This Friday is the birthday of Robyn Hitchcock, an influential musician who was a member of the Soft Boys in the 1970s and who continues a vibrant career as a solo artist. Hitchcock is based in Nashville nowadays, but he was born in England and got his start in music after joining a band while he was attending art school in London.

It turns out Hitchcock is among legions of musicians who at one time in their lives attended art school at four-year universities or at smaller institutions dedicated to the arts. Whether they graduated or not, many musicians spent time studying the visual arts — photography, graphic design, filmmaking, painting, sculpture, illustration. Many musicians, like Florence Welch or Joe Strummer, attended art school and got into their music careers later. Meanwhile, there are several bands we know and love who formed when the members met while students at art school; for example, Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy met one another while attending Adelphi University, where Chuck D studied graphic design.

So let’s dig into the art-school back stories of artists and bands. For today’s Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear by musicians who attended art school?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played:
Florence + the Machine - Kiss With A Fist
OK Go - Here It Goes Again
Talking Heads - This Must Be The Place
M.I.A. - Sunshowers
Public Enemy - Fight The Power
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Spitting Off the Edge of the World feat. Perfume Genius
Roxy Music - Love Is The Drug
Sade - Smooth Operator (bonus)