This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we play a bunch of Detroit Stories for the Fourth of July! No city has contributed more stories that have become America’s stories than the Motor City!

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for July 4, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Fingertips” – Little Stevie Wonder
• “Freeway Of Love” – Aretha Franklin
• “Ball Of Confusion” – The Temptations
• “Dancing In The Streets” – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
• “Urge For Going (Detroit Demo)” – Joni Mitchell
• “Hotel Yorba” – White Stripes
• “Good Life” – Inner City
• “One Nation Under A Groove” – Funkadelic
• “Money” – Barrett Strong
• “What I Like About You” – The Romantics
• “Detroit, Michigan” – Andre Williams
• “1969” – The Stooges
• “Lose Yourself” – Eminem

HOUR TWO:

• “Boogie Chillen” – John Lee Hooker
• “Sunday Morning” – Thornetta Davis
• “I Wish” – Stevie Wonder
• “Jenny Take A Ride” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
• “Detroit Sunrise” – Dwele
• “Makin’ Thunderbirds” – Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
• “Strings Of Life” – Derrick May
• “Motor City” – The Satintones
• “Inner City Blues” – Marvin Gaye
• “Anti-American Graffiti” – J Dilla
• “Be My Lover” – Alice Cooper
• “Eastern Market” – Yusef Lateef

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

When Sylvia Moy auditioned for Motown as a singer it opened a lane for her as a songwriter. But she would eventually discover that that lane would be littered with barriers.

Moy persevered, building a career at Motown as a songwriter and producer on some of the label’s biggest tracks. She also played a role in developing Stevie Wonder’s career as he began to notch multiple hit songs.

Moy, however, was not given credit for her efforts, and for many years, the scale of her impact remained unknown.

Dr. Margena Christian wrote about Moy’s career in her new book  “It’s No Wonder: The Life and Times of Motown’s Legendary Songwriter Sylvia Moy.” In it, she chronicles Moy’s early life, and her struggle to receive credit for her contributions to Motown and music history.

Hear the full conversation using the media player above.

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More stories from The Metro

Stand-in host Darren Revell blends classic soul and alternative rock. Today’s playlist features new music from The Strokes alongside artists Stevie Wonder, Jeff Buckley, Portishead, Jack White, David Bowie, Santigold, and Depeche Mode. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for June 16, 2026 

• “Gabriel (feat. Ryan Yard Act)” – Murkage Dave 

• “Only Love Can Break Your Heart” – Saint Etienne 

• “The Sky Is a Landfill” – Jeff Buckley 

• “No More Lies” – Thundercat & Tame Impala 

• “Rebirth of the Cool” – The Afghan Whigs 

• “Apex (Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas Remix – Edit)” – Jaga Jazzist 

• “L.E.S. Artistes” – Santigold 

• “Trap Door” – Death Cab for Cutie 

• “I Don’t Remember” – Peter Gabriel 

• “Pastime Paradise” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Is Your Love Strong Enough?” – Bryan Ferry 

• “Under Two Blue Stars” – Robin Guthrie 

• “G.O.D. And The Broken Ribs” – Jack White 

• “Monkey Gone to Heaven” – Pixies 

• “Chinatown” – Destroyer 

• “8th Deadly Sin” – Miki Berenyi Trio 

• “Going Shopping” – The Strokes 

• “Groovy Train” – The Farm 

• “Strange Love” – Darlene Love 

• “Skin” – Basement Revolver 

• “Star” – Iceage 

• “Karmapa Chenno (feat. Bembe Segue) [KJM Edit]” – Kyoto Jazz Massive 

• “Wandering Star” – Portishead 

• “Rebel Rebel” – David Bowie 

• “Enjoy the Silence” – Nouvelle Vague, Larry Love & Skye Edwards 

• “The Coward Forgets His Nightmare” – Chanel Beads 

• “Walking In My Shoes (Seven Inch Mix)” – Depeche Mode 

• “Joy” – Dry Cleaning 

• “My Life” – Oingo Boingo 

• “Marriage Is For Old Folks” – Nina Simone 

• “Victim of Love (Remix)” – Erasure 

• “Be Kinder” – Leona Naess 

• “Goodbye Lucille #1” – Prefab Sprout 

• “Kiss Me On the Bus” – The Replacements 

• “Não me convém” – Louis Matute & Dora Morelenbaum 

• “You Do Something to Me” – Sinéad O’Connor 

• “No Name No Slogan” – Acid Horse 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

This week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we feature songs about songs, singing about singing… basically, just music celebrating the joys and pains of making music! This is the second episode of these songs, and I suspect eps 3 and 4 will be coming soon

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for June 13, 2026

HOUR ONE:

• “Sir Duke” – Stevie Wonder
• “Old Songs Never Die” Rachael Baiman
• “I’m With The Band” – Little Big Town
• “Hip Hop Is Dead” – Nas
• “Crappy Love Song” – Theo Katzman
• “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song” – Jim Croce
• “I’ve Got The Music In Me” – Kiki Dee
• “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson
• “Doo Wop (That Thing)” – Lauryn Hill
• “Rock And Roll” – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels
• “Max’s Kansas City, 1976” – Wayne County & The Backstreet Boys
• “Don’t Stop The Music” – Rihanna
• “Song For Sad Friends” – Feist

HOUR TWO:

• “Lovesong” – The Cure
• “Lovesong” – beabadoobee
• “Lovesong For No One” – John Mayer
• “Love Song” – Shemekia Copeland
• “Love Song 43” – Ryan Racine
• “Love Hate Song” – Alisa Amador
• “Put Your Records On” – Corinne Bailey Rae
• “Crazy About A Jukebox” – Taj Mahal
• “Life Is A Long Song” – Jethro Tull
• “Field Song” – Mon Rovia
• “Song For No One” – Shawn Mendes
• “A Great Idea For A Song” – Artichoke
• “The Entertainer” – Billy Joel
• “A Song For You” – Ray Charles

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

New music from Ruti, Mitchum Yacoub, and Detroit group Novablood before spinning into songs from Boards of Canada, Sault, Studio and Can. 

The mix also features selections from Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Yo La Tengo, Broken Social Scene, and Spiritualized. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for May 27, 2026 

• “I’LL BE YOUR FRIEND” – Ruti 

• “Sleeping Ute (Nicolas Jaar Remix)” – Grizzly Bear & Nicolas Jaar 

• “Otis (2024 Remaster)” – The Durutti Column 

• “Save It for Later (Live)” – Pete Townshend 

• “This Is How We Walk on the Moon” – José González 

• “Up All Night” – Sault 

• “Nel Villaggio (Nicola Conte & Nico Lahs Afro Club Mix)” – Piero Umiliani, Nicola Conte & Nico Lahs 

• “Vitamin C (2004 Remaster)” – Can 

• “Wish I Didn’t Miss You” – Angie Stone 

• “I Used To Live In A House” – Novablood 

• “Life’s A Beach! (Prins Thomas Mix)” – Studio 

• “Tell You (Today) [12″ Vocal]” – Loose Joints 

• “It’s My House (12″ Remix)” – Diana Ross 

• “Hurtin’ (feat. Divina)” – Mitchum Yacoub 

• “Dub Je Je” – Antibalas 

• “Pawa!” – Asha Puthli & Say She She 

• “I Say a Little Prayer” – Aretha Franklin 

• “Knocks Me Off My Feet” – Stevie Wonder 

• “French Navy” – Camera Obscura 

• “Heaven’s on Fire” – The Radio Dept. 

• “The Warning” – Hot Chip 

• “Ginkgo” – I Am Robot and Proud 

• “Olson” – Boards of Canada 

• “Roygbiv” – Boards of Canada 

• “You Can Have It All” – Yo La Tengo 

• “7/4 (Shoreline)” – Broken Social Scene 

• “Carry the Zero” – Built to Spill 

• “Stars” – Hum 

• “Spread Your Love” – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 

• “The Mainline Song” – Spiritualized  

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

To celebrate Stevie Wonder turning 76, we asked for your picks and you came through with some incredible selections. Stevie is a once-in-a-lifetime artist, and Detroit is always proud to celebrate another year of his existence and legacy. Today’s show is a full-on birthday party for one of the greatest to ever do it. Let’s honor a catalog that only gets richer with time and still never gets old. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for May 13, 2026 

• “Shy Dub” – Hollie Cook 

• “Girl I Love You” – Massive Attack 

• “Maria También” – Khruangbin 

• “Pretty Girls” – Honeyglaze 

• “Pipeline” – Bill Frisell, Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr & Kenny Wollesen 

• “Wave of Mutilation” – Pixies 

• “Train Song” – Benjamin Gibbard & Feist 

• “Sleeping Ute (Nicolas Jaar Remix)” – Grizzly Bear & Nicolas Jaar 

• “Paper Trails” – DARKSIDE 

• “Hard Time Killin’ Floor Blues” – Skip James 

• “You and Me” – Penny & The Quarters 

• “Black Coffee” – Sarah Vaughan 

• “10:03” – Doves 

• “Otis” – The Durutti Column 

• “Baby” – Donnie & Joe Emerson 

• “The Seize” – Jordan Rakei 

• “O Tempo (Foi O Meu Mestre)” – Fabiano do Nascimento & Vittor Santos e Orquestra 

• “Olhos de Sá” – Joutro Mundo 

• “I Only Have Eyes For You” – Sunny & The Sunliners 

• “Life Is” – Jessica Pratt 

• “One Stop” – Aldous Harding 

• “Train on the Island” – Aldous Harding 

• “Jesus Children of America” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Too High (Pimpin Willie Deep Soul Regroove)” – Stevie Wonder 

• “All I Do” – Stevie Wonder 

• “He’s Misstra Know-It-All” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Ribbon In The Sky” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Knocks Me Off My Feet (Olivia Dean Cover)” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Livin’ for the City” – The Dirtbombs 

• “Another Star” – Stevie Wonder 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

Warm weather outside today sets the tone for a playlist built on warm sounds from James Blake, Olivia Dean, Jessie Ware, and Sade, along with Latin classics from Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Thievery Corporation, plus a throwback from the Beastie Boys.

We also talk with Sky Jetta about her Detroit sound and the music that shapes her work, highlighting Stevie Wonder, DJ Assault, MotorKam, and DJ Holographic. She’ll be DJing at MOCAD’s reopening show on April 24. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 23, 2026 

• “I Want More” – Can 

• “Once In A Lifetime” – WITCH 

• “Never Be Another You” – Lee Fields & The Expressions 

• “Wednesday Morning Atonement” – Curtis Harding 

• “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand” – James Blake 

• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” – Olivia Dean & Colors 

• “Please Forgive My Heart” – Bobby Womack 

• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray 

• “It’s a Mirror” – Perfume Genius 

• “Bow (feat. Michael Kiwanuka)” – Sault 

• “Sabotage” – Beastie Boys 

• “Excursions” – A Tribe Called Quest 

• “Norfside (feat. Tierra Whack)” – Jill Scott 

• “Ain’t Got the Love (Of One Girl On My Mind)” – Ambassadors 

• “Vale a Pena” – Sessa 

• “Oye Cómo Va” – Tito Puente & Celia Cruz 

• “Yo Viviré (I Will Survive)” – Celia Cruz 

• “Begin Again (Joe Goddard Remix)” – Jessie Ware 

• “Maureen” – Sade 

• “On a Better Day I’m Dreaming (Tall Black Guy Remix)” – Colman Brothers 

• “Nautilus (Mawtilus)” – Nuyorican Soul 

• “Can’t Be Friends” – SKY JETTA 

• “Check Stub” – DJ Assault 

• “Sex Rain” – MotorKam 

• “Taurus” – DJ Holographic 

• “Para Sempre (feat. Elin Melgarejo)” – Thievery Corporation 

• “Paradise (feat. Thalma De Freitas)” – DJ Center & Sly5thAve 

• “I Love You Too Much” – Stevie Wonder 

• “Preben Goes to Acapulco” – Todd Terje 

• “Sáré Kon Kon” – Antibalas 

• “Sun Goddess” – Ramsey Lewis 

Listen to In The Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.