For our 40th anniversary, the editors of Rolling Stone have interviewed twenty artists and leaders who helped shape our time. Over the next four weeks, every day, we’ll be debuting exclusive audio clips from the Q&As, giving you unparalleled access to some of the most compelling personalities in history.

Paul McCartney
Listen to McCartney talk about the powerful impact of Sgt….

“I’ve never paid much attention to the music scene here,” says Black Moth Super Rainbow’s frontman Tobacco about nightlife in his hometown of Pittsburgh. “It’s the opposite of a scene. People don’t want other bands to get out of the city. They just want them to stay stuck, unhappy, in Pittsburgh.” So when it came time for the psych-electronica group to record their latest disc, Dandelion Gum, the five pseudonymed members (Tobacco, bassist Power Pill Fist, keyboardist Seven…

Spoon: “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” [Listen]
Feist first heard Spoon when she played a radio gig with them last year. “This song is totally pure and feels like a completely distilled truth of rock & roll,” she says. “There’s no messing around — the song is…

Listen to all of this issue’s Key Tracks

Kaiser Chiefs “Ruby”
This catchy lead single recalls premium Brit pop from the Nineties — only edgier.
[Listen]- [Review]

Arctic Monkeys “Fluorescent Adolescent”
A lovely but still rockin’ snapshot…

Spoon: “The Beast and Dragon, Adored” [Listen]
Feist first heard Spoon when she played a radio gig with them last year. “This song is totally pure and feels like a completely distilled truth of rock & roll,” she says. “There’s no messing around — the song is…

Jay-Z Kingdom Come [Listen]
“He’s a great artist, and he never makes a bad album,” says Musiq of the rap CEO, who released this disc last year.

J Dilla Ruff Draft [Listen]
Musiq loves this reissue of the late…

You learn a lot when you work as a bartender, but the people who benefit from slinging drinks at all hours of the night aren’t just the drunks getting their buzz on. “I’ve seen so much dark shit, man” says Billy McCarthy, singer and guitarist for the Brooklyn band Pela, who release their debut Anytown Graffiti this month. “I’ve served strippers who’ve just had men slip dollars into their thongs. I’ve served cops who’ve just come from a homicide scene. Lawyers who are cheating on…

You learn a lot when you work as a bartender, but the people who benefit from slinging drinks at all hours of the night aren’t just the drunks getting their buzz on. “I’ve seen so much dark shit, man” says Billy McCarthy, singer and guitarist for the Brooklyn band Pela, who release their debut Anytown Graffiti this month. “I’ve served strippers who’ve just had men slip dollars into their thongs. I’ve served cops who’ve just come from a homicide scene. Lawyers who are cheating on…

April showers bring…music festivals. With all the killer line-ups, scenic venues, and $5 hot dogs to choose from among this year’s options, it can be difficult to decide just where exactly to pitch your tent and go mad for your favorite acts. It’s a good thing we broke the must-see festivals down for you, with everything you need to know — from lineups to the price of bottled water — before you pack your cooler. Better get moving, Coachella is in a few weeks and the lineup is overwhelming!<…

>> Listen to exclusive audio from this interview.