You couldn’t have gone to bed last night or woken up this morning without hearing the news of Michael Jackson’s surprising death yesterday. Jackson passed away from a heart attack at age 50. Stories flooded the internet and news channels of speculation of his death, its cause, its effects. If you haven’t read much about it yet, you might check out People magazine’s story of the mystery of Jackson’s death, Michael remembered by friends, a bio by E! Online on the King of Pop, and the original story posted by TMZ, who broke the news.

Although he hadn’t recorded an album since 2001’s Invincible, Jackson announced recently that he was considering making a return to new music, and he had already scheduled 50 sold-out concerts at London’s O2 arena, which would have seen over one million people over the next eight months — proof that despite the innumerable tabloid headlines over the last two decades, The King of Pop has earned his title by becoming and remaining one of the world’s most beloved singers and that his musical legacy will go on.

Further proof is here, in this short roundup of just some of the many videos and performances Michael Jackson has made during his long life of music:

• In 1966, at age eight, Michael Jackson joined The Jackson 5, formed with his brothers. This is their first appearance on The Sullivan Show in 1969:

• Here he is a bit older, age 13, singing “Ben” on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour:

• In fact, at age 13, Jackson released his first solo album, Got to Be There, which rose to number 14 on the U.S. pop charts. Here he performs “I Wanna Be Where You Are” from the album on American Bandstand:

• At the precipitous rise of his career, here’s Michael’s performance of “Billie Jean” at the 25th anniversary of Motown Records:

• After collaborating with Paul McCartney on Thriller, Jackson dueted with Paul on this 80’s classic, “Say Say Say”:

• Michael’s halftime performance at the Super Bowl XXVII in 1993 forever changed the spectacle that those shows have become, yet it’s hard to think of anyone who’s outdone him since:

• People sometimes forget that Jackson could be politically reactive to what was going on in the world. This video and song for “They Don’t Care About Us” stirred up a bit of controversy but also showed a different, angry and aware, side to the King of Pop:

• Of course, he was always happy to perform with other celebrities, as here with Brittney Spears singing “The Way You Make Me Feel” at the 2001 Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Celebration:

• There are so many reasons to remember Michael Jackson. Hopefully what people will remember most was that Michael could thrill audiences like no other:

It doesn’t happen very often, but this year, the pairing of Friday the 13th’s bad mojo and the commercial schmoopiness of Valentine’s Day puts into clear contrast the two sides of love — how much we love it and hate it. There’s certainly no shortage of songs written about the topic; in fact, some might say that all songs are about love in one way or another. But whether it completes you or tears you apart, there’s not doubt “love” has inspired some of the greatest songs ever written:

Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart Again

Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes


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On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last night, performers including Bruce Springsteen, U2, Bettye LaVette, Beyonce, and many others, joyously celebrated the impending Inauguration of Barack Obama with songs like “America the Beautiful,” “This Land Is Your Land,” and “One Love (Let’s Get Together).” With the “hope” so palpably in the air, even the more the poignant songs like Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” seemed to imply that the change was already here. Certainly, such hope can make us think so, but today, on the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy, it is important that we remember not just how far we’ve come but also how far we still need to go:

Odetta - Glory Halleluja (live at Garrison Institute)

Ben Stanfield

Here are a few selections from the Inaugural kickoff concert, “We Are One,” last night on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, where artists like U2, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Shakira, Pete Seeger, Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, Usher, Beyonce, and Bettye LaVette performed for hundreds of thousands of supporters and onlookers.

Stevie Wonder with Usher and Shakira - Higher Ground

Valerie Hinojosa

Dan Muller

Wishing you a great holiday week and hoping that you’re not buried under too much snow. If you happen to be buried under more work than snow today, the Harvey Danger song is just for you:

Happy Holidays from Datarock

The Decemberists - Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas) (stream)

Frightened Rabbit - It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop (live at Liquid Room)

Glasvegas - Please Come Back Home

Harvey Danger - Sometimes You Have to Work On Christmas

The Hives & Cyndi Lauper In A Christmas Duel

Joan Jett & the Blackhearts & guests - Silent Night (MP3)

Julian Koster - Jingle Bells (MP3)

Lex Land - River (Joni Mitchell cover) (MP3)

Le Loup - Shanandoah (MP3)

Low - Santa’s Coming Over

Aimee Mann - A Christmas Carol (view more)

Mogwai - Christmas Steps (live)

The Raveonettes - Come On Santa (MP3)

Slow Club - Christmas TV (MP3)

Jill Sobule - Jesus was a Dreidel Spinner (MP3)

Rosie Thomas - Why Can’t It Be Christmastime All Year

U2 - I Believe In Father Christmas

The Wedding Present (featuring Simone White) - Holly Jolly Hollywood

The Wedding Present & Klee - Holly Jolly Hollywood (MP3)

Wooden Shjips - Auld Lang Syne (MP3)

The Wombats - Is This Christmas?

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - All I Want for Christmas (stream)

Stephen Colbert & Elvis Costello (from A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!)

Coldplay Christmas ditty recorded at the London 0₂ with Simon Pegg

Election Day is here! As expected, the increase in voter turnout this year is causing lines to snake around buildings and even city blocks. A bit of a wait, though, should be no reason to neglect your civic duty. We’re here to help with this selection of election-related videos that will motivate you to get out there and, if you have a suitable portable device, provide you with plenty of entertainment while you wait. Oh yeah, and do yourself a favor: bring snacks and don’t forget to hydrate!

Leonard Cohen - Democracy

Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A-Changin’


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This week’s selection of videos commemorates the visit today of astronaut Stan Love to KEXP. In 1998, Dr. Love, who had earned his Master of Science in Astronomy at the University of Washington in Seattle, began training for a future NASA mission, and in February of 2007, he traveled to space on the STS-122 Atlantis. On this, the 24th Shuttle mission to visit the International Space Station, Dr. Love brought along with him a copy of Live at KEXP, Volume Three. Yes, Stan is a fan of the station and of new music in general, and we welcome him on his visit today as he explores the far reaches of KEXP.

Tune in at 9:30AM to the Morning Show to hear Stan Love answer the question that’s been burning in John Richards’ mind: on what soundstage was the Apollo landing actually filmed… and what does rattlesnake taste like?

David Bowie - Starman:

Sinatra - Fly Me to the Moon:

Beastie Boys - Intergalactic:

The Rolling Stones - 2000 Light Years From Home:

The Beatles - Across the Universe:

The Church - Under the Milky Way:

Parliament - Mothership Connection:

Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space:

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^{photo by Nathan Howard}

According to British psychologist Cliff Arnall, who declared January 21st to be “Blue Monday,” the most depressing day of the year, today, June 20, is the happiest day of 2008! Using a series of calculations, Arnall added together all of the factors that improve our lives, like time spent out doors, increased socialization, recurrence of childhood memories, and anticipation of pending vacations, and surmised the date. Oh, yeah — today also happens to be the Summer Solstice. Rejoice!

Spiritualized - Oh Happy Day (live @ Wintercase, Madrid 2007)

What’s your favorite “happy” song?

Doing the S’quatch this weekend? With all the amazing bands and between the three stages, there’s no way you’re going to be able to see everything you want to check out. Thinking about playing it by ear? But what if you miss the one performance everyone is talking about afterwards? Isn’t it better to make some informed decisions? All you need is a little research. Crack open the Sasquatch schedule, turn on the ‘Tube, and start searching. To get you started, here are some live performances of bands you might choose to see:

R.E.M. - Supernatural Superserious (live on Austin City Limits

Death Cab - No Sunlight (Black Cab Sessions)

M.I.A. - Paperplanes (live @ Lowlands 2007)

The Cure - Just Like Heaven (Live 2008)

The National - Apartment Story (live on the DL Show on Spinner)

Cold War Kids - Tell Me In The Morning (live on Later with Jools Holland)

Flight of the Conchords - Foux de Fa Fa (live in Columbus, OH 5/16/08)

The Mars Volta - Viscera Eyes (live on MHD)

Rodrigo Y Gabriela - Tamacun (live on the Kerri-Anne show)

Dengue Fever - Tiger Phone Card (live at The Gibson Green Room)

The Kooks - Sway (live on Later with Jools Holland)

Do yourself a favor: keep scrounging the ‘Tube for live videos of the other bands, like Blue Scholars, The Presidents of the United States of America, and Okkervil River, before you start plotting your attack.

Although Radiohead has previously asked their fans to create videos for any of their songs on In Rainbows (the contest deadline is over, but voting continues now), they have decided to create one video of their own for “All I Need,” in conjunction with MTV, specifically for its EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign, whose goal is to to combat human trafficking and exploitation. (As you’ll see in this split-screen video, the lives of two children are compared: one is privileged and the other works in a sweatshop.) The video is set to premiere on MTV tomorrow (though is it a “premier” if it’s already on Stereogum?) Check out the Hollywood Reporter for more about it.

Good causes certainly aren’t beyond Tapes ‘N Tapes. Coinciding with their release of Walk It Off, their sophomore release, the band was promoting Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and the Avon Walk For Breast Cancer events in effort to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. According to their website, they’re now promoting American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life, the largest walking event in the country, coming up in August. While you get your power-walking stride back in form, check out their new video for “Hang Them All”:

The Shins aren’t so bad either! While they aren’t exactly championing a specific cause, they are providing words (and melodies) of encouragement to kids on the goofy, surreal Yo Gabba Gabba. Here they are with “It’s OK, Try Again”:

Is Scarlett Johansson doing anybody any good covering a whole album’s worth of Tom Waits songs? Judge for yourself. Here’s “Falling Down”:

Always all about causes, particularly those involving the environment, is Cloud Cult. You may remember their request for video participants a couple months ago. They had asked for anyone on willing to stand in a field, saying, “No experience necessary, so long as you can stand and look expressionless, and jump on command.” Watch the intrepid volunteers brave the St. Paul cold (and jump!) in the resulting video for “Everyone Here Is A Cloud”

In a characteristic moment of prescience, blog writer Spike in that same paragraph mentioned the City-to-City challenge during the then-rolling Membership Drive. Guess who won? Ballard again, but guess who’s going to be performing during Ballard Day? Cloud Cult! See how small our words are? Join ours and come down to Ballard Day on May 9.

Surprisingly, there were few music-related pranks pulled on April Fools Day yesterday. Sorry, but the New Kids on the Block reunion is no joke — at least not in the strict literal sense — and as far as I can tell, the free Radiohead show in London actually happened. However, a few did try. In an industry press release, Ben Gibbard revealed a fabricated side project: “Born out of an interest in exploring music free from rules and convention, Just Jazzin’ offers the world a chance to see another side of Ben. ” Sorry, Ben. Nobody bought it.

Ben Gibbard - Just Jazzin’

But recently there has been a slew of very imaginative videos for which you’ll be more than willing to suspend your disbelief. Check out the amazing animation on Bjork’s “Wanderlust” and The Acorn’s “The Flood Pt. 1″ and the silly Python-esque lunacy of Goldfrapp’s “Happiness.” Here are a handful of clips you’ll want to believe:

Bjork - Wanderlust

The Acorn - Flood Pt. 1

Pete and the Pirates - She Doesn’t Belong To Me

Fanfarlo - Outsiders

Cajun Dance Party - The Race

Goldfrapp - Happiness