David Bowie has confirmed that his 27th studio album will be released on his 69th birthday: Jan. 8, 2016. Blackstar will contain only seven tracks: “long, jazzy jams mixed with the kind of driving beat pioneered by Seventies German bands Can and Kraftwerk,” according to a “Bowie insider” contacted by the Times of London. The album’s first…

A New Yorker now for 15 years, Craig Finn's recent solo album, 'Faith in the Future', contains only one Twin Cities reference, but it allows him to put more of himself in the music. 'My day-to-day life is not as exciting as a Hold Steady song,' Finn says. '[The solo record] allows me to be more vulnerable.' Visiting The Current, Finn plays a solo acoustic session hosted by Bill DeVille.

Last March, Prince helped release Judith Hill’s debut album, Back in Time, for free. Like many online phenomena, though, the download link was temporary; after a couple of days on the web, the album disappeared. The good news for those who missed it: Prince’s label, NPG Records, re-dropped Back in Time last Friday (this time…

Spoiler alert? Watch Motion City Soundtrack pay tribute to their favorite character from TV's 'The Walking Dead.'

Prince remains firmly committed to supporting the career of Judith Hill, a singer he discovered when she told a European magazine she wanted to work with him. Hill’s dream came true: earlier this year, an album produced by Prince and recorded at Paisley Park was released in an unusual cascade that started with a free…

Motion City Soundtrack's Josh Cain and Justin Pierre join The Current's Jade in the studio for a special edition of Tonal Recall. Josh and Justin take over the program, spinning their favorite '90s jams.

The Current's music director, David Safar, attended Blur's show in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Oct. 20. "Blur's performance at The Hollywood Bowl was true to the band's beginnings,' Safar writes. '[Frontman Damon Albarn] commanded control of the band and the audience.' Read David's full report of this monumental show.

As the autumn leaves are passing their peak in Minnesota, it's the last weekend to check out the season's color. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear that mention the palette of fall color: reds, yellows, oranges? Send us your requests.

MPR News Arts Reporter and Cube Critic Euan Kerr stops by The Current's Morning Show to talk about a film that looks at the story behind a now-famous (or perhaps infamous) 1961 study at Yale University, conducted by Stanley Milgram. Written and directed by Michael Almereyda, 'Experimenter' stars Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder and Jim Gaffigan.

Dion cautioned everyone to keep away from 'Runaround Sue'; Stevie Wonder, age 12, recorded his first single for Motown; Nirvana played their first European show; Def Leppard played three continents in 24 hours; and Bob Dylan recorded 'The Times They Are A-Changin', Today in Music History.