Flu cases are on the rise across Michigan.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control say the state has a “very high” level of doctors’ visits for respiratory illnesses.  That’s the top category in the country.  

Doctors recommend children and adults over 65 get a flu vaccine to prevent serious illness and limit the risk of hospitalization.  Officials say only about a quarter of Michigan residents have received a flu vaccine this season.   

The state says 8% of emergency room visits last week were because of flu-related illnesses.

Additional headlines for Jan. 7, 2026

Homicides fall

The number of homicides in Detroit continues to fall.  

The city had 165 murders last year.  That’s the lowest number since 1964.

The police department says other crimes, such as non-fatal shootings and carjackings also fell last year. 

DTE introduces new fee 

DTE Energy will soon begin charging a fee for customers who pay their bills by credit or  debit card.  That’s according to the Detroit Free Press.  Residential customers will pay $2.99 per transaction.  Business customers will be charged $9.99 per transaction when they pay by debit or credit.  The Detroit utility says the fee will go directly to third party vendors who  process those payments.  The change is set to take effect on March 2^nd. 

Gas prices 

Gas prices have risen slightly in metro Detroit over the past week, but they remain below $3 per gallon.  Triple A Michigan says the average price of a gallon of self-serve unleaded is $2.83.  That’s up about five cents from a week ago.  Last year at this time, Detroiters were paying an average of $3.!0 per gallon. 

Temperature rising

Detroiters can expect a bit of a weather warm-up in the next couple of days.  The National Weather Service says temperatures will rise into the upper 40s tomorrow and we might even break a record with a high forecast to be in the upper 50s on Friday.  

The reality of winter returns on Sunday and Monday though, with highs in the 30s. 

Morton fired

The Detroit Lions have fired offensive coordinator John Morton after a disappointing season.  The team failed to make the playoffs this year with a record of nine wins and eight losses.  

Morton called plays for the offense in the first 10 games of the year, but head coach Dan Campbell was not pleased with the team’s inconsistent performance.  Campbell took over offensive play-calling duties in game 11.  

Morton became offensive coordinator last year after the departure of Ben Johnson, who left the Lions to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears.  Chicago won the NFC north division this season and is headed to the playoffs.  The Lions finished last in the division this season. 

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Empowerment Plan has been in service to metro Detroit’s homeless population since 2012. 

Empowerment Plan employs people living in shelters. They manufacture coats made from sleeping bags that they distribute to people in need. That includes people in Detroit, across the nation, and in dozens of other countries. 

Veronika Scott is the founder of Empowerment Plan. She talks about her struggles with poverty and homelessness as a kid. She remembers driving around with her mother, getting sent in circles from one caseworker in Detroit to another in Pontiac. 

Years later, a class at College for Creative Studies called “Designing to Fill a Need” led her where she is today—and that’s helping people experiencing homelessness.

This year, Empowerment Plan hand made its 100,000th sleeping bag coat. 

Veronika, founder of Empowerment Plan joins host Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about reaching this milestone and what’s next for organization.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The music landscape has changed a lot since the turn of the 21st century. Not just styles, but how we consume music. Nothing illustrates that better than the rise of the indie music scene.

In his new book Such Great Heights: The Complete Cultural History of the Indie Rock Explosion, Stereogum managing editor Chris DeVille looks at how changes to TV, the internet, and the record industry fueled the rise in early ’00s indie music.

DeVille talks with WDET’s Russ McNamara. Click on the link to listen or read selected excepts below. 

The following interview has been edited for length and clarity.

RM: So why write this book?

DeVille: There’s many different sort of through lines that are being traced here. One of them is technology. It’s a subject that I think is really complex and really fascinating, and it involves a lot of my favorite music ever.

This stuff that has been kind of chronicled and debated online for years in blog posts and social media posts and a lot of the documentation of it is starting to disappear, because websites just go offline, or people delete their social media accounts. And so I wanted to create a little bit more permanent record of some of these things that happened—some of the ways that these bands broke through, some of the conversations that were being had around this music.

One reviewer compared it to like a yearbook that you look back at and you get some fond memories, and you get some cringe, but yeah, it’s kind of like a history of my listening as an adult.

Russ McNamara, WDET: In the book, you mention the TV show ‘The OC’ which was a popular teen soap opera in the early ’00s. How much did that show’s soundtrack play into the rise in indie rock?

Chris DeVille, author of “Such Great Heights”: I was surprised as I was writing the book, how much it became like a shadow history of the evolution of the Internet over the last couple of decades. And you know The OC thing, it’s like they’re putting these bands in front of a much bigger audience. Like Death Cab for Cutie is like a fairly obscure band at the time, and then this character on this popular teen show is like making his whole personality that he loves Death Cab for Cutie.

It’s like giant platform, but then they lose cool points with some people, as you know, sort of a more norm-y audience discovers this band, but it’s definitely, there’s no doubt that it was a huge like funnel, bringing a bunch of bands to a much broader audience

RM: What about the added accessibility of file sharing sites like Limewire and Napster?

CD: Whatever platform you were using to pirate music I think contributed to the accessibility of stuff. Stuff could blow up, even if it didn’t fit into a particular radio format, or it wasn’t getting past the MTV gatekeepers. It didn’t have to fit into any existing niche or existing format to blow up. It could just catch fire and go viral on these file sharing servers.

I mean, the same thing was still true when iTunes came in and kind of formalized and commercialized the process. You could still have a song that people would download it like crazy.

RM: Which indie bands benefitted the most from this setup in the early 00’s?

CD: Arcade Fire was definitely the biggest. The other dimension that I talk a lot about in the book, is Pitchfork. And just like the power that Pitchfork had to make or break someone’s career. If they gave something a 10.0 people were just going to jump on it and worship it. And if they kind of talked smack about a particular band or completely panned a band, then there were instances where that basically ended someone’s commercial prospects. And so like Arcade Fire were like the perfect storm.

RM: So where is indie rock at now? Is it dead? Does the genre really mean anything anymore?

CD: Over time, indie became like more of a genre, and then the genre itself started to change. But I think what we saw happen in the 2010s is sort of like the indie goes pop thing. It was like a bubble, and it really did pop. We still have these sort of like boutique pop stars like Clairo.

We had artists that came out of the indie world become pop stars of a sort because of stuff like Tiktok. Like Mitski is a good example of that where she’s coming from, from the indie rock infrastructure, and she is making music that jumps across genres a little bit.

There’s a hunger for bands that have a little bit more of an edge to them, that are a little bit less smooth, a little bit willing to be weird or noisy. That’s what you see with a lot of the biggest indie bands today – ones that have gone against that sort of, like Spotify-friendly, passive-listening experience. There’s now a hunger for music that’s a bit more abrasive, something that will jolt people out of their stupor.

Music wants to evolve. It wants to find new audiences. And so the whole idea of like, gatekeeping and having the right audience versus the wrong audience, like, that’s something that factors into the book too.

The Detroit City Council voted in new leaders Monday. 

WDET’S Bre’Anna Tinsley was there. 

James Tate was voted President 5-4. He served as President Pro Tem under now mayor Mary Sheffield. He says he wants to strengthen how the council operates.

 ”For years, I have pushed for a legislative agenda, and while we have not fully realized that goal, I did help usher into our rules, a process that can move us there. That matters because it increases transparency, accountability, and it also provides the public a way to see our priorities and measure our progress.”

Coleman Young II was voted Pro Tem, defeating Mary Waters.

Additional headlines for Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2025

Duggan’s independent campaign stresses unity

Independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan says he’s bringing a message of unity to the state—the kind he says helped him bridge divides as mayor of Detroit. 

As an independent Duggan won’t get any visibility from the party primary process. He says instead he’s visiting with small groups of voters across Michigan and finding many of them concerned about the same issues like affordable housing and job training opportunities. 

Duggan says Republicans and Democrats are more interested in beating each other than working together to solve problems. “I have never seen a state more evenly divided than Michigan today. And people more fed up. I don’t think the climate’s ever been more fertile…to have a third option.”

Duggan claims rural voters in particular find they have more in common than they thought with the urban electorate that placed him at the top of Detroit’s city government. (Quinn Klinefelter) 

Retail Food Business Cohort

The Brightmoor Artisan Collective is getting ready to launch a program for folks who want to start a food business.

Applications for the Retail Food Business Cohort are set to go live in a few weeks. Participants will be able to access free food safety certification, business plan development, networking events and a one year membership in the collective. 

For more information visit brightmoorartisans.org. 

New sports programs for kids

The Detroit Parks and Rec Department is launching a slew of sports programs for kids this and next month. Offerings include tennis, baseball, volleyball, basketball, flag football, soccer and “sports movement.” 

Programs will be offered at recreation and community centers throughout the city.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Tuesday marks the fifth anniversary of the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.  A large group protesting the results of the 2020 election— claiming Joe Biden’s win was fraudulent—broke into the capitol building, destroying property, assaulting officers, and threatening elected officials. 

The events of January 6 resulted in several deaths and over a thousand arrests.

President Donald Trump pardoned most insurrectionists when reentering office in the past year, saying that the Biden administration over-prosecuted the group.

Melissa Nann-Burke was the Washington Bureau Chief for the Detroit News at that time of the insurrection.  She was working in the House chamber on January 6 and witnessed events from the inside. 

She spoke with WDET’s Jake Neher about it later that week on MichMash.

An unnamed gunman was arrested at Romulus Middle School. 

The school was placed on lockdown following reports of shots fired outside the building on the second day of classes in the new year.

Romulus Police responded following reports of an ‘active shooter’ after school employees observed a man with a handgun attempting to enter the school’s main doors. A witness told police they heard shots fired. 

Officers arrested a 44-year-old man near the school’s main entrance. A handgun was recovered at the scene.

Police say the investigation into the suspect’s motives is ongoing and there is no threat to the school or the community at this time. 

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Otter at (734) 942-6857. 

For some of our listeners, arts and culture from kindergarten through high school were guaranteed and expected. Woodshop, cooking classes and, of course, art classes were a part of the curriculum. 

As the decades have gone by, less money to schools means less resources. Oftentimes the first things cut from the budget are the arts. But educators who work within the K-12 school system say the arts are essential to a well-rounded education.

Meghan Collins is Museum Educator for K-12 and Family Programs at the MSU Broad Art Museum. She is also an Assistant Professor of Art Education in MSU’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design. 

In 2024, she was named the 2025 Museum Educator of the Year by the Michigan Art Education Association. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

The Trump administration recently announced $12 billion in bailout money in an effort to prop up the farming industry. That comes as farmers around the country have complained about trade wars and general economic conditions making it tough for them to do business.

What that money looks like by the time it makes its way to local farmers remains to be seen. Michigan Farmers Union president, Bob Thompson, says there are still questions surrounding the distribution.

“The Administration,” says Thompson, “still has to decide how much money is going to corn, versus wheat, versus soy beans, versus 15 different row crops.”

Thompson says about $11 billion of the $12 billion in the bailout will be dedicated to row crops. That means farmers growing specialty crops, like apples and cherries, will share the remaining funds.

Thompson warns the funding may not be enough to offset the challenges facing Michigan’s farms.

“The financial problems that a lot of farmers, particularly our smaller family farmers are experiencing, is a direct result of a lot of policies of the new administration,” Thompson explains, “ Particularly the tariff policies.”

He says the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration has also hurt farmers in the state. About three-quarters of the seasonal workforce on farms comes from immigrant labor programs.

The Michigan Farmers Union says it may take a new long-term farm bill to stabilize the industry.

Michigan’s economy is in flux.

Tariffs have pushed up the cost of some goods. Unemployment has ticked up slightly. Hiring practices are shifting as artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become more prevalent in workplaces.

Those changes raise big questions for the state’s more than 900,000 small businesses — and the workers who depend on them. How are owners adapting to rising costs and new technologies? What does this moment feel like on the ground? And what should people be doing now to stay resilient?

To explore those questions, Mark Lee, founder of The Lee Group, sat down with The Metro’s Robyn Vincent. Lee hosts several talk shows and writes about business and the economy for Crain’s Detroit, with a focus on how national trends play out locally.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield took office on New Year’s Day. But she’s celebrating her achievement with a public swearing-in ceremony this week.

Detroit City Council members, police commissioners and the City Clerk will also take part. The ceremony at the Detroit Opera House features poetry and music performances as well.

Sheffield is the first woman ever elected mayor of Detroit. She says her team is developing an action plan for her first 100 days with input from the community. But she’s also retaining several key officials from the past mayoral administration including the corporation counsel—the city’s top lawyer—and Detroit’s fire commissioner.

Sheffield also announced today that the city will join a program that gives financial support to pregnant women and infants. The city has already raised 9 million dollars to participate in RX Kids. It’s looking for $2 million to fund the program for 3 years.

Sheffield says she hopes to secure the funding to launch the program within her first 100 days.

Additional headlines for Monday, Jan. 5, 2026

State utility regulators demand more transparency

DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, and other regulated utilities in Michigan must do more to inform customers about potential rate hikes. This is because of a new order by state utility regulators.

The Michigan Public Service Commission wants to increase customer participation in utility issues, including cases that set new rates. After March, regulated electric utilities must inform customers when they asked for higher rates, and how much their bills would go up if that amount is approved.

There’s concern that this could confuse people, since rarely do utilities get their full requested amount. But supporters of the change say advance notice will let more people find out about and comment on potential rate hikes before the cases are resolved.

Gas prices

Michigan gas prices have dropped 11 cents since last week. According to the auto group AAA, you can get regular unleaded for $2.70. This new price is 18 cents less than a month ago and 44 cents less than this time last year, making this new price the lowest since February of 2021.

The US strikes in Venezuela this weekend don’t seem to have impacted oil prices just yet, according to AAA. The organization also says Venezuela crude oil exports have been limited due to the sanctions in the last couple of years.

Sports updates

NFL

The Lions beat the Chicago Bears 19-16 yesterday with a walk off field goal kick from Jake Bates, ending the season with a winning record. Now all eyes are on the off season, the NFL draft and seeing how they will bounce back for the 2026 season.

NBA

The Pistons beat the Cleveland Cavaliers yesterday 114-110 and remain on top of the Eastern Conference. Their next game is today at Little Caesars against the New York Knicks and again at Little Caesars on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls.

Tip off for both is at 7:00 p.m.

NHL

The Red Wings play against the Ottawa Senators tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Canadian Tire Centre. The Red Wings are currently third in the Atlantic Division.

Carl Thomas performs

And R&B singer Carl Thomas known for his smash 2000 hit “I Wish” will be performing at Sound Board on Sunday Jan. 11, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.

The artist from Illinois hit the Billboard Top Hot 100 and peaked at 20. And this year marks the 26th anniversary of his debut studio album “Emotional.”

To hear Thomas live, go to soundboarddetroit.com for tickets and more information.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week we are tapping in with GENA, a new project from Dallas-born, now L.A.-based vocalist Liv.e and legendary Detroit drummer and producer Karriem Riggins. The name is loosely inspired by Gina from the classic sitcom “Martin,” and the music moves in that same playful but grown lane, blurring jazz, R&B and left-of-center soul.

“Circlesz” is the first single from their collaboration, and it plays like a late-night loop: dusty drums, fluid keys and Liv.e’s floating vocal lines all orbiting each other in motion.

Here is GENA with “Circlesz,” and it is my Pick of the Week.

That was “Circlesz” from GENA, the duo of vocalist Liv.e and artist-drummer Karriem Riggins.

If jazzy, future-soul cuts like this are your lane, tune in to The Progressive Underground every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET and at wdet.org. 

Michigan’s schools are increasingly tasked with more than teaching.

They are expected to raise reading and math scores, address rising mental health needs, manage technology and discipline, and serve as safe, stable places for families under stress. In some communities, they’re also absorbing fear sparked by immigration enforcement actions. That includes the detention of Detroit students seeking asylum.

Academically, the picture is mixed. On national exams, Michigan’s scores remain close to the U.S. average. But since the pandemic, other states have improved more quickly, especially in early reading. Michigan has moved more slowly, and over time, that difference adds up.

Meanwhile, chronic absenteeism is improving, but many students, especially in Detroit, still miss school regularly.

The state has increased funding and continued free school meals. Educators say those steps help. They also say long-standing challenges persist in special education, staffing, and student support.

This is the landscape facing Michigan’s new top education official.

Dr. Glenn Maleyko was sworn in last month as State Superintendent of Public Instruction. He steps into the new role after nearly a decade leading Dearborn Public Schools. He has identified literacy as his priority and launched a statewide listening tour.

The Metro’s Robyn Vincent sat down with Maleyko to learn how he plans to lead a system being asked to do more than it was designed to handle.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

Some people welcome winter in Michigan with open arms, while others watch the calendar until spring’s warmth returns.

One way to overcome the long, cold winter here in Michigan is to get outside and try some new activities.

Laura Herberg, reporter for Bridge Michigan, joined The Metro to walk us through the Michigan Dreaming Winter Bucket List.

12 activities made this year’s winter weather fun bucket list, with dog sledding in the Upper Peninsula taking the top spot and drop-in hockey on Belle Isle representing Southeast Michigan.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Empty office spaces and buildings continue to be an issue for owners the COVID-19 pandemic. Rent is too high for small businesses and entrepreneurs to fill in the gap. 

Bamboo is a co-working space seeks to fill the need of office space without the large commitments required when renting a whole building. Bamboo has flexible options to obtain office space and common areas for any business-related needs. 

Bamboo now has five locations across Michigan, including one of its newest locations in Midtown. 

Amanda Lewen says Bamboo started as a grassroots idea from a group of friends. She spoke with The Metro’s Tia Graham about Bamboo and the current state of Michigan’s small business ecosystem.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

On this episode of Visions, I welcome the new year with a mix of old and new. I play classic cuts that got us here and new music that’s taking us into the new year and beyond.

I play quintessential tracks from Max Roach, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, Aretha Franklin, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, and Lee Morgan.

I also play brand new singles from Joel Ross, Signal Quartet, and Tomeka Reid. Finally, I cover a couple albums that came out last year that I didn’t discover until this year from Gerald Clayton and Phi-Psonics.

Happy new year and happy listening!

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Jan. 5, 2026

• “A Brand New Me” – Aretha Franklin*
• “One by One (Live)” – Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
• “Wisdom is Eternal (for Barry Harris)” – Joel Ross
• “More Always” – Gerald Clayton
• “dance! skip! hop!” – Tomeka Reid
• “Sumpin’ Like Dat” – Marion Hayden*
• “Love Theme from Your Life” – Phi-Psonics
• “And Silence” – Myra Melford Trio
• “I’ll Get By (As Long As I Have You)” – John Coltrane
• “The Mercenary” – Lee Morgan
• “Credibility Gap” – Signal Quartet*
• “Absolutions” – Max Roach
• “Prince of Darkness” – Miles Davis
• “Just Give It Some Time” – Bennie Maupin*
• “Binky’s Beam” – John McLaughlin
• “Groove” – William Parker

* Indicates Detroit artists

The first Big Sonic Heaven episode of 2026 features a range of the latest music from around the world, including New York, Manchester, Germany, Lebanon, San Francisco, and Taiwan. And let’s not forget the Big Sonic classics.

See the playlist below, and don’t forget that this and every episode are available on demand for two weeks after it airs online.

Big Sonic Heaven Playlist for Jan. 5, 2025

• “Paris and Rome” – Cranes
• “Breaking My Light” – Minor Victories
• “The Loony Bin” – Jahrund
• “Love in Itself” – Depeche Mode
• “Silhouette” – She’s Green
• “I Want to Touch You” – Catherine Wheel
• “Phosphorous” – Lamb
• “Haunt” – Washed Out
• “Girl of Colours” – 24 Gone
• “The Great Unknown” – IVY
• “Doused” – DIIV
• “Lament” – The Cure
• “The Drift” – Deary
• “Hollywood” – Ashes and Diamonds
• “Memories Fade” – Tears for Fears
• “Goldmine” – Chokecherry
• “Someone’s Calling” – Modern English
• “Kiss of Snow (feat Krissy Vanderwoude from The Churchhill Garden)” – Longingsky
• “The Headmaster’s Ritual” – The Smiths
• “You Against the Rest of Us” – Airiel
• “Down with the Upward” – A Shoreline Dream
• “Blue Bell Knoll” – Cocteau Twins
• “Faît Accompli” – Curve
• “Wait” – Meena
• “Silently” – Blonde Redhead
• “Heaven” – Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
• “Before” – The Giraffe Told Me in My Dream
• “Celia’s Dream” – Slowdive
• “Clusters” – Emma Anderson
• “Once More” – Bathe Alone
• “The Him” – New Order
• “Construction Site” – Postcards
• “Raconte Moi Une Histoire” – M83

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, we look back on our favorite in-studio moments, plus a few artists captured live at The Leon Loft in Ann Arbor! Featured this week: Souther Avenue (pictured), Mike Reid & Joe Henry, Lady Blackbird, Chris Thile, The War & Treaty and many more…

See the playlist below and listen to the episodes on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Acoustic Café Playlist for January 4, 2026

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “Show You Love” – The Altons (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Wait” – Paul Thorn (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Empire Of Love” – Amythyst Kiah (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Half As High” – The Devil Makes Three (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “The Bridge” – Mike Reid+Joe Henry (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Like A Woman” – Lady Blackbird (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Novelty” – Jensen McRae (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Muddy Shores” – Moonrisers (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Forever Never Lasts” – Rachael & Vilray (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Sweet Abbey Girl” – Katie Gavin (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Home” – The War & Treaty (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Wild And Clear And Blue” – I’m With Her (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “One Man Holds The World Hostage” – John Moreland (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Talkin’ Doc Blues” – Ketch Secor (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Old me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Rain Or Shine” – Drew & Ellie Holcomb (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Fatal Optimist” – Madi Diaz (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Upside” – Southern Avenue (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Gavotte en rondeau” – Chris Thile (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Rust” – Mon Rovia (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “People Of Substance” – Craig Finn (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Lesson” – Joy Clark (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Jeopardy” – Penny & Sparrow (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Crushed Ice & Gasoline” – Jeffrey Foucault (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Boom” – Sierra Hull (Acoustic Cafe performance)
• “Sleeves Up” – Crys Matthews (Acoustic Cafe performance)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

Since we usually look at classic album anniversaries on the first Saturday of the month, this week on Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music we’ll do the same but look at the entire year!

In 2026, it’ll be the 50th anniversary for 2 classic Seger albums, a 30th for the late Aaliyah, a 20th for J Dilla’s “Donuts,” a 10th for The Raconteurs… plus debuts from The Ramones, Corrine Bailey Rae and many more.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for January 3, 2026

HOUR ONE: CLASSIC ALBUM ANNIVERSARIES IN 2026

• “Rock And Roll Never Forgets” – Bob Seger ’76
• “Put Your Records On” – Corrine Bailey Rae ’06
• “Hold On I’m Coming” – Sam & Dave ’66
• “Wrap It Up” – The Fabulous Thinderbirds ’86
• “6th Avenue Heartache” – The Wallflowers ’96
  
• “Have A Talk With God” – Stevie Wonder ’76
• “Whole Lot Of Shakin’ In My Heart” – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles ’66
  
• “These Boots Are Made For Walking” – The Supremes ’66
  
• “Push It” – Salt N Pepa ’86
• “So Much To Say” – Dave Matthews Band ’96
• “Don’t Cry” – J Dilla ’06
  
• “Help Save The Youth Of America” – Billy Bragg ’86
  
• “SOS” – Rihanna ’06
  
• “Hasten Down The Wind” – Warren Zevon ’76
  

• “(I’m A) Road Runner” – Jr. Walker & The All Stars ’66
• “Roadrunner” – The Modern Lovers ’76
• “She Cries Your Name” – Beth Orton ’96
• “Tomorrow Never Knows” – The Beatles
• “Our Song” – Taylor Swift ’06
• “All I Want To Be (Is By Your Side)” – Peter Frampton ’76
  
• “Where Did Our Love Go” – J Geils Band ’76
• “Traveling Man/Beautiful Loser” – Bob Seger ’76
• “Hot Like Fire” – Aaliyah ’96
  
• “Tears Dry On Their Own” – Amy Winehouse ’06
• “A Simple Desultory Phillipic” – Simon & Garfunkel ’66
• “Blitzkrieg Bop” – The Ramones ’76
• “Guitar Town” – Steve Earle ’86
• “Love Hangover” – Diana Ross ’76

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this episode of Visions, I celebrate several birthdays, including my own, the solstice, and winter in general.

Dec. 29 just so happened to fall on a Monday for Visions, but that’s also my birthday, Joe Lovano’s birthday and Danilo Perez’s birthday. I play their music and several others who have birthdays in late December and early January.

You’ll hear from Lonnie Liston Smith, Chris Potter, Milt Jackson and Herbie Nichols. I also play Capricorn themed music from Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter.

I play a couple selections having to do with the solstice or winter from Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond, Branford Marsalis, and a beautiful record from Ralph Towner.

Last but not least, I play my own music on Visions for the very first time. You’ll hear two selections from my 2021 album, Placemaking.

Check out the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

Visions Playlist for Dec. 29, 2025

• “Lonnie’s Lament (Live)” – Joe Lovano
• “Footprints” – Lonnie Liston Smith & The Cosmic Echoes
• “Capricorn” – Miles Davis
• “For Someone I Love” – Milt Jackson
• “Dyad” – Kaleigh Wilder*
• “Wintersong (Take 2)” – Gerry Mulligan & Paul Desmond
• “Solstice” – Branford Marsalis
• “Panamá 2000” – Danilo Perez
• “It Didn’t Happen” – Herbie Nichols
• “Capricorn 2” – Wayne Shorter
• “The Source (For John Coltrane)” – Chris Potter
• “These Tears I Cry (Alternate Take)” – Kaleigh Wilder
• “Nimbus” – Ralph Towner, Jan Garbarek, Eberhard Weber & Jon Christensen

*indicates Detroit artists