It wasn’t the wrenching version “Nothing Compares 2 U.” It wasn’t the gleeful sing-along to “Raspberry Beret,” or the Joni Mitchell cover, or the sheer thrill of hearing “Black Sweat” sung over swirling piano. No, the most surprising part of Prince’s “Piano and a Microphone” performance at Paisley Park wasn’t even a song at all — it was…

Two days before he takes the stage at First Avenue as part of The Current's 11th Birthday Party celebrations, Tommy Stinson talks to host Mary Lucia about his new projects and shares some thoughts on his previous work with the Replacements and with Guns n' Roses. 'Life's good right now,' Tommy says.

Our correspondent Jim Brunzell III is in Utah to see the hottest music movies at the Sundance Film Festival. From a Michael Jackson documentary to a fictional story inspired by Miles Davis, here are the movies everyone's going to be talking about.

Rick Shefchik tells 'the true story of 1960s rock 'n' roll in Minnesota' in his new history 'Everybody's Heard About the Bird.'

Even as surprise album announcements go, this one is a doozy: Iggy Pop and Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Eagles of Death Metal) “wrote and recorded together with utmost secrecy and full independence,” reports the New York Times. Post Pop Depression will be released in March. Tune in Friday afternoon at 3:30 to hear Mary Lucia’s interview with…

We're getting excited for tonight's showing of 'This Is Spinal Tap' with Little Man at Films at the Fitz. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, give us your suggestions for songs that turn it up to 11.

MPR News Arts Reporter Marianne Combs joins Jade and Sean McPherson to talk about three gallery events you can see in the local art world.

Chuck D -- a cofounder and core member of one of the most influential and long-lasting groups in music history, Public Enemy -- was recently in the Twin Cities to speak at Augsburg College as part of its Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Convocation. Beforehand, Chuck D sat down with The Current's Sean McPherson for a conversation about music, race and community.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience began recording their cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"; 'Saturday Night Fever' started a 24 week run at No. 1; Squeeze was the debut band on MTV's successful Unplugged program; and Soul singer Jackie Wilson died at age 49, Today in Music History.

Women are the majority on the chart for the first time; local acts playing The Current's 11th birthday parties hold on; CHVRCHES are the first inductees to the 2016 Hall of Fame; and David Bowie gets his second posthumous No.1.