The Current

Great Music Lives Here ®
Listener-Supported Music
Donate Now

The Chart Show: Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile rule over everything, but create a dilemma!

Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett portrait at The Current
Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett portrait at The CurrentNate Ryan | MPR

by Mark Wheat

November 30, 2017

Courtney Barnett has created a dilemma for us at Team Chart Show! Should her induction with Kurt Vile be added to the seven she already has as a solo artist? It's the first time this issue has been raised. Would it be fair, if Dan Auerbach got inducted now, to add it to his totals with Black Keys or if Dead Man Winter did after Trampled By Turtles have gained six? Jack White spared us this problem by disbanding The White Stripes before our chart was created! We will ponder this sticky situation and report back next week with a definitive answer. Meanwhile Courtney seems to be planning to split from Kurt in the new year as she has been named as a solo artist appearing at a massive new festival in London.

Robert Plant thoughtfully refuses to get back with Led Zeppelin so the same problem will not occur with him. Although he might do another collaboration, like the very successful one he did with Alison Krause ...then what?! We'll come to that when and if it happens, meanwhile he can bask in his first ever induction. He also was mentioned in Rolling Stone's end of year list, which has immediately become controversial for putting U2 at #3 before the album is out!

Hippo Campus have been inducted as well, for the seventh time. They celebrated the holiday with a sold out benefit show at The Fine Line and they've already sold out The Palace next year. They head to the West Coast, via Bozeman, Montana in January, which might mean that they can't be involved in the big Super Bowl plans?

Nearly five years since their well received debut MGMT are returning, slowly. New at #19 is the first single from a promised 2018 album, but tour dates are confined to two European festivals in the summer so far. Check out the suitably dark video.

And Spoon return at #20. Britt and Alex of the band will be doing the latest in our series of Micro Shows, Dec 11th at The Turf. Listen all week for your chance to win your way in, or register on-line and cross your fingers, this one should be very special.

Grizzly Bear tumble eight places, but they might get a bump by putting on a good show this weekend at The Palace. If you can't make it to the show tune in on Friday night at 7pm for an exclusive in-studio performance.

LCD Soundsystem, stuck at three for the third week in a row, will definitely get on my end of year list. We'll be asking for your Top 89 suggestions next week! They were also mentioned at #5 in Rolling Stone, but only #40 for Consequence of Sound.

Dessa is the highest new entry this week, topping off what has been a stellar year for her, collaborating with the creator of Hamilton and everything?! She just went blond for a short East Coast tour and will be hanging with the skiers up at Lutsen on Janurary 27, 2018.

Submit your Chart Show ballot this week for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Semisonic at the Turf Club!