FUV Essentials

[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

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.

[May 2018 update: The FUV Boat, the station's dance party cruise, sets sails on June 1 with a night of non-stop d

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.

Middle Kids drummer Harry Day cites Damon Albarn as one of his "favorite musicans in life" and chose his "Five Essential Damon Albarn Songs."

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).

Matthew Sweet released his latest album, Tomorrow's Daughter, on May 18, 2018 — and he still loves the Beach Boys.

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."

With Ani DiFranco is playing a sold-out show at Brooklyn's Music Hall of Williamsburg on May 10, 2018,  it's a good time to revisit Ben Jaffe of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's reflection on his good friend and collaborator.

On what would have been Sharon Jones's 62nd birthday on Friday, May 4, 2018, FUV is celebrating one of our most beloved artists — and friends — by spinning nothing but the music of incomparable women, like Jones, all day.