Tiny Desk Concerts is a program at NPR Music of live performances, generally stripped-down, by musicians of different genres, located in Washington, D.C.

History The first Tiny Desk Concert came about in 2008 after Bob Boilen and NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson left South by Southwest frustrated because they couldn't hear the music over the crowd noise. Thompson joked that the musician and folk singer Laura Gibson should just perform at Boilen's desk. A month later Boilen arranged for her to do just that, making an impromptu recording and posting it online. The name is taken from Boilen's 1970s psychedelic dance band called Tiny Desk Unit.

During its early years, the series drew some criticism for the narrow range of musical genres it included—described as focused on "hipster-infused indie rock" by Zachary Crockett at Vox—to the exclusion of genres like country and hip-hop. However, the series' musical focus has broadened in scope over time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NPR Music enlisted artists to instead record their own virtual performances under the re-branded title Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts. The 2022 Tiny Desk Concert winner, Alisa Amador, was the first performance back at the desk with an audience since the pandemic started.

, the series included more than 1,100 concerts and has an average of 45 million views a month on YouTube.

Adaptations South Korea–based TV agency Something Special worked alongside both NPR and LG U+ to launch Tiny Desk Korea, which served as the first time Tiny Desk Concerts was adapted as a TV show outside North America, with up to 52 episodes aired weekly. The TV show was premiered on LG U+ platforms in August 2023.

In March 2024, a similar licensing agreement was struck with NHK to launch Tiny Desk Concerts Japan with Fujii Kaze as the first performer in the series. The show premiered on NHK General TV in Japan on March 16, 2024, subsequently premiering on its global sister channel NHK World-Japan on March 29. The series became a regularly scheduled program on September 30, starting with B'z vocalist Koshi Inaba.

In September 2025, Anonymous Content Brazil announced the creation of Tiny Desk Brasil. The series premiered on YouTube in October 7, with João Gomes as its first performer.

Tiny Desk Contest In December 2014, NPR announced it would host its first contest, inviting musicians to submit a video of one of their songs. A jury of musicians and NPR staff choose a winner to play a Tiny Desk Concert. The contest has continued annually, each year drawing more than 6000 submissions. Jurors have included Trey Anastasio of Phish, Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, and Jess Wolfe of Lucius.

Singer Yasmin Williams, a two-time Contest "loser", was invited back to perform on the flagship Tiny Desk Concerts series in February 2025. Williams credited her Contest and subsequent NPR appearances with helping to launch her career.

Tiny Desk Contest winners have included:

Fantastic Negrito (2015) Gaelynn Lea (2016) Tank and the Bangas (2017) Naia Izumi (2018) Quinn Christopherson (2019) Linda Diaz (2020) Neffy (2021) Alisa Amador (2022) Little Moon (2023) The Philharmonik (2024) Ruby Ibarra (2025) Cure For Paranoia (2026)

Tiny Desk Radio On April 17, 2025, NPR launched Tiny Desk Radio, a weekly hour-long show on member stations hosted by Bobby Carter and Anamaria Sayre. The show itself features greatest Tiny Desk performances and stories of artists asked to reimagine their music.Tiny Desk Radio launches on public radio stations across America - NPR (published April 17, 2025; retrieved May 21, 2025)

Concerts by year

2008

Date Artists NPR article April 22, 2008 Laura Gibson source June 5, 2008 Vic Chesnutt source June 25, 2008 Sam Phillips source July 10, 2008 Sera Cahoone source September 4, 2008 Thao Nguyen source October 8, 2008 Kurt Wagner of Lambchop source October 20, 2008 Dr. Dog source November 7, 2008 Jim White source November 14, 2008 Shearwater source December 30, 2008 David Dondero source

2009

Date Artists NPR article January 7, 2009 Wovenhand source January 27, 2009 Super XX Man source March 2, 2009 Tom Jones source May 8, 2009 Horse Feathers source May 29, 2009 Benjy Ferree source June 8, 2009 Great Lake Swimmers source June 15, 2009 Jason Vieaux source June 22, 2009 The Avett Brothers source June 29, 2009 Maria Taylor source July 6, 2009 Julie Doiron source July 13, 2009 Bill Callahan source July 20, 2009 Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy source July 27, 2009 Sarah Siskind source August 10, 2009 The Swell Season source August 24, 2009 Dark Meat source September 14, 2009 The Tallest Man on Earth source September 21, 2009 Telekinesis source September 28, 2009 Raphael Saadiq source October 4, 2009 John Vanderslice source October 10, 2009 Rodrigo y Gabriela source October 19, 2009 Ralph Stanley source October 26, 2009 Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros source November 2, 2009 Sondre Lerche source November 9, 2009 K'naan source November 16, 2009 Bowerbirds source November 23, 2009 Zee Avi source November 30, 2009 Andrew W.K. source December 7, 2009 Lightning Dust source December 16, 2009 Fanfarlo source December 21, 2009 Australian Chamber Orchestra source

2010

Date Artists NPR article January 3, 2010 The Mountain Goats source January 10, 2010 Adam Arcuragi source January 20, 2010 The Low Anthem source January 26, 2010 Brooklyn Rider source February 1, 2010 Dave Rawlings Machine with Gillian Welch source February 8, 2010 Edmar Castañeda source February 15, 2010 Abaji source February 22, 2010 Alec Ounsworth source March 1, 2010 Laura Veirs source March 8, 2010 Omara Portuondo source March 15, 2010 The Antlers source March 29, 2010 Wye Oak source April 2, 2010 Jakob Dylan source April 11, 2010 Regina Carter source April 19, 2010 David Russell source April 26, 2010 Lionel Loueke source May 3, 2010 Fredrik source May 4, 2010 Moby and Kelli Scarr source May 11, 2010 Tarrus Riley source May 18, 2010 Phoenix source May 21, 2010 Bettye LaVette source June 1, 2010 Roger McGuinn, The Rock Bottom Remainders source June 4, 2010 Zuill Bailey source June 21, 2010 The Mynabirds source June 22, 2010 "Weird Al" Yankovic source June 28, 2010 Gogol Bordello source July 5, 2010 Los Campesinos! source July 12, 2010 Jimmy Cliff source July 19, 2010 Villagers source July 26, 2010 Béla Fleck, Edgar Meyer and Zakir Hussain source August 2, 2010 The Holmes Brothers source August 9, 2010 Mavis Staples source August 15, 2010 Frazey Ford source August 17, 2010 Peter Wolf Crier source August 23, 2010 Lawrence Arabia source August 25, 2010 Brian Courtney Wilson source August 30, 2010 Ana Tijoux source September 7, 2010 The Nels Cline Singers source September 13, 2010 Seu Jorge source September 15, 2010 Alisa Weilerstein source September 20, 2010 Eef Barzelay of Clem Snide source September 23, 2010 Lost in the Trees source September 28, 2010 Chuck Brown source October 6, 2010 Tom Tom Club source October 10, 2010 Lower Dens source October 17, 2010 Hey Marseilles source October 25, 2010 Stile Antico source November 1, 2010 Nick Lowe source November 2, 2010 Rana Santacruz source November 8, 2010 Black Dub source November 10, 2010 Los Lobos source November 14, 2010 Sharon Van Etten source November 17, 2010 The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger source November 22, 2010 Ólöf Arnalds source November 29, 2010 Khaira Arby source December 6, 2010 Buke and Gase source December 8, 2010 Yolanda Kondonassis source December 13, 2010 The Red River source December 15, 2010 The Heligoats source December 20, 2010 Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O source December 26, 2010 Luísa Maita source December 29, 2010 Gyptian source

2011

Date Artists NPR article January 3, 2011 Abigail Washburn source January 9, 2011 David Wax Museum source January 17, 2011 Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Ségal source January 21, 2011 Iron & Wine source January 24, 2011 Basia Bulat source February 1, 2011 Richard Thompson source February 3, 2011 Stars source February 7, 2011 Ivan & Alyosha source February 12, 2011 Esperanza Spalding source February 16, 2011 Turtle Island Quartet source February 17, 2011 Adele source February 21, 2011 Local Natives source February 28, 2011 Damien Jurado source March 7, 2011 Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys source March 14, 2011 Lizz Wright source April 4, 2011 Nellie McKay source April 6, 2011 Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars source April 11, 2011 Josh Ritter source April 13, 2011 Otis Taylor source April 18, 2011 Mount Kimbie source April 20, 2011 Pokey LaFarge source April 25, 2011 Steve Earle source April 27, 2011 Wu Man source May 2, 2011 Booker T. Jones source May 9, 2011 Julieta Venegas source May 11, 2011 Neil Innes source May 16, 2011 Future Islands source May 22, 2011 Low source May 23, 2011 Jackie Evancho source June 6, 2011 The Kopecky Family Band source June 8, 2011 The Black Angels source June 13, 2011 Chris Thile and Michael Daves source June 15, 2011 Charlie Siem source June 20, 2011 The Decemberists source June 22, 2011 Yacht source June 27, 2011 The Civil Wars source June 30, 2011 Milos source July 5, 2011 The Blind Boys of Alabama source July 7, 2011 Julian Lage Trio source July 11, 2011 Ben Sollee source July 18, 2011 Joe Boyd and Robyn Hitchcock source July 21, 2011 Y La Bamba source July 24, 2011 Givers source July 28, 2011 They Might Be Giants source August 3, 2011 Amanda Shires source August 10, 2011 Noah and the Whale source August 12, 2011 Paul Jacobs source August 15, 2011 Gaby Moreno source August 18, 2011 Other Lives source August 25, 2011 James Vincent McMorrow source August 29, 2011 Callmecat source September 1, 2011 Phosphorescent source September 4, 2011 King Creosote and Jon Hopkins source September 9, 2011 Foster the People source September 12, 2011 Diego Garcia source September 16, 2011 Sean Rowe source September 19, 2011 Jeremy Messersmith source September 21, 2011 Beirut source September 26, 2011 Jenny Lin source September 28, 2011 The Klezmatics source September 29, 2011 Trombone Shorty source October 5, 2011 Mates of State source October 6, 2011 Fountains of Wayne source October 8, 2011 JEFF the Brotherhood source October 11, 2011 Grouplove source October 14, 2011 Chris Bathgate source October 17, 2011 Wilco source October 21, 2011 Hilary Hahn source October 24, 2011 Ben Williams and Sound Effect (Gilad Hekselman, John Davis, Christian Sands and Marcus Strickland) source October 29, 2011 Lisa Hannigan source November 3, 2011 Juanes source November 7, 2011 Jens Lekman source November 10, 2011 Markéta Irglová source November 17, 2011 Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Chris Thile and Stuart Duncan source November 21, 2011 Joe Henry source November 23, 2011 Hospital Ships source November 26, 2011 Gabriel Kahane source December 1, 2011 Tune-Yards source December 12, 2011 I Wayne source December 16, 2011 Gem Club source December 20, 2011 The Music Tapes source December 27, 2011 María Volonté source

2012