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Twenty-five years ago Friday, the world lost the king of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley. NPR's Joshua Levs reports on the enduring appeal of Elvis, both for those who remember the rock icon when he was alive and among a new, young generation of fans. NPR Online marks the anniversary with vintage NPR coverage, music cuts including "Annoying Elvis" music, and an Elvis trivia quiz.

Former Belle and Sebastian member Isobel Campbell has a new collaborator for her latest album. She teamed with occasional Queens of the Stone Age frontman Mark Lanegan for Ballad of the Broken Seas.

Music in 2013 was marked by some popular hits from Robin Thicke, Lorde, Daft Punk, Disclosure, Katy Perry, Drake and more.

The Ride is the latest album from Los Lobos, a band known for mixing folk, blues, rock and Latin rhythms. The group, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, was formed by classmates at an East Los Angeles school. The Ride, their 12th album, is on the Hollywood Records/Mammoth label. Critic David Greenberger has a review.

Jan. 1, 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Led by a young Fidel Castro, the revolution wrenched power from the American-backed Batista regime. Today, Cuba remains the only communist nation in the Western hemisphere, making Castro one of the most polarizing figures of modern times. NPR's Tom Gjelten, who spent decades reporting on Cuba, takes a look back.

Rhymes with Silver is the title of the latest recording by American composer Lou Harrison. The piece was originally a commission Harrison wrote for the Mark Morris Dance Group. At age 83, Harrison talks with Liane about writing music for dance, about his life's work and remembers his late partner William Colvig {coal-vig}. (9:49) (Rhymes with Silver / New Albion CD #NA110. For more information visit the website at http://www.newalbion.com/N

Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and other stars testify on Capitol Hill about performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball. Former star Jose Canseco said illegal steroids have been widely used in the sport. Players also asked lawmakers to focus on the future and not the past.

Gunmen pretending to seek emergency medical care kill an American soldier in western Iraq. The death marks the 29th U.S. military fatality in Iraq since President Bush declared an end to hostilities on May 1. U.S. officials report an increase in coordinated attacks carried out by men they describe as trained military professionals. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

Jazz singer Kurt Elling is only 32-years-old but he's already causing quite a stir in the jazz world. Elling has been called one of the most innovative jazz vocalists of the country. He has collaborated with jazz masters Jon Hendricks and Mark Murphy. His new CD is called Live in Chicago and was recorded at Chicago's Green Mill Lounge on Blue Note (1999). (15:30) Check out Kurt Elling's website at www.kurtelling.com

With the same careful attention to harmony and craftsmanship that's marked Nada Surf's career, If I Had a Hi-Fi is a collection of cover songs. In this session from World Cafe, Nada Surf performs its own takes on The Go-Betweens, Depeche Mode and Bill Fox.