Want to hear Prince music? Radio stations fill online void in wake of his death

Fans can't hear his music on Spotify and other online music sites, but 89.3 the Current and First Avenue are going all out.

April 22, 2016 at 4:50PM
At First Ave where "Purple Rain" was filmed, fans of Prince paid tribute to the pop icon who passed away.
At First Ave where "Purple Rain" was filmed, fans of Prince paid tribute to the pop icon who passed away.]Richard Tsong-Taatarii/rtsong-taatarii@startribune.com (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Finding worldwide tributes and memorials to Prince on the web today will be a piece of cake. Finding his music online, however, won't be so easy.

For the past year, Prince's music has only been available for streaming on Jay-Z's site, Tidal. All the other music streaming services such as Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify and Amazon are royally missing out.

Fans will have alternatives, however. Minnesota Public Radio's Prince-friendly station, 89.3 the Current, will be airing their entire catalog of the Purple One's music from A to Z starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and running for 26 hours straight. The broadcast is streamed over the internet via TheCurrent.org.

Other Twin Cities stations have been regularly spinning Prince since news of his death surfaced midday Thursday, including KMOJ (89.9 FM), Jack 104.1 and Go 96.3.

Sirius XM satellite radio also launched a Prince Tribute Channel on Friday, which will broadcast on channel 50.

And then there will be another chance for Twin Cities fans to go listen to his music with 1,500 of their fellow Princeophiles. First Avenue nightclub in downtown Minneapolis is throwing another all-night dance party on Friday starting around midnight after Bob Mould's scheduled performance.

about the writer

about the writer

Chris Riemenschneider

Critic / Reporter

Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas.

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