DJ Kevin Cole shares some of his favorite songs from the over 6000 entries to this year’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest!

1. Bandits on the Run - We Battle Giants
2. Tia P. - 151
3. Silicone Boone - Found You
4. Danielle Ponder - Poor Man's Pain
5. Rama Gu - Good Egg
6. Redbeard Samurai & the JB Dojo - Rain Fall Down
7. Midnight Daughter - The High
8. Alec Shaw - I'll Just Let You Down
9. Crystal Rose - House of God (Golden Child)
10. Linda Diaz - Green Tea Ice Cream
11. Septymber - Trip & Fall

Kevin Cole is the host of Drive Time on KEXP, Tuesdays through Fridays from 4-7pm PT on KEXP.org, the KEXP app or 90.3 FM in Seattle.

Watch Kevin talk more about Tiny Desk Contest highlights with NPR's Bob Boilen.

DJ Kevin Cole shares some of his favorite songs from the over 6000 entries to this year&rsquo;s NPR Music Tiny Desk Contest!
1. <a href="http://www.banditsontherun.nyc ">Bandits on the Run</a> - We Battle Giants 2. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HVmOYZT70g">Tia P.</a> - 151 3. <a href="http://siliconeboone.com/">Silicone Boone</a> - Found You 4. <a href="https://danielleponder.com/">Danielle Ponder</a> - Poor Man's Pain 5. <a href="https://ramagu.bandcamp.com/">Rama Gu</a> - Good Egg 6. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgZvegT1Aus">Redbeard Samurai &amp; the JB Dojo</a> - Rain Fall Down 7. <a href="https://midnightdaughter.com/home">Midnight Daughter</a> - The High 8. <a href="http://www.alecshawmusic.com/">Alec Shaw</a> - I'll Just Let You Down 9. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fflFhq8zyTI">Crystal Rose</a> - House of God (Golden Child) 10. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ursri8GmlW4">Linda Diaz</a> - Green Tea Ice Cream 11. <a href="https://www.septymber.com/">Septymber</a> - Trip &amp; Fall
Kevin Cole is the host of <a href="kexp.org/shows/drive-time/">Drive Time on KEXP</a>, Tuesdays through Fridays from 4-7pm PT on <a href="http://kexp.org/">KEXP.org</a>, the KEXP app&nbsp;or 90.3 FM in Seattle.
<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2020/07/30/873123414/watch-tiny-desk-contest-top-shelf-episode-8-featuring-kexps-kevin-cole">Watch Kevin talk more about Tiny Desk Contest highlights with NPR's Bob Boilen.</a>

We believe that everyone who runs should have a great soundtrack. Not one curated by an algorithm, but one that’s hand-picked by a DJ who runs too. The Runcast with John Richards brings you a dynamic mix of music and inspiration to keep you company and motivate you on your run, no matter what your level.

We believe that everyone who runs should have a great soundtrack. Not one curated by an algorithm, but one that&rsquo;s hand-picked by a DJ who runs too. The Runcast with John Richards brings you a dynamic mix of music and inspiration to keep you company and motivate you on your run, no matter what your level.

The Runcast with John Richards

The Weekly Mix, Vol. 734 - Tiny Desks, Mighty Songs

This week on the Runcast, DJ John Richards crafts another mix of tracks to keep you motivated on your run, featuring music from Kiwi Jr., Temples, Death Valley Girls, and more. On this mix, John encourages you to keep your focus away from what’s holding you back and more toward where you’re trying to get to. It’s not how you start the race, it’s how you finish it. Let this music help guide you as you make your way to all the things you’re trying to accomplish.

Tracklist:

Myra Lee - “Trapped”
White Flowers - “Heaven”
Atmos Bloom - “Closer”
Sundayclub - “Blue Wave”
Hurry - “Moving After You”
Kiwi Jr - “Photos of the Reenactment”
Radio Free Alice - “Kick in the Shins”
Darkswoon - “Antivenom”
Temples - “Jet Stream Heart”
Wishy - “Sensational”
Hazy Waters - “Blue”
Getdown Services - “Stop Living”
Beacon - “Cinder”
Portraits of Tracy - “Caught in a Jam”
Death Valley Girls - “Message From the Venus Flower”
New Age Healers - “Moored”

This week on the Runcast, DJ John Richards crafts another mix of tracks to keep you motivated on your run, featuring music from Kiwi Jr., Temples, Death Valley Girls, and more. On this mix, John encourages you to keep your focus away from what&rsquo;s holding you back and more toward where you&rsquo;re trying to get to. It&rsquo;s not how you start the race, it&rsquo;s how you finish it. Let this music help guide you as you make your way to all the things you&rsquo;re trying to accomplish.
Tracklist:
Myra Lee - &ldquo;Trapped&rdquo; White Flowers - &ldquo;Heaven&rdquo; Atmos Bloom - &ldquo;Closer&rdquo; Sundayclub - &ldquo;Blue Wave&rdquo; Hurry - &ldquo;Moving After You&rdquo; Kiwi Jr - &ldquo;Photos of the Reenactment&rdquo; Radio Free Alice - &ldquo;Kick in the Shins&rdquo; Darkswoon - &ldquo;Antivenom&rdquo; Temples - &ldquo;Jet Stream Heart&rdquo; Wishy - &ldquo;Sensational&rdquo; Hazy Waters - &ldquo;Blue&rdquo; Getdown Services - &ldquo;Stop Living&rdquo; Beacon - &ldquo;Cinder&rdquo; Portraits of Tracy - &ldquo;Caught in a Jam&rdquo; Death Valley Girls - &ldquo;Message From the Venus Flower&rdquo; New Age Healers - &ldquo;Moored&rdquo;

Don’t Run Away From Your Fears, Run Toward Your Goals

Once again, DJ John Richards digging into the recent Live on KEXP archives for a Runcast featuring all live performances. All these recordings come from 2026, featuring powerful tracks from Band of Horses, Just Mustard, Rogue Wave and more. Live music makes use feel alive, and you can take that energy with you on your next run.

Tracklist:

The Royston Club - “Spinning”
Band of Horses - “The Great Salt Lake” 
Rogue Wave - “Endless Shovel”
The Barr Brothers - “Run Right Into It” 
Hannah Lew - “Sunday” 
Lala Lala - “Does This Go Faster?” 
Spacemoth - “Do We Exist”
Chapterhouse - “Pearl” 
The Wedding Present - “Damage”
Toadies - “Possum Kingdome”
Mclusky - “She Will Only Bring You Happiness"
Just Mustard - “We Were Just Here” 
Russian Blue - “This is The Sound of What Was”
Russian Blue - “Patience”
Getdown Services - “The Radiator” 
Drama - “Dancing on my Own” 
Lyrics Born - “I Like it I Love it” 
Sera Cahoone - “Say Something” 

Once again, DJ John Richards digging into the recent Live on KEXP archives for a Runcast featuring all live performances. All these recordings come from 2026, featuring powerful tracks from Band of Horses, Just Mustard, Rogue Wave and more. Live music makes use feel alive, and you can take that energy with you on your next run. Tracklist: The Royston Club - &ldquo;Spinning&rdquo; Band of Horses - &ldquo;The Great Salt Lake&rdquo;&nbsp; Rogue Wave - &ldquo;Endless Shovel&rdquo; The Barr Brothers - &ldquo;Run Right Into It&rdquo;&nbsp; Hannah Lew - &ldquo;Sunday&rdquo;&nbsp; Lala Lala - &ldquo;Does This Go Faster?&rdquo;&nbsp; Spacemoth - &ldquo;Do We Exist&rdquo; Chapterhouse - &ldquo;Pearl&rdquo;&nbsp; The Wedding Present - &ldquo;Damage&rdquo; Toadies - &ldquo;Possum Kingdome&rdquo; Mclusky - &ldquo;She Will Only Bring You Happiness" Just Mustard - &ldquo;We Were Just Here&rdquo;&nbsp; Russian Blue - &ldquo;This is The Sound of What Was&rdquo; Russian Blue - &ldquo;Patience&rdquo; Getdown Services - &ldquo;The Radiator&rdquo;&nbsp; Drama - &ldquo;Dancing on my Own&rdquo;&nbsp; Lyrics Born - &ldquo;I Like it I Love it&rdquo;&nbsp; Sera Cahoone - &ldquo;Say Something&rdquo;&nbsp;

The “Live Music to Make You Feel More Alive” Runcast

Spencer Krug - “I”ll Believe in Anything (Piano Version)” 
Hammock - “We Close Our Eyes So We Can See” 
Ed O’Brien - “Incantations” 
Basement - “Broken by Design” 
Russian Blue - “Patience” 
Interpol - “See Out Loud” 
Diary - “Keep Comin’ Up” 
R. Missing - “Turning Off Lights is My Destiny” 
Uh Huh Her - “Shook” 
Asal - “Winters Gonna Come” 
Wet Leg - “CPR (Horsegirl Remix)” 
Desire - “Summer Skin” 
Genesis Owusu - “Human Again” 
Terror/Cactus - “Transmisión Clandestina” 

Spencer Krug - &ldquo;I&rdquo;ll Believe in Anything (Piano Version)&rdquo;&nbsp; Hammock - &ldquo;We Close Our Eyes So We Can See&rdquo;&nbsp; Ed O&rsquo;Brien - &ldquo;Incantations&rdquo;&nbsp; Basement - &ldquo;Broken by Design&rdquo;&nbsp; Russian Blue - &ldquo;Patience&rdquo;&nbsp; Interpol - &ldquo;See Out Loud&rdquo;&nbsp; Diary - &ldquo;Keep Comin&rsquo; Up&rdquo;&nbsp; R. Missing - &ldquo;Turning Off Lights is My Destiny&rdquo;&nbsp; Uh Huh Her - &ldquo;Shook&rdquo;&nbsp; Asal - &ldquo;Winters Gonna Come&rdquo;&nbsp; Wet Leg - &ldquo;CPR (Horsegirl Remix)&rdquo;&nbsp; Desire - &ldquo;Summer Skin&rdquo;&nbsp; Genesis Owusu - &ldquo;Human Again&rdquo;&nbsp; Terror/Cactus - &ldquo;Transmisi&oacute;n Clandestina&rdquo;&nbsp;

The Weekly Mix, Vol. 734 - Tiny Desks, Mighty Songs

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