The Current Celebrates 20 Years

• Next Friday, Jan. 24, Minnesota Public Radio Triple A KCMP (The Current)/Minneapolis-St. Paul will celebrate 20 years on-air, online, and in the community. Since playing its first song (Atmosphere’s “Say Shh”), the station has won over a loyal local audience, becoming an industry leader within the Triple A format nationwide, helped launch the careers of well-known artists, and grown into a far-reaching community, with members and online listeners from around the world.

Part of The Current’s mission in its two-decade history has been to champion emerging artists, support arts and cultural organizations, and give a platform to important voices that shape the community. As an all-music, noncommercial, member-supported station, The Current plays new and established artists alike — from local to legendary, indie to influential. The station has become a launchpad for the careers of many local artists, including Lizzo, Cloud Cult, Trampled by Turtles, Dessa, and Hippo Campus, and has been an early amplifier of well-known artists like Mumford and Sons, Adele, Wet Leg, Kendrick Lamar, and Bon Iver.

To celebrate the milestone anniversary, the station will present two nights of music at the legendary First Avenue club — Friday, Jan. 24 will feature Frank Black of The Pixies, along with Twin Cities’ own she’s green, and The Current’s Jake Rudh (host of Transmission). Saturday, Jan. 25, stars Chicago pop-punk band Beach Bunny, Twin Cities’ indie rock group Bad Bad Hats and hip-hop duo MAKR AN ERIS.

Other special programming includes a 20th anniversary music stream showcasing music from the past 20 years of The Current, and “The Current’s Live Sessions Vault,” a video stream on The Current’s YouTube channel featuring never-before-seen footage from the hundreds of musicians who have recorded at The Current. The station will also feature 20th anniversary-themed content throughout the year, including March Music Madness Albums of 2005, and the 893 Essential Songs of The Current in May. This year The Current will also release a new mobile app and expand events like The Current’s Happy Hour series.

“This anniversary is a milestone for The Current and all the fans and artists who built the community we know today as the Minnesota music scene,” said David Safar, Managing Director of The Current. “It’s a time to celebrate the artists who shaped the sound of our region and the music fans whose dedication to supporting the music makes this a destination for artists from around the world.”