The Top 12 Tiny Desk Concerts Of All Time, According to Me

I’ve been a fan of Tiny Desk for nearly two decades at this point, and these are the best of the best. Argue a wall.

I’ve been a fan of Tiny Desk for a long time.

I still remember seeing the Avett Brothers' performance back in 2010, before the set evolved into the iconic location for artists from all genres to play stripped-down versions of a handful of their best songs in an intimate setting with absolutely dialed-in production quality.

Tiny Desk survived the pandemic and remains one of the best things on YouTube, especially for those of us who love discovering new music.

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I spent a lot of time and energy putting out a self-produced 7-song EP back in 2024. I know what it is to write, record, mix, and release music.

Note: I recently re-realsed it on Bandcamp, because I want my music on a platform that supports musicians, unlike Spotify. But, you can find Big Stretch anywhere you listen to music.

Playing Sofar Sounds,

I played the first-ever Oaxaca City Sofar Sounds show, which was an amazing night and an incredible honor. Like any independent musician who has their own songs, playing at NPR’s legendary Tiny Desk is a dream (read: very unrealistic dream for me).

Now that I’ve built up some credibility, let me tell you… These musicians and artists below not only realised that same dream, but they did so in extraordinary fashion. They seized the opportunity and made a remarkable piece of art that will live on the internet forever.

If you haven’t seen these 12+ Tiny Desk concerts below, you’re in for a sonic treat.

Note: I’m only going to rank the first two on this list, the others you can rank yourself between 3 and 12. Anderson Paak and T Pain’s Tiny Desks are both THAT legendary.

All videos are hyperlinked in the corresponding descriptions. Including the honorable mentions, 25 performances are highlighted here. They’re all worth a watch.

1. Anderson Paak

Photo by Coppa Cover on Unsplash

I’m a huge fan, but even so, I don’t think it’s my bias that gives Anderson Paak’s Tiny Desk a firm grip of the top spot. It’s truly legendary. It’s why it’s one of the most-watched in the history of the series.

I was becoming a fan when it dropped, but even so, I didn’t know the guy singing on Malibu was also playing the drums.

It was only from tuning into his Tiny Desk that I realized, “Oh SHIT, this dude did not only write these songs, he’s not only the singer and rapper on these songs, but he’s also the dude holding the beat? HOLY SHIT!”

The “I like water, myself” moment, when they’re joking about substances. Screenshot from the session.

His music and style are unreal, along with his band—the Free Nationals. Even the banter between songs is incredibly fun, and you’re likely to find yourself thinking, “He’s doing all of this, and they’re all super stoned?”

Paak’s a certified legend at this point—he even played drums at the Super Bowl—and the cologne I wear I stole off of his Ten Things You Can’t Live Without GQ interview. I’m such a fan, I wanted to smell like the homie. But yeah… ***listen for yourself, it’s un-fuggin-real.***

The cologne is great, btw.

2. T Pain

T Pain’s people put him in hats like this for some reason. Photo by Fiona Feng on Unsplash

The first time I saw T-Pain’s Tiny Desk, I clicked a link that said: “This video will change the way you think about the music industry.”

At the time, T-Pain was constantly dressed in a huge red or purple top hat with a big grill in his mouth, and was most well known for bringing auto-tune mainstream.

In his Tiny Desk, he’s just wearing clear-rimmed glasses and a black ball cap, and he’s genuinely so likeable from the first 10 seconds. He even jokes, “I know everyone is wondering where the auto-tune is going to come from, but don’t worry, I’ve got it in my pocket.”

Then he proceeds to sing without auto-tune, and you find out quickly that his voice is undeniable. He never needed auto-tune the same way he never needed a two-foot top hat—those were decisions made by A&R folks at his record label to package him for the public.

“Me and myyyyyyy” he skips the next word and the entire crowd laughs. Screenshot from the set.

He just needs a good keyboard player (shoutout Toro) and his natural voice, and with those two things, he put on an incredible 15-minute show. If you’ve never seen it, I implore you—**watch my guy T-Pain crush this shit. **I can’t even count how many times I’ve made people watch this after discovering that they don’t know it exists.

It’s that special.

Sting and Shaggy

Screenshot of the performance by these two legends.

For any of my baby boomer friends reading, this will likely be the one you either enjoy or agree with most. Sting is an all-time legend, and I almost forgot how buttery of a voice he has to go along with his smart English accent.

Then you have Shaggy’s iconic voice, which works so perfectly alongside Sting. Also, Sting is an unbelievable songwriter, and getting a little insight into where the songs came from elevates the session even more. **This video has 92 million views for a reason.**

Oh, I’m an alien, I’m a legal alien… I’m an Englishman in New York!

Doechii

Photo by Shelly Collins on Unsplash

As the kids would say, ***Doechii ATE THIS.***

She came in and sat in front of the mic like she knew it was going to change her life. The storytelling, into a breathing exercise, into a hype intro… into Boiled Peanuts is just fire.

Her debut mixtape in 2024, Alligator Bites Never Heal, might be the best hip-hop debut since College Dropout, and I’m not exaggerating, it’s that good. She took some of the best tracks and moments in that remarkable album and translated them to Tiny Desk.

The ladies in the group are all having the best time, and my favorite comment under the video is “The lady with the braids is so talented.”

Spoiler: All of the all-female band members are sporting braids.

Tom Misch

Screenshot of this incredible performance. The band was locked in, and Tom was flying on the fret board.

I’m a pretty enormous Tom Misch fan, but if you don’t know him, **watch his Tiny Desk**, and I’m pretty sure you’ll become a fan too. He’s an absolutely incredible guitar player with a unique feel of the fretboard. Early on in his career, the guitar was where he felt comfortable, so he didn’t sing much.

As he finally started putting it all together, his music evolved into something truly special and very much his own. Once you know him, you’ll know when a Tom Misch song is playing.

He just released a new album called “Full Circle,” which is on par with his first incredible full-length album, “Geography.” Listen to either or just watch his 17-minute Tiny Desk masterclass, and I’m certain you’ll become a fan. Every time I introduce someone to Tom Misch, they thank me.

Alicia Keys

She’s the best. A great musician and also she seems like a great human. Photo by Lijo Joseph on Unsplash

Most people do Tiny Desk because they know it might help their career, it might bring them a new audience of Tiny Desk fans and NPR listeners… that was not the case when Alicia Keys came to share her gifts at Tiny Desk. She came to have fun and entertain the people who work for NPR, and that alone makes her a legend.

Basically, she was already hella famous in 2020, and she took the invitation and turned it into a legendary 30 minutes of music with her whole team on her back. They absolutely crush this set, which is longer than normal, with 4 full songs and a lot of amazing banter from Alicia between songs. I mean, she gets the entire crowd singing Falling along with her at the end of the set. She’s one of the most likeable famous people I can think of.

**There’s a very good reason this video has almost 50 million views.**

Note: My favorite song in the session is Underdog, largely because my girl **Kelsey Garcia** used to play it live when we played together from 2021 to 2023. She’s incrdible, and I encourage you to follow her musical journey.

David Byrne

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

I would put David Bryn on my personal Mount Rushmore of music. He’s been a creative force and an incredibly strong influence across musical genres since 1975, when The Talking Heads first formed.

David Byrne is a song-writing and lyrical genius, and also one of the greatest live-show producers of all time. If you’ve never seen Stop Making Sense, the iconic 1984 live performance by their band, before you enjoy these Tiny Desks, watch that first. It’s the greatest recorded live concert in history, and in my opinion, nothing else comes close.

It stands alone.

What an amazing band. Screenshot taken from the video.

**David Byrne brought that same creativity and energy to his Tiny Desk**, and with a big band crammed in a small space, all dressed in bright blue jump suits and wearing marching band style mounts for their instruments, they absolutely fill the space with sound and joy. The whole thing is amazing, but their last song, “Life During Wartime,” steals the show.

Changed my hairstyle so many times now, I don’t know what I look like!!!

Mac Miller

Screenshot from Whats the Use, one of the best songs of the session.

“You never told me, being rich was so lonely, nobody know me”… is just one of the dozens of incredible bars he drops during this performance. There’s a reason it’s one of the most viewed Tiny Desk concerts in history. His untimely death certainly led many of his fans to come back to the link because they missed him, but whether you are a fan or not, this performance is legendary.

He’s so comfortable, kind, and humble—he knows he belongs, and he knows he’s about to have some fun while growing his legend. He’s got Thundercat with him on bass guitar, and the entire band just seems like a group of good-time goofy fellas you’d want to kick it with in the studio. *Give Mac’s Tiny Desk a watch, and I guarantee if you’re not a fan yet, you’ll miss him.***

**Favorite Mac quote from the show:** I think I’m supposed to talk in between, but I dunno… let’s just stand here and exchange looks.

Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso

Photo by Simon Weisser on Unsplash

This is the only entry on this list by an artist I didn’t know of at all before seeing their Tiny Desk performance. However, the moment you first see Ca7riel & Paco Amaroso, you know you’re in for something… something new, something special.

**When the beat drops, and they start singing, it’s a full-on party for the next 20 minutes. *The band is incredible, from their musicality to their connection to their outfits featuring oversized faces on t-shirts and goofy glasses. The entire set is insanely catchy and impressive, but one standout moment is when Ca7riel takes a jazzy, playful guitar solo at the 9:20 mark of the video. It’s unreal.*

What an absolute vibe. Screenshot from their perfomance.

The two singers, musicians, and artists are childhood friends, and their bond, going back to 6 years old, is as strong as ever on the Tiny Desk stage. They support and balance each other beautifully.

The Parcels

Who’s the band leader? ALL OF THEM! Screenshot from their incredible session.

This one might surprise some folks. Some of you reading this might even be thinking, “Who are the Parcels?” And I might have added them with a little bias, because they’ve become one of my favorite bands in the past 5 years.

**Their music is so joyful and melodic, and they share the stage in the most beautiful way. *It’s the only band I can think of where you can’t tell who the frontman is… It’s almost as though none of them wants to be seen as the leader.*

They all sing, and they're all incredible musicians. After spending nearly two years there, I did fall in love with Australian folk music, and these guys blend that sunshine through the front window, ocean breeze in your hair feeling with pop melodies and a jam band soul. They’re one of a kind, and they don’t disappoint in their recent Tiny Desk show.

If you don’t know them, thank me later for introducing you to your new favorite band.

Harry Styles:

Photo by Floh Keitgen on Unsplash

This Tiny Desk starts so incredibly strong. Out of all of the performances on this list, Harry has a specific backup musician and artist who deserves a shoutout. The female singer and guitar player that ads high vocal harmonies throughout the show is why this makes the top 10. Without her, it’s just not the same—she’s the special sauce. Based on the liner notes, she goes by Ny Oh (guitar, vocals).

This performance was so good that it made me a Harry Styles fan. I watch most Tiny Desk sessions that come out, whether I know the artist or not. I knew Harry Styles was in One Direction, and I’m not pretentious about music, but I still didn’t think I would necessarily enjoy his solo stuff.

However, about 10 seconds into this video, I was already a fan. The session is full of beautiful, soulful tunes that fall into a category between folk and pop, and Harry has an undeniably great voice. The slide guitar is such a nice touch, too.

Juvenile and Mannie Fresh

You never get this angle of a Tiny Desk. These legends really threw down.

At this point in the list, you can probably tell I’m a massive hip hop fan. This performance brought me back to my freshman year of high school. I used to have a goldfish that lived in a coffee pot, named“Many Fish.”

The entire set is fun, from Bling Bling to Slow Motion to inviting up the legend Jon Batiste, and then an entire string section to join them for the final song—Back That Azz Up.

Mannie Fresh is that dude.

Juvenile tells the whole crowd to stretch before the strings start up and the beat drops. The song is so damn fun that after they do it once, they do an encore of the exact same banger, but sing it on the other side of the desk, shoulder to shoulder with the NPR staff. I’ve never seen a better or more fun ending to a Tiny Desk session.

Honorable Mentions:

Photo by Spencer Scott Pugh on Unsplash

Favorite OLD Tiny Desk Concert: The Avett Brothers

Filmed back in 2010, this is an incredible performance by 4 super-talented string players. There’s a banjo, stand-up bass, cello, and guitar, all locked in together while the brothers sing gorgeous harmonies. The production value back then wasn’t what it is today, but boy oh boy, can these fellas play. *Just a pickin’ and a grinnin'. Top comment: 16 years later, still the most beautiful tiny desk concert ever recorded.*

Female Pop Icon Alert: Dua Lipa

Dua Lipa is simultaneously an intimidating force of a woman, while also being a warm and personable celebrity. She’s an anomaly, she’s a talent, and she deserves the hype.

Male Pop Icons Alert: Usher & Justin Timberlake

Usher came into Tiny Desk and gave the people what they wanted, starting with You Make Me Wanna and ending with My Way.

Justin Timberlake's Tiny Desk is full of laughs and throwback tracks like Senorita, Sexyback, Rock Your Body, and What Goes Around. His voice is still dialed in.

Storytelling Shoutout: John Fogerty

John puts on an amazing concert with his two sons at his side, while pushing 80. My favorite thing about this recording isn’t necessarily their versions of these iconic CCR staples; it’s learning more about the story behind each iconic song. Learning about the exact day Proud Mary was written is pretty special.

**Best Tiny Desk (Home) Concert During the Pandemic: Trueno**

He absolutely smashed his home concert, which I watched at least a dozen times in 2022. Filmed in one continuous shot in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. The rhythm section really stands out, and the overall vibe is just so… como se dice, LIT.

**Stand out female vocalist (and best opening song): Lianne La Havas**

This 2016 Tiny Desk still stands out. The opening song is just incredible. It’s impossible not to fall in love in the first 10 seconds. As a top comment on the video says, “Her voice sounds like a smile after an unexpected compliment.” If that doesn’t quite make sense, you need to watch her set.

**Standout male vocalist: Daniel Caesar**

Daniel has the kind of voice you can’t teach. He naturally pulls you into his grasp, and now and then, you need to remember to breathe while listening to him.

El Tiny Latin Heritage Month Male Standout: Rawayana

I became a genuine fan of this rapper and songwriter from Venezuela after seeing his Tiny Desk. I’m even in his Instagram community chat, jaja. The infectious tropical vibes are very sand under your feet, and his band and featured musician friends all hold the space like a house party you want to be invited to.

El Tiny Latin Heritage Month Female Standout: Silvana Estrada

Silvana has a powerful yet understated voice, like it’s floating on a cloud—but a rain cloud. She’s from Vera Cruz and practices the traditional folk style of son jarocho, which might just bring you to tears.

Best Broadway Cast Performance: Jagged Little Pill

I’m definitely biased about this recco. I love Alanis Morrisette, and watching these professional Broadway singers belt her classics is an absolute joy. Check out the Lion King cast and some of the other Broadway cast performances that have been invited to Tiny Desk if you love musicals.

**Best NPR Contest Winner performance: Tank and the Bangas**

I was lucky enough to see Tank and the Bangas live in New Orleans nearly a decade ago. They’re art school kids who were chasing a dream until they won the annual Tiny Desk competition, and overnight, their dream was realized. Now they’re on the festival circuit and in high demand for the high-energy performances and mesmerizing, intricate, layered vocals.

Note: The Philharmonik, another competition winner from 2024, also deserves a shoutout, especially for their hilarious and catchy song Drugs.

Check out Travis’ newest book project, Torta Cumple Un Ańo: A Dog’s Curly Tail for Beginner and Intermediate Spanish Learners.

Check out Travis’ Substack, Sobre Puerto Escondido, centered around his life in Mexico, here!

Check it out!