The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder called her our state’s “First Lady of Song.” The Star Tribune called her a “pre-eminent” vocalist in the local jazz scene. She called herself “ridiculously picky” when it comes to material, but, she told Local Current blogger Simone Cazares in 2018, “I know a tune when I hear one.” So did the…

The Friday Five inbox (submit by shooting a message to fridayfive [at] mpr.org) fills up with an eclectic mix of music videos each week. Sometimes longstanding local favorites, sometimes brand new DIY projects, and this week, a particularly mysterious artist performing under the moniker 85918 who shared an energetic, psychedelic experience for his latest single…

As The Current’s local music team, we used to find a lot of new music out at late-night shows, but this year, we’ve mostly been exploring releases through Bandcamp and SoundCloud (and our inboxes). Is it ideal? No, but it’s still rewarding. This year, Minnesota music has made us cry, dance, and cheer. Below, we’ve…

For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what artists would you like to hear that we lost in 2020?

Radiohead's 'Kid A,' regarded by many as one of the greatest albums of the 2000s, turns 20 this year. In a new book, Steven Hyden writes about how the album speaks to its tumultuous times.

When Gene Simmons describes the heyday of West Hollywood's Rainbow Bar & Grill as 'a bacchanalia,' that's saying something. Mary Lucia talks about a documentary, 'The Rainbow,' that explores the history of the music scene along Hollywood's Sunset Strip.

There are just so many National Treasures in this country that we're going for a Day 3! Who would you like to hear for this morning's Coffee Break?

In honor of Dolly Parton, we dedicated yesterday's Coffee Break to artists widely considered to be "National Treasures". And guess what? We didn't have enough time! So we're going for round two today.

“I got tired of signing ‘Save Our Stages’ petitions and decided to do something,” said Mary Beth Mueller. “Many of us simply cannot imagine this city or the national music landscape without First Avenue. We started emailing bands, and every single one of them responded, ‘yes.’” The statement by Mueller – founder of Kill Kancer…

It’s no secret that 2020 has been a rough year, and one that’s been particularly hard on the music industry. But while we get ready to bid 2020 adieu, there are still plenty of opportunities to support local music. We’ve put together a list of ten holiday gifts for music lovers that give back to…