After a year spent driving around to parks and and playing pop-up shows to promote his unapologetically joyful album of lo-fi solo material, 11 Obscenely Optimistic Songs For Ukulele, jeremy messersmith has finally unveiled his next studio recording, Late Stage Capitalism. Recording sessions for the album began roughly two years ago and were finished in the…

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith turns 70 today. In honor of his iconic high screams and raspy voice, what "screamers" do you want to hear for today's 9:30 Coffee Break?

Friday night at the Xcel Energy Center, Lorde was selling a lot of great merch. A black T-shirt bore her stage name, scrawled in slim-lined cursive; an Italian-style film poster advertised “Perfect Places” on the back. A bright pink tee announced “Writer In The Dark” in an Art Nouveau font. A white long-sleeved shirt, decorated…

It's Friday! As you're putting together your weekend plans, we want to create a set of music based on your suggestions for songs that go Uptown, and songs that go Downtown. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that mention Uptown or Downtown?

It’s Saturday night and The Black Dog Café is full of people, most of them are crowded around small tables to the left of the wide-open room. On stage is the Pat Moriarty and Ellen Lease Quartet. Unlike a lot of other venues — where people tend to talk over the music — it’s clear…

Charlie Parr, “Dog” Those who follow Charlie Parr know his album Dog echoes of depression, but also the bond between human and animals. Directed and edited by Dan Huiting, Parr’s story-driven video for the title track is set in Duluth, featuring cameos by several local dogs, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and Parr himself. Prof, “Criminal” Prof‘s…

While they explore new methods and sounds, these are still classic Decemberists songs - rich stories full of complex characters, and no shortage of emotion.

Over 150,000 people have already watched a guitar “shredding” duel broadcast live on Facebook this morning from A440 Studios in New Hope, Minnesota. It was a promotional stunt for tax preparation company H&R Block, which billed it as “the first ever guitar-powered document-shredding live event.” Famed metal axe-man Michael Angelo Batio held it down on…

Each year, the National Recording Registry (maintained by the Library of Congress) selects songs to be preserved that are significant to American history and culture. This year's additions are out, so sit back and relax as we play you a selection for today's 9:30 Coffee Break.

Our March Music Madness brackets are officially open for business and this year's them is "iconic voices". So print out your bracket, write in your predictions, share them on social media with the hashtag #VoiceMadness, and in the meantime let us know - what iconic voices do you want to hear for today's 9:30 Coffee Break?