The Current's Production Manager Derrick Stevens spends a lot of time making promos -- those messages you hear between songs and hosts. Derrick takes us behind the scenes to explain what a promo is and what elements help make a good promo. You can also listen to some of his favorites from the archive.

Suggest a song with "face" in the title or lyrics for today's 9:30 Coffee Break.

MPR's Movie Maven Stephanie Curtis joins Steve Seel and Jill Riley to talk about the Oscar nominees in the categories of Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Director, also noting some names that seem conspicuously absent from the list of nominations.

Happy Friday! While away the final hours of the workweek with a fresh match of Minnseota-made music videos, including a new one from rapper Dem Atlas, a family affair from Adam Levy, and a rock quartet decked out in plastic PVC suits. You know, the usual stuff. Dem Atlas Young rapper Dem Atlas turns inward…

Sid Vicious took a tumble, Paul McCartney went to jail, and Radiohead underestimated their fans Today in Music History.

Mash-up artist YepImTheToaster has mixed Taylor Swift’s anthem “22” with Semisonic’s “Closing Time” in a combined song and video that’s so convincing, it even won praise from Semisonic bassist (and Wits bandleader, and occasional Morning Show co-host) John Munson, who shared the video on his Facebook timeline and said he’s still proud of “Closing Time” 17 years after…

Nominations have been announced for the 2015 Brit Awards, commonly called the British Grammys. Contending for the British Group award are Alt-J, Royal Blood, Coldplay, One Direction, and Clean Bandit; Alt-J and Royal Blood are also nominated for British Album of the Year, along with Sam Smith, George Ezra, and Ed Sheeran. The awards will be presented at the O2 Arena in London…

We're putting together a playlist of ten themed songs to celebrate The Current's 10th Anniversary. What should we play?

The Who had their first hit, Harry Nilsson passed away, and Ed Sullivan controls The Rolling Stones Today in Music History.

Returning to the Twin Cities for the first time in nearly three decades, music legend Stevie Wonder will play Target Center on March 29. Wonder will play his classic 1976 album Songs in the Key of Life in its entirety, as he’s been doing on tour this year. As the Star Tribune points out, Wonder hasn’t played…