‘NPR is cool!’ How Tiny Desk Concerts became a pop culture phenomenon

By GARY GERARD HAMILTON
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Legendary Southern rapper Juvenile says he had been unaware of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series when a social media post suggested that he do a performance, setting off a frenzy. Two months later, Juvenile’s performance became one of the most notable of last year. with nearly 7 million views. NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series began almost 15 years ago as a niche online platform mainly highlighting rock and folk musicians. The series has become one of the premiere live music platforms and a pop culture phenomenon, expanding to include performers from across musical genres. The creators say it all started after they attended a performance where an artist was not heard.