Chris Thile has released a new song, "Elephant in the Room," from his forthcoming album, Thanks for Listening. The album, due December 8 digitally and December 15 on vinyl, is a collection of new studio recordings of songs originally written as Songs of the Week on A Prairie Home Companion. You can hear the new song here, and download the track now, along with the previously released track "Thank You, New York," when you pre-order the album. Nonesuch Store pre-orders also include a limited-edition autographed print.

Robert Plant spoke with PBS NewsHour's Jeffrey Brown about his new album, Carry Fire, and more. "Weaving—the musical weave in the beginning, the groove and the kind of—the essence of the music that surrounds the songs, but just being able to get to a place where the music is paramount, it’s discrete, slightly exotic," Plant says of the musical journey that led to the new album. Asked about its sounds and influences, he continues: "They just come from a fortunate life traveling and keeping very good company. I was always gathering more and more fuel. I was buying cassettes in the marketplaces and listening to variations on themes, and just such an amazing encyclopedia of music I developed slowly."

The Staves and yMusic, whose new album, The Way Is Read, is due digitally on November 24 and on vinyl December 1, have released the title track to the album. You can watch the video for the song here and download it now, along with the previously released album track "Trouble on My Mind," when you pre-order the album.

Pat Metheny, Chris Thile, Brad Mehldau perform at EFG London Jazz Festival … Dan Auerbach joins John Prine in DC and Richmond … Fleet Foxes are in Milan, Hamburg … Rhiannon Giddens joins Cincinnati Pops Orchestra … Richard Goode gives a recital in San Diego … Tigran Hamasyan returns home to Armenia … Lake Street Dive plays St. Paul with Bruce Hornsby … Mariza performs in Boston … Randy Newman is in Charleston … Rostam takes Half-Light to Amsterdam … and more …

Mandolinist/singer Chris Thile and pianist Brad Mehldau begin a nine-city European tour, performing songs from their 2017 debut duo album, Chris Thile & Brad Mehldau, at Teatro dal Verme in Milan, Italy, tonight. The duo stays in Italy for a performance at Teatro Zancanaro in Sacile on Thursday, before heading to Amsterdam, London, Paris, Munich, Leverkusen (Germany), and Zürich. The tour concludes with a concert at Wiener Konzerthaus in Vienna.

French singer/composer Camille has created a Spotify playlist, "Voix et Percussion" (Voice and Percussion), from a mix she made for Pitchfork Radio during last week's Pitchfork Festival in Paris. The playlist includes songs from her recently released album OUÏ, and from artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Lorde, Fela Kuti, Kelis, Queen, Nina Simone, Steve Reich, and others. You can hear it here.

Congratulations to Robert Plant, who has been named the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Americana Music Association UK. It is the group's highest honor and goes to a UK artist for outstanding contribution to the Americana genre over the span of a career. And congratulations to Rhiannon Giddens, who has been nominated for International Artist of the Year at the 2018 UK Americana Awards. The awards show will take place on February 1, 2018, at the Hackney Empire in East London.

Robert Finley, whose new album, Goin' Platinum!, is due December 8 on Dan Auerbach's label Easy Eye Sound, has shared the video for the album track "Get It While You Can." The video, which was directed by Gus Black and Dan Auerbach, premiered via Rolling Stone and can be seen here.

Robert Plant is on NPR's World Cafe, discussing his new album, Carry Fire, and more. "You would think being one of the best rock singers of all time would be enough for an artist," says host Talia Schlanger. "Robert Plant followed his love of music to unexpected places, like ... the mesmerizing world influence on his new album, Carry Fire." You can listen to their conversation here.

The Staves and yMusic release The Way Is Read, a new album stemming from a collaboration at Justin Vernon's Eaux Claires Festival, digitally on November 24, on vinyl December 1. "We wanted to feel like instruments and join in with some of yMusic's existing work," says The Staves's Emily Staveley-Taylor, "using our voices in ways we hadn't previously explored." Rob Moose of yMusic adds: "It was as much a thrill to hear songs emerge organically over sections of intricate chamber music as it was satisfying to strip songs of the instrument that created them in order to craft new connective tissue." The groups perform at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and on A Prairie Home Companion in December. Pre-order the album to download the track "Trouble on My Mind" now; see a video for the song here.

Natalie Merchant's hit 1995 song "Wonder" now opens Wonder: Introducing Natalie Merchant, a new collection on streaming services. The set include singles and fan favorites, beginning with "Wonder" from her debut solo album, Tigerlily, and closing with the 2015 recording of the song for Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings. A new film Wonder, based on RJ Palacio's 2012 best-selling novel inspired by Merchant's song, opens November 17. Watch an excerpt from the documentary Paradise Is There about the song here.

Fleet Foxes begin European Crack-Up tour at Iceland Airwaves … Sam Amidon brings The Following Mountain to Germany, Brussels, Amsterdam … Jeremy Denk gives recital in Chicago … Rhiannon Giddens joins Louisville Orchestra … Richard Goode performs in Wisconsin … Emmylou Harris heads South … Kronos Quartet is in Washington state … Mariza sings in New Jersey … Audra McDonald performs in Ohio … Pat Metheny continues European quartet tour … Joshua Redman is in Bulgaria, Poland … Rostam tours Half-Light in Germany … Chris Thile reunites with Nickel Creek on A Prairie Home Companion in San Diego … and more ...