wildest, but somehow, that helps make songs like “Big Ole Freak” feel even raunchier (in a good way).

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25. Remi Wolf (2024)

Remi Wolf is so interesting to watch because she gives such pop star energy but then she produces these songs that have such a distinctive sound, they ascend the genre in a way that no one else is doing it. The Tiny Desk is the best setting to showcase exactly this: her performance is as electric as it would be on a bigger stage — especially on “Alone in Miami” and “Pitiful” — but still has an unconventional edge that draws you in even further.

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24. Palehound (2016)

Ellen Kempner is an extraordinarily talented musician because even when the lyrics are humorous and playful, the music feels so serious (and it is). This performance of “Dry Food” is one of the most affecting I’ve ever seen from the band.

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23. Jamila Woods (2018)

I’ve seen Jamila Woods live three times and this is still my favorite performance of “Holy.” The rest of the set is great, too, of course, and it’s so wonderful to see an early cut of “Giovanni” before it was recorded for her second album a year later.

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22. Durand Bernarr (2023)

Flanked in a glittery silver and pink suit, Bernarr came to the Tiny Desk to show every facet of his musical talent. And that’s exactly what he did. If you’re familiar with his music, you already know he’s an extremely adept singer who can expertly dabble in and out of different genres while still keeping that baseline R&B along for the ride. In his Tiny Desk, he not only blessed us with his voice but also with some newer, more band-driven arrangements for songs that usually have a lot of electronic production. Personally, I love the version of “Sam’s Vibe” he did here more than the recorded version.

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21. Indigo Girls (2023)

It’s the Indigo Girls, man. You know they’re giving you those harmonies, that unyielding passion for the music they play, and perfect acoustic guitar melodies that never, ever falter. This performance is such a nice survey of the almost 40 years they’ve spent working together. Like everything they do, it’s acoustic but it fucking rocks.

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20. Tune Yards (2011)

Watching Tune Yards feels magical no matter the circumstance or where the performance is happening. Seeing them this early in their career in such an intimate setting is even better, and I find it kind of funny that they didn’t play any of the singles from W H O K I L L here.

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19. Chika (2020)

My feelings and opinions about Chika’s music waver often, but her Tiny Desk is something I could see myself returning to again and again. Bolster by the beautifully orchestrated harmonies of her four back-up singers, Chika leads the audience through a spirited mix of tracks from her debut album, INDUSTRY GAMES. Throughout the performance, she speaks with the audience, makes jokes, is as charming as ever, and the performance of “SONGS ABOUT YOU” is especially masterful. This one is a pleasure to watch.

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18. Laura Jane Grace & the Mississippi Medicals (2024)

I’m from Florida and I grew up in the punk scene, so that means I was legally obligated to pay attention to everything Against Me! did. And I’m always grateful I never stopped listening. In this performance, Grace and her band somehow manage to load each song with the frenetic energy of a late-night punk show, and it’s so much fun to watch. I’ve seen them live more times than I can remember, and watching this brings me right back to all those smelly, sweaty, chaotic nights spent crammed into little clubs with kids just like me screaming the lyrics to “Pints of Guinness Make You Strong.”

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17. Ambré (2023)

I’ve been listening to Ambré for a couple of years now, and I’m bummed I’m just seeing this Tiny Desk in the process of revising this list. Wildly, this Tiny Desk was recorded following the release of her EP, 3000°, which feels like a rare thing to happen for the artists who are invited to perform. Being that Ambré is extremely skilled at composing and writing songs as it is, it’s no surprise this Tiny Desk features some of the most interesting arrangements of tracks like “3 Peat” and “I’m Baby” since the recorded versions on the EP itself. These new arrangements, along with Ambré’s command of the space and her charming sense of humor, make for an entirely captivating set that should be watched with the volume all the way up.

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16. Bartees Strange (2025)

Bartees is easily one of the best genre chameleons working in music today. He can move between styles and variations so smoothly, you hardly even notice he made the switch. I’ve been following his career closely the last few years, and I was so happy to see him pop up on Tiny Desk this past month. There isn’t a single dull or incongruous moment in this entire performance — you just feel Bartees’s authentic enthusiasm for the hypnotic nature of sharing music with others. I’ll be thinking of his performances of “Too Much” and “17” here for a long, long time.

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15. Sleater-Kinney (2024)

It’s Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein playing music together in front of a small audience, so it’s easy to make an educated guess on just how remarkable this performance will be. They are as on fire as they ever have been. But you know, aside from what’s obvious about this performance, I think it’s surprising they only performed tracks from two albums: The Woods and Little Rope. Even through just those songs, this performance proves they’re still as essential as ever.

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14. Lucy Dacus (2016)

Absolutely incredible to have this performance filmed just 3 months after the release of her debut album, No Burden. And it’s the perfect trio of songs from that album, too. Dacus always seems so comfortable performing in front of people, and this performance is no different. The setting doesn’t make it more thrilling. Instead, she makes Tiny Desk more exciting by being there and being who she is.

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13. Julien Baker (2016)

Always an absolute wonder to watch Baker play solo. How does all that power come from such a small package? Her voice, by itself, commands your unadulterated attention and you should give it to her. It’s also so cool to see this live performance of “Funeral Pyre,” which never made it to one of the albums but was released as a single a year after this performance.

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12. Kehlani (2024)

I’ve seen them in person, I’ve watched tons of videos of them performing, and I’ll never get over how Kehlani manages to sound almost exactly like they do on their albums. Their voice just never cracks, and they always manage to make you feel like they’re singing directly to you, which is true of this Tiny Desk performance, too. Not only that, but they take the time in the middle of the performance to remind everyone: “I want to take a second to say: Free Palestine. Free Congo. Free Sudan. Free Yemen. Free Hawaii. Free Guam. […] I need everybody that’s here right now, everybody that’s watching, to step up, to use their voices.”

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11. Meshell Ndegeocello (2024)

What can I say here? Meshell Ndegeocello is a legend for a reason — yes, her voice sounds like warm butter but beyond that, she seems to have some preternatural ability to understand which compositions will hit the right places in your heart and mind in ways you can’t possibly predict or expect. Her and her band’s performance of “Love” here will bounce around in your mind for days after you watch it.

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10. Tegan and Sara (2016)

I mean, it’s Tegan and Sara, so you already know it’s going to be great. But what’s especially awesome about this performance is that they decided to do the set acoustically even though most of the songs are from 2016’s Love You to Death, an album that was kind of a turning point for them in terms of their sound. In this performance, we get to hear those high-production pop songs composed in the style Tegan and Sara originally became famous for. And not for nothing, the performance of “Closer” here is so damn fun. I can tell you from personal experience that the energy they bring to this performance is akin to actually seeing them in person.

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9. Angel Olsen (2014)

This was recorded before she really blew up, and that makes it so much more intriguing to watch. This is right after the release of her second album, Burn Your Fire for No Witness, and it’s just her and her electric guitar with no backing band. Olsen has such a commanding presence, but the intimate nature of the setting here helps bring out her vulnerability more thoroughly. This is one of the best performances of “Enemy” I’ve ever seen her do, and I’ve seen it live.

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8. Kelela (2024)

What a gift to see Kelela take her electronic beat driven tracks and compose completely new arrangements using just drums, piano, and harp for this performance. This performance feels so ethereal, it’s almost too much to bear at times. Every single second of it feels like a devotional dedicated to the power of making music and sharing it with others.

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7. St. Vincent (2018)

My feelings about St. Vincent’s music aside, this is one of the most fascinating performances on Tiny Desk. It’s not loud. It’s not even electric. Despite the fact that the three songs she plays from MASSEDUCTION have much more electronic and instrumental production, she plays them completely stripped down on a steel-string acoustic guitar, giving us a glimpse of a totally different side of an artist who already has so many sides. I wish the version of “Los Angeles” she plays here was released as a single.

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6. Japanese Breakfast (2017)

Not nearly as stripped down as other performances because it features Japanese Breakfast’s string trio from Soft Sounds from Another Planet, but to me, that’s what helps make it stick out amongst the other performances. They didn’t sacrifice a lot for this recording so the sacrifices they did make feel even more vital. Zauner’s vocals are as beautifully heartrending as they are on the album, and the full band keeps the performance brimming with ardor. Their performance of “Til Death” here is so arresting, I feel like I’m floating every time I watch it.

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5. Amaarae (2023)

Amaarae is, without exaggeration, one of the biggest and most explosive talents of the last few years. This performance feels like you stumbled into a 20-minute jam session with her and her 11-piece band in the best way possible. They are majestically in sync as they jump from track to track, and get into such a perfect groove that even Amaarae has to stop and compliment it in the middle of the performance. On top of that, it features all of the best non-single tracks from both of her full-length albums.

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4. Chappell Roan (2024)

You love her. I love her. Despite playing to a small audience, this performance feels as captivating as anything you’ve ever seen from Chappell Roan. I’m serious — it rules.

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3. Brittany Howard (2019)

Brittany Howard is a goddamn force of nature. She brought the whole band out for this Tiny Desk, and I love that she did that. Her vocals just wrap the space like a loving hug, and every moment of this demands your attention.

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2. The Magnetic Fields (2024)

No offense to anyone else, but the Tiny Desk was made for The Magnetic Fields. I cannot imagine a more fitting guest than Stephin Merritt, and I can’t believe it took so long for them to invite him. I was choking back tears for most of the performance, but couldn’t hold it in any longer by the time the second half of “The Book of Love” hit.

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1. Doechii (2024)

Call it Florida bias if you want, but this is it. This is the best one. Nothing I have to say can fully encapsulate the genius of Doechii and the musicians supporting her here. They planned this performance to maximize every bit of artistic opportunity the Tiny Desk allows musicians to explore, and they executed it flawlessly. I’ll be returning to this one for years to come.