Boldly going where few gay men of color have been allowed to go before, Lil Nas X won the year by joyfully violating cultural taboos and exploiting media far more than it was able to exploit him.

On Dec. 30, Patti Smith turns 75 years old. In honor of this landmark birthday, we’ve compiled a playlist of 75 songs by the legendary artist - as well as by her influences, peers, and protégés.

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what are the best covers of 2021?

The Suburbs, whose planned New Year’s Eve show has just been rescheduled to February, include one of the Twin Cities’ best-loved, if not best-known, vocalists.

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what are the best local songs of 2021?

Since it’s Christmas Eve, we’re turning back the calendar to enjoy holiday classics from the Jets, Ondara, Gaelynn Lea, Sweetwater Revival, and Robert Robinson.

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear for Festivus?

Robert K. Elder’s new book tells you everything you ever could possibly have wanted to know about Elvis Presley’s Christmas recordings, holiday traditions, and even the cards that ritually went out signed ‘Elvis and the Colonel.’

In this film that imagines a Christmas with the Royal Family in the 1980s, Kristen Stewart delivers a fascinating portrait of Princess Diana while Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood provides a haunting soundtrack.

Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Stevie Nicks and Shakira all recently sold off all or part of their back catalogs. Why forgo future royalties and creative control over their songs?