Mike Mosiman of Minnetonka:
1 The Beatles Channel/Sirius XM Radio. These guys broke up almost 50 years ago, yet thanks to a treasure trove of rarities, covers (try Fats Domino covering "Lady Madonna") and reissues, their new channel makes them sound as vibrant as ever.
2 Paul Kelly, the Cedar. Accompanied by his band, this Australian singer/songwriter played his wonderful new album, "Life Is Fine," from beginning to end, then treated us to another hour of some of his best material from a rock-solid canon of songs spanning almost 40 years.
3 Texas, "Jump on Board." Great band from Scotland that is still making great Euro-pop-sounding music.
Contribute: popmusic@startribune.com.
Jon Bream of the Star Tribune:
1 Pink, "Saturday Night Live." What a treat to hear a big-voiced pop singer who throws herself into her songs. No false notes from her.
2 The Replacements, "For Sale: Live at Maxwell's 1986." Their heyday is wonderfully documented — the fury and the fun, the ragged glory and the great songwriting, and the ferocious force that was Bob Stinson on guitar.
3 Rosanne Cash's op-ed piece in the New York Times. She thoughtfully and articulately challenges country musicians to distance themselves from the NRA.
