WFUV Essential Artists

Longevity, impact, influence, history: we celebrate the musicians who have shaped our cultural soundtrack.

The Decemberists (photo by Autumn DeWilde, PR)

The Decemberists

March 19, 2018|Kara Manning
Essential milestones (and a playlist) for a band of poets and rock revolutionaries.
Johnny Cash (1969 Look Magazine photo by Joel Baldwin, public domain)

Johnny Cash

February 26, 2018|Kara Manning
A champion of the voiceless, the underdogs and the downtrodden. And something of a holy terror. [Playlist]
Photo courtesy of Pixabay

FUV Dance Floor Essentials

February 12, 2018|Kara Manning
WFUV DJs answer: What gets them on the dance floor? [Playlist]
(Original photo by Gus Philippas)

Neil Young

November 06, 2017|Laura Fedele
Essential for his vision, his heart, and the sweat and tears he put into becoming a transcendent artist.
John Prine (photo courtesy of the artist)

John Prine

October 23, 2017|Kara Manning
Among the great builders of songs, Prine was an indisputable master. [Playlist]
Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks (Original photo by ceedub13 on Flickr, CC2.0)

Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks

October 08, 2017|Darren DeVivo
Musicians with an uncanny, intuitive connection to their muse, the blues. [Playlist]
Ani DiFranco (original photo by Ancienne Belgique)

Ani DiFranco

September 25, 2017|Laura Fedele
Essential for her soul and her voice, her guitarwork and her growl, her never-dimmed spirit. [Playlist]
(PR photo)

The Beach Boys

September 18, 2017|Paul Cavalconte
The band that transcended themselves, then crashed and burned. [Playlist]
The Allman Brothers (PR photo / Atco Records)

The Allman Brothers Band

September 11, 2017|Kara Manning
Tragedy never really let go of them, but there is joy in the band's afterlife. [Playlist]
Michael Jackson ('Bad' album cover)

Michael Jackson

August 28, 2017|Kara Manning
Talented, fascinating, elusive, and tragic. [Playlist]