So many variables determine what makes an artist or band “essential” — longevity, impact, influence, history. On-air and online, we celebrate the musicians who have shaped our cultural soundtrack for the past fifty years. Let’s love these FUV Essential artists while they’re here, and honor those who have departed too soon.
WFUV will broadcast Aimee Mann's sett from the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, live from the Prospect Park Bandshell, on Thursday, June 21, beginning just after 9 p.m. EDT.
Aimee Mann at Manchester Academy (original photo by Andy Roo, courtesy of Creative Commons)
[June 2018 update: Good friends and the Both bandmates Ted Leo and Aimee Mann are playing a week
Ted Leo (photo by Matias Corral, PR)
[Update for June 7, 2018: On what would have been Prince's 60th birthday, the much-missed musician is being remembered via a panoply of events, ran
Prince (photo courtesy of Warner Brothers)
In early 2018, Brian Fallon and bandmates of The Gaslight Anthem reunited temporarily to mark the 10th anniversary of their second album, The '59 Sound, with a worldwide tour, playing the record in its entirety. As any fan of the band knows, there's a lyrical nod or two to Bruce Springsteen on that album — and Brian Fallon considers "The Boss" to be a major inspiration.
The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon in the foreground (photo by Danny Clinch, PR)
[May 2018 update: The FUV Boat, the station's dance party cruise, sets sails on June 1 with a night of non-stop d
Dancing (photo courtesy of Pixabay)
The songs of Manchester's The Smiths reflected both politics and personal despair — the resounding damage of Thatcherism on the working class, bullying, abandonment, romantic isolation and estrangement — and the quartet cast that pain against luminous, shimmering melodies. The boys with the thorns in their side will always be FUV Essentials.
The Smiths (an assortment of album and singles art)
Middle Kids drummer Harry Day cites Damon Albarn as one of his "favorite musicans in life" and chose his "Five Essential Damon Albarn Songs."
Middle Kids' Harry Day, Hannah Joy, and Tim Fitz (photo courtesy of Domino Records, PR)
Natalie Merchant's second solo album, Ophelia, turns 20 years old on Saturday, May 19. While Merchant isn't doing anything special to mark the occasion, FUV will celebrate that gorgeous album with selected tracks that day, at 8 a.m. and noon (streaming online).
Natalie Merchant and the cover of Ophelia.
Matthew Sweet released his latest album, Tomorrow's Daughter, on May 18, 2018 — and he still loves the Beach Boys.
Matthew Sweet (photo by Evan Carter, PR)
As a songwriter, Okkervil River's Will Sheff says that he's spent "countless hours" trying to figure out what makes Elton John’s songs work so well. Read Sheff's wonderful assessment of "Five Essential Elton John Songs."
Will Sheff of Okkervil River (photo by Shervin Lainez, PR)
