The Library of Congress today added R.E.M.’s debut single ‘Radio Free Europe’ — one of the cornerstones of ’80s college rock — to its National Recording Registry, honoring the landmark song as ‘culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.’

The bat-like Peter Murphy — who hits the big screen next week with a cameo as a vampire in ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’ — today announced he’ll release his ninth solo album, the fittingly titled ‘Ninth,’ in the fall, following this summer’s Dirty Dirt Tour.

Lloyd Cole will release ‘Broken Record’ — the former Commotions leader’s first full-band album in a decade — this September, and says he’s ‘happy we got these songs finished because I’m not sure I’ll make another record like this again.’

This week’s new releases include brand-new studio albums from Laurie Anderson (‘Homeland’) and Front Line Assembly (‘Improvised Electronic Device’), plus expanded reissues from Spandau Ballet (‘True,’ ‘Parade’) and A Flock of Seagulls (‘Listen’).

The playlist from tonight’s ‘Dark Wave’ on Sirius XM’s classic-alt station 1st Wave boasts an unusual number of deep, rarely aired cuts from regulars such as Siouxsie and the Banshees (the band’s cover of The Doors’ ‘You’re Lost Little Girl’), the Psychedelic Furs (‘Imitation of Christ’), The Jesus and Mary Chain (‘Catchfire’) and Love and Rockets (‘Holiday on the Moon’).

Squeeze co-leader Chris Difford is in the midst of releasing his third solo album, ‘Cashmere If You Can,’ piece-by-piece each week through the Saturday Morning Music Club, which delivers multimedia bundles to subscribers’ desktop apps each Saturday.

The producer of ‘Playing the Angel: The Musical’ — which was to have been based around Depeche Mode songs such as ‘Personal Jesus’ and ‘Walking in My Shoes’ — has pulled the plug on the project, citing ‘miscommunication and misunderstanding’ over his rights to use the band’s music.