Recent Dark Wave Playlists

Stream: Full early R.E.M. concert taped at Tyrone’s O.C. in Athens, Ga., in 1981

Public radio program Studio 360 is streaming a new piece on the inclusion of R.E.M.’s ‘Radio Free Europe’ in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry and a special bonus concert from the early ’80s recorded in Athens, Ga. Hear both here.

New releases: Shaun Ryder's new greatest hits set, 'XXX: 30 Years of Bellyaching'

New releases: Shaun Ryder’s new greatest hits set, ‘XXX: 30 Years of Bellyaching’

Not much coming out this week after Christmas, except for an import of the new Shaun Ryder best-of ‘XXX: 30 Years of Bellyaching,’ featuring tracks by Happy Mondays, Black Grape and Gorillaz.

Playlist: Sirius XM’s ‘Dark Wave,’ 12/26/10

Highlights of tonight’s ‘Dark Wave’ on Sirius XM’s 1st Wave included a double shot of lesser-played Love and Rockets (‘An American Dream,’ ‘Sweet FA’) and Peter Murphy doing Iggy Pop ‘Fun Time’).

Free MP3: KMFDM's 'Rebels in Control' (DoS Mix) — supporting WikiLeaks, Julian Assange

Free MP3: KMFDM’s ‘Rebels in Control’ (DoS Mix) — supporting WikiLeaks, Julian Assange

KMFDM is offering up a free new song called ‘Rebels in Control’ in support of WikiLeaks and as a protest against the denial-of-service attacks mounted on services such as PayPal and MasterCard that were allowing supporters to contribute funds to the embattled organization.

Merry Christmas from Slicing Up Eyeballs

Stream: U2 & Soweto Gospel Choir, 'Amazing Grace/Where the Streets Have No Name'

Stream: U2 & Soweto Gospel Choir, ‘Amazing Grace/Where the Streets Have No Name’

While U2 hasn’t yet unveiled the tracklist for its next fanclub CD, called ‘U2: Duals,’ the band today offered U2.com members a sneak peak in the form of ‘Amazing Grace/Where the Streets Have No Name,’ a track featuring Bono and Co. and the Soweto Gospel Choir that was created last summer for the World Cup. Hear it here.

Hear The Smiths' reggae version of 'Girlfriend In A Coma,' other rare studio outtakes

Hear The Smiths’ reggae version of ‘Girlfriend In A Coma,’ other rare studio outtakes

Fans of The Smiths are reveling in an unexpected Christmas gift this week with the appearance of a bootleg LP featuring 16 unreleased studio outtakes, including the scrapped original recording of ‘Sheila Take a Bow,’ a reggae-like take on ‘Girlfriend in a Coma’ and two previously unheard instrumentals.