After briefly dissecting Kansas City's colossal loss to Philadelphia in the Super Bowl and Kendrick Lamar's historic halftime show, we get down to the business of updating our running list of the year's best songs. This week, much of the stuff we can't stop playing seems to be about unity, resilience and the power of close connections, whether it's in the shredded guitars of girlpuppy or the airy sonic universe of The Weather Station.

We also spin a cut from the debut solo album by TV On The Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, the deep grooves and even deeper wisdom of Lonnie Holley, and a heartrending collaboration from Ólafur Arnalds and the Irish artist Talos, and a transfixing meditation by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith.

NPR Music's Sheldon Pearce joins host Robin Hilton.

Featured artists and songs:

• Tunde Adebimpe: "Drop," from Thee Black Boltz
• girlpuppy: "Champ," from Sweetness
• Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith: "Into Your Eyes" from GUSH
• Lonnie Holley: "Protest With Love," from Tonky
• The Weather Station: "Lonely," from Humanhood
• Ólafur Arnalds & Talos: "We Didn't Know We Were Ready" (feat. Niamh Regan & Ye Vagabonds) (single)

Stream The Playlist