American Experience

Now Hear This is a primetime PBS miniseries now filming its 5th season that brings the greatest music ever written to millions of viewers, with modern storytelling that captivates. Now Hear This opens the world of classical music to new audiences, while giving existing fans new ways to love their music. Now Hear This is presented by Great Performances, celebrating its 50th season on PBS, and this year begins international distribution.

Dig deep into the origin story of Black gospel music, coming out of slavery, blending with the blues tradition, and soaring to new heights during the Great Migration. From Mahalia to Kirk Franklin, in the last century, gospel music has become the dominant form of African American religious expression and provided a soundtrack of healing and uplift to those at the front lines of protest and change.

A look at how Eastern faiths approach the fundamental concerns of existence and sensibility.

The culturally varied tales and customs that exist in rural and small-town America are highlighted.

Weaving history, science, and surprising narrative to broaden our knowledge of the influence of people's decisions.

A documentary series revealing a little-known truth: that public health saved your life today and you probably don't even know it. But while public health makes modern life possible, the work itself is often underfunded, undervalued, and misunderstood.