Today's top music news stories include a new venue planned for downtown Minneapolis, an amphitheater project moving forward, and criticism directed at the owner of Coachella.

Transmission's roots are in the worlds of punk, post-punk, new wave, synth, power and dream pop, shoegaze, psych, mod, space and Krautrock. As the New Year gets underway, DJ Jake Rudh has compilied a list of songs released in 2016 that fit that signature Transmission mold.

The Current is not only giving away passes to Bash & Pop's private party at the 7th St. Entry, but also the chance to take a cooking class with the one and only Tommy Stinson!

Hear the spirited young singer-songwriter take on religion, poverty and politics, armed with just a guitar and some unrelenting hooks in this session from NPR Music.

The band's latest album finds frontman James Mercer reflecting on growing older and parenthood. 'Heartworms' is due out March 10 on Aural Apothecary/Columbia Records.

It's National Bird Day - a day to reflect on the beauty, songs, and flight of birds, and remember that 12 percent of the world's 9,800 bird species may face extinction within the next century. So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs that mention birds do you want to hear?

Props to Ross Raihala at the Pioneer Press for spotting this news item: bassist David Ellefson, a founding member of Megadeth, is going to start selling coffee and exhibiting his memorabilia in his home town of Jackson, Minnesota. The town of 3,299 is two-and-a-half hours southwest of the Twin Cities. The “Museum of Deth” will…

Today in Music History: Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits went Gold, The Wiz opened at the Majestic Theater on Broadway, Madonna went No. 1 with "Justify My Love", and The Sex Pistols made their U.S. debut.

2017 marks the 25th (!) anniversary of Cameron Crowe’s Singles, the movie that was to grunge what Saturday Night Fever was to disco. Details are emerging about a reissue of the film’s classic soundtrack — and it looks like it will include four previously unreleased tracks by Paul Westerberg. Update 1/27: Details for this release have been confirmed. See below. Westerberg…

Dead Man Winter, Milky Chance, Angel Olsen, Ty Segall and Neil Young make debuts; Lizzo is inducted to the Hall of Fame; and Bon Iver is the first No.1 of 2017.