Shaking up the chart this week were debuts from Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, The Decemberists, and Tune-Yards, while Janelle Monae held the top spot for another week.

Prince took us to Uptown. He took us to church. And yesterday, he took us to school, drawing several dozen fans and scholars to the University of Minnesota for the second day of their “Prince from Minneapolis” symposium. After a breakfast of starfish (cookies) and coffee, attendees watched a handful of panels, many of which featured…

Today's top music news stories include Kanye West writing a philosophy book on Twitter, new revelations about the Cher musical, and Marilyn Manson being formerly banned from Coachella.

'It's a truly unique venue,' says Barbara Jean of Dusty Heart, describing Oak Center General Store. 'The room itself feels like a cross between an old saloon and a barn loft -- everything from the ceiling to the creaking floor boards is wooden, with an old potbelly stove crackling and cranking out heat from the back of the room.' How much longer the venue will continue to operate is the big question.

The story of Prince on keyboards is also the story of how technology routed his music — and all pop music — in the ’80s. Manning a bank of synths in his trademark surgical scrubs, “Dr.” Matt Fink wasn’t Prince’s longest-running keyboardist (Morris Hayes played with the NPG for 20 years), but Fink’s dozen years,…

When you think about the Minneapolis Sound, synths and drum machines probably jump to mind before you think of bass. Possibly the best-known thing Prince ever did regarding bass guitar was to leave it out of one of his most iconic hits: “When Doves Cry.” As BrownMark explains, though, there was a reason that song…

Thanks to Loran who wrote in with today's theme idea. For today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what bands do you want to hear that have jewelry, gems, or precious metals in their name?

Owen Husney and Marylou Badeaux both had special places in Prince's history. Their new memoirs give poignant, informative, and amusing glimpses into the life of a legend.

Michael Jackson got surgery, John Lennon released a cover, 19-year-old Declan McManus played his first show, and Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock Hall, Today in Music History.

Though Prince’s use of drum machines—in particular, the LM-1, designed by Roger Linn—was a major part of his singular sound, he could also play serious grooves in a wide array behind a real-deal drum kit. Prince began drumming at age 12. “I learned on a big box of newspapers,” he told Modern Drummer in 2001.…