In the weeks since Tom Petty's sudden death, dozens of musicians have honored the rocker by covering his songs. The breadth and depth of these tributes is awe-inspiring: Sure, artists have gravitated toward the hits -- "American Girl," "Don’t Come Around Here No More," "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and …
San Francisco experimental indie band Deerhoof have contributed a cover of Madonna's "Live to Tell" to a new benefit compilation called Post - Trash: Volume Three. The proceeds of the compilation are benefitting the Maria Fund, which is a relief agency to help those affected by the hurricane in Pue…
Bust out those seersuckers one last time and enjoy a mix of local, national and international artists as Midday Show host Cheryl Waters presents KEXP's annual preview of Bumbershoot, Seattle's longest running music and arts festival, this year featuring expansive roots twists from Valerie June, so…
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DJ Toya B is the alias of Seattle-via-Tacoma DJ Toya Harris, a longtime lover of cutting-edge club music and fashion that's recently propelled onto the local scene as a party-starting DJ making dancefloors bounce and vibe to seductive mixes of hip-hop, R&B, pop, and progressive club selections.…
How often do you drive your car to a show? When we're always on the go, it can be easy to settle for convenience without considering the consequences — like the fact that each gallon of gasoline used puts 20 pounts of CO2 in the air. It's a harsh reality that's easy to displace from your mind but t…
Over the weekend we got the unfortunate news that Greg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band died at 69. A number of artists have been paying their respects via covers of Allman Brothers Band tracks and Scottish band the Afghan Whigs did just that on Sunday night at a show in Dublin, with the track "M…
Earlier this week, UK trio alt-J released the single "3WW" as a video game; today, we get an actual video. Directed by Young Replicant (aka L.A.-based artist Alex Takacs), the band describe it as "a beautifully shot story of love and loss in Mexico." The new album Relaxer is out June 2nd via Canva…
Love & Hate, the sophomore release from soulful UK artist Michael Kiwanuka was a fave for many KEXP DJs last year. (It was even a nominee for the prestigious Mercury Award in 2016.) Kiwanuka revisits the release with a video for the track "Cold Little Heart" -- watch below. The video was direc…
For 16 years, the Sound Off! competition has supported all ages music by giving a platform to young, local artists. All competitors are under 21, reside within the Pacific Northwest, and almost always give us a few show-stopping moments. We've seen Sound Off! kick off the careers of Northwest favor…
There was a palpable moment of anticipation in the crowd right before Mitski Miyawaki hit the most pivotal D chord in the evening, the one that kickstarts the massive chorus of "Your Best American Girl", song-of-the-year candidate and the track pushed the Brooklyn musician's buzz from slight rumbli…
Every year, EMP's Sound Off! competition showcases emerging stars in the all-ages music scene. Previous winners have included The Lonely Forest, Dyme Def, Sol, Kithkin, Brothers from Another, Manatee Commune, Fauna Shade, Schoolyard Heroes, Tomten, and Brite Futures, just to name a few. COSMOS took…
It's hard to pick just a few highlights this week, as there's tons of great new albums in shops now. Seattle-based project Hibou (led by Peter Michel) releases their debut self-titled full-length on beloved local label Barsuk Records. KEXP Music Director Don Yates calls the long-awaited album, "an …
It’s time to blast off to 1992... in 2015! Cairo’s EXPO 92 mini-festival takes place this Thursday through Saturday at the Capitol Hill all-ages venue and vintage store, showcasing exciting and vital local talent. Now in its seventh year, EXPO’s three day lineup is as much an opportunity to let you…
Our second act of the day here at Kex Hostel was Sóley, one of our favorites in Iceland. Maybe you caught her unique live loops and beautiful singing at our Reykjavik Calling show at Neumo's back in October. Or perhaps you've watched one of the many times we've recorded sessions with her, either at…
For creators and fans alike, music has always provided catharsis, relief and healing. But Few artists tap so directly into that power as Tim Showalter, whose project Strand of Oaks goes so far as to name its most recent album Heal. Like pages from a diary, the Philly-based songwriter's lyrics delve…
As major labels continue to exist behind the times, artists and labels with little capital and lesser reputations are producing some of the most innovative, interesting, and inspiring music. Whether it’s creating a new niche in digital technology or looking to once obsolete formats, Agitated Atmosp…
Join us for Hood-to-Hood Day 2014. Today, KEXP invades Ballard to celebrate the ninth-annual Hood-to-Hood Day! From noon to 5:00 PM, we'll be broadcasting live from Hillard's Beer Taproom, featuring three bands for free, all-ages performances among the many fermentation tanks in the brewery. Today'…
Despite her delicate stature and soft-spoken voice, Malian musician Rokia Traoré is one strong artist. Since 2012, her West African home has been besieged by a military coup d'état in the capital city of Bamako. The political power struggle has created a tension that fueled her fifth and most power…
