Coffee Break: Radio radio August 20, 2019 August 20 is National Radio Day. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that mention the radio or radio-y things? Read More ›
Contact us with general questions and comments about programming August 16, 2019 You can reach MPR Member & Audience Services: 800-228-7123 (Weekdays 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT) or click through to use our online form. Read More ›
Today in Music History: Remembering Eddie Willis of The Funk Brothers August 20, 2019 Bob Dylan released 'Slow Train Coming'; The Emotions topped the chart with 'Best of My Love'; Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen returned to the stage after a serious car accident; Steve Winwood rolled with a chart-topping album; and Eddie Willis passed away in 2018, Today in Music History. Read More ›
Music on TV this week: Lizzo; Vampire Weekend; Paul Simon; Bishop Briggs August 19, 2019 Artists heard on The Current are frequently featured on TV programs, and we've gathered the listings in one convenient place for you. See the complete listings and find performance videos as the week progresses. You can also subscribe to receive the week's schedule in your inbox to plan your TV viewing around music. Read More ›
Photos and review: ‘Would you like to hear a little rockabilly?’ Stray Cats evoke nostalgia on 40th anniversary tour August 19, 2019 Watching “Rock This Town” on MTV as a child in the ’80s felt unbelievably cool, but nothing prepared me for the ultimate experience of seeing the iconic song performed live — almost 40 years later. While my personal dance moves have progressed from a simple jump-in-place, to a more Elaine Benes dance kick-move, the Stray… Read More ›
Album of the Week: Bon Iver, 'i,i' August 19, 2019 Bon Iver has embraced the idea of passing the mic, and using his gigantic platform to lift up the voices of the marginalized on 'i,i'. Read More ›
Amanda Shires performs in The Current studio August 18, 2019 The constantly busy singer-songwriter, violinist and ukulele player Amanda Shires visited The Current studio to play songs from her acclaimed album 'To The Sunset' and to talk about how she and her friends are working to change that Nashville sound. Read More ›
Tuxedo perform a cool, funky set in The Current studio August 14, 2019 'I think people know if they're coming to a Tuxedo show, they're coming to dance,' says Mayer Hawthorne of Tuxedo. The same could be said of their session in The Current studio. Read More ›
The Current Rewind: 25 Years of Low August 07, 2019 Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, married founding members of Low, have been experimenting with rock music since the early '90s. In this episode, we join them for an interview and a walking tour of Duluth, Minn.; we explore their quarter-century of a musical career; and we meet their "road nanny" (along with several other Duluthian characters). All with a dose of dry, dark humor. Read More ›
Inside Minneapolis's Palmer's Bar, where Bonnie Raitt was once a regular July 24, 2019 During the West Bank's beatnik era, Palmer's was a watering hole where musicians like Bonnie Raitt, "Spider" John Koerner, and Willie Murphy would cross paths, and the bar remains an integral part of the neighborhood's music scene today. Since opening its doors in 1906, Palmer's has survived Prohibition, bootlegging, and two World Wars, and become an integral part of the West Bank's music scene. Read More ›
The Current Rewind: Bonnie Raitt's Lake Minnetonka Beginning July 24, 2019 Bonnie Raitt is best known for her hits "Something to Talk About" and "I Can't Make You Love Me." But back in 1971, she was a 21-year-old kid with a friendly streak, guitar chops, and her first record deal. That summer, she recorded her debut album on Lake Minnetonka with a motley crew of Minneapolis musicians, making music and commotion in a wild recording experience that she calls "not Animal House, but [...] just a blast." Read More ›
Download The Current app January 29, 2018 Download The Current's app to hear a crisp, high-fidelity stream of our station (and our additional streams) wherever you go! Read More ›
Listen to The Current via Smart Speakers July 23, 2018 Listen to The Current on Google Home and Amazon's Echo devices, and get enhanced functionality -- song names, requests, song of the day -- with our Alexa Skill. Read More ›
Coffee Break Suggestions and Archive November 08, 2016 Got an idea for a Coffee Break? Want to see what we did a while back? Read More ›