THE NEW YEAR STARTS HERE:

...with THE BEAT FARMERS!  Making a tradition of this more sober than usual, professionally-shot, early BF gig recorded at Universal Studios, including "There She Goes Again" (VU); "Road to Ruin," "Bigger Fool," "Reason to Believe" (Springsteen), "Powderfinger" (N. Young), "Happy Boy," "Big Ugly Wheels," "Bigger Stones," "Gun Sale at the Church," "Dallas Blues," "I Wanna Be Free," "Lakeside Trailer Park," "Death Train," and "Seven Year Itch."  If you're new to the band, my picks would be "Bigger Stones," "Happy Boy" and the cover of your choice.  BONUS:  Now how much would you pay?  But wait... there's more!  If you really want to see someone put the "bar" in "bar band," watch these NSFW clips from Houston, TX of the late Country Dick Montana leading the band through "Lucille" (K. Rogers) -- complete with his favorite beer bottle stunts -- followed by "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Wino," "Are You Drinkin' With Me, Jesus?" and "Mondo."  SUPER-SPECIAL BONUS: Country Dick rolls out "California Kid" and "Anarchy in the UK" (Language warning).

WFUV'S HOLIDAY CHEER includes mini-sets from Shannon Shaw, The Lone Bellow, and John Prine (with a cameo from Nathaniel Rateliff).

ST VINCENT, CYNDI LAUPER, KELLY CLARKSON and more perform at the Kennedy Center Honors.

KURT VILE plays unplugged at The Current.

U2: Crushingly obvious, I know. 

NICK CAVE & SHANE MacGOWAN: "What a Wonderful World."

ABBA wishes you a "Happy New Year,"  but it doesn't sound anywhere as celebratory as "Take A Chance On Me." 

THE MOUNTAIN GOATS perform "This Year" at the M-Shop in Ames, IA.

OTIS & CARLA have a "New Year's Resolution."

JOE JACKSON: Pate frequently attempted "One More Time" to often hilarious effect, so today I stick with Joe's early material, including "Sunday Papers" live on the OGWT, "Kinda Kute" on the Kenny Everett Video Show, and a Beat Crazy-era run of "On Your Radio."  The Rock Goes To College show provides live takes on "It's Different For Girls,"  "I'm The Man," and this pulsing version of his signature "Is She Really Going Out With Him?"  BONUS: The appropos finale, "Got The Time?

FLUXBLOG's epic 2018 Survey Mix.

THE 25 STRANGEST NME Stories of 2018.

THE 51 BEST ALBUMS of 2018, according to SPIN.

THE 100 BEST SONGS of 2018, according to NPR.

THE BEST REISSUES of 2018, according to NPR.

THE TOP 5 ROLLING STONES-EY SONGS of 2018, according to Stereogum.

IN MEMORIAM 2018: The Musicians We Lost.

THE PITCHFORK READERS' POLL results for 2018 are announced.

THE SUNDAY LONGREADS of 2018.

THE ZOMBIES: "This Will Be Our Year."

THE BEST MOVIES of 2018, according to the New York Times' critics.

THE BEST MOVIES of 2018, according to Uproxx's critics.

THE BEST FILMS of 2018, according to the Sub-Beacon podcast.

KEVIN SPACEY's Bizarre Video Racked Up 4.5M Views in 24 Hours.

VAN HALEN's original lineup are rumored to be reuniting for a 2019 stadium tour, which would be their first tour together in 35 years.

FRANK ADONIS, best known for his roles in some of Martin Scorsese's most famous films, died at 83 after a long battle with various health issues.

FIONA THE HIPPO breaks the 1000 pound milestone.

A FESTIVE FOX, overjoyed with a dog's toy.

UNDER MARITIME LAW, your vessel may be subject to safety inspection at any time.

MOST FEARSOME BORK in history.

NO JURY would convict this cat.