The rumors are true, KRUI likes music! 2025 was a crazy year all around, and even crazier, we here at KRUI actually listened to lots of albums this year. We’ve picked out eleven of our favorite albums from this year to share, and explore together.
It’s December 29, 2025, and if you can believe it, we here at KRUI actually listened to music throughout the whole year! From pop superstars, to indie legends, to the fresh Bandcamp up-and-comers, we’ve picked out nine of our favorite songs released this past year to share and explore together.
Cursive and a duo AJJ regale us with the pride, waste, and consuming everything until the very end, finishing out their 2025 tour at The Raccoon Motel in Davenport.
Spanning 7 venues across 7 days, Transitions, the New Years Eve celebration by AURIS PRESENTS, in downtown Chicago has cultivated a lineup of the biggest names spinning records and electronica today. From December 26 – January 1st, Chicagoland will be ablaze as it welcomes the likes of 70 artists and a 21-hour marathon to ring in the new year at Outset. Here are the highlights coming this week to Chicago.
An overtime thriller, a stadium on edge, and a Bears team pushed to its limit. From the moment the clock hit zero to the final snap in OT, this one had everything. And it might say more about this team than just a win.
Stockholm cloud rap sensation Bladee performed in Minneapolis for the first time ever on November 10th, 2025. During his set, he played many of his own beloved songs and collaborations he’s made with members of his rap collective, Drain Gang.
Mission Creek runs again for its 20th year. The arts festival brings a plethora of events in the realms of music and literature, with both artists local, and from elsewhere. Here’s some of the events happening this Saturday.
Based on Rachel Yoder’s book of the same name, “Nightbitch” has been making its rounds at film festivals ahead of its December 2024 theatrical release.
KRUI celebrates its 40th Anniversary on Saturday with Blist Her and OHYUNG as part of Mission Creek Festival. Previews for other Saturday performances are also featured.
KRUI Staffers give a preview look for what’s to come on Thursday and Friday for the 2024 Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City.
Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast will headline Mission Creek Festival’s literature celebration with a presentation of her memoir Crying in H Mart. Image via Tonje Thilesen.
Mission Creek Festival will celebrate 15 years of showcasing the arts in Iowa City next year. With a lineup of literary and musical acts, the festival is sure to draw crowds. Featured Image via Mission Creek.
Read about the upcoming Mission Creek Festival with authors Carrie Brownstein, Amber Tamblyn and Roxane Gay in conversation here! (Image via: Mission Creek)
Read about the writings of Isaac Fitzgerald, Alice Sola Kim, and Saeed Jones that took place during the Mission Creek Festival. (Image via: Buzzfeed.com)
The 8th Annual Literary Magazine and Small Press Book Fair was a big part of this year’s Mission Creek Festival. (Image via: Aadit Tambe)
The Fail Safe is a podcast on a mission to help struggling writers overcome the obstacles that come with the creative writing process. Read about their latest episode with Jessica Hopper and Alissa Nutting. (Image via: http://www.iowawritershouse.org)
Read an email I sent to my professor about the hostile culture in their classroom (Image via: Pixelina Photography)
