Minnesotans could be forgiven for seeing 2021 as an unhappy rerun of 2020. COVID-19 continued to make daily life difficult. Communities still grappled with police shootings and calls to address racial injustice.
Still, amid the year’s struggles Minnesota saw a homegrown Olympian make history, and people found ways to connect and rebuild in a world searching for a path back to normal.
MPR News reporters covered joys and concerns across Minnesota in 2021. Here’s a look at some of the stories they felt compelled to tell.
Usher in the New Year with Conductor Daniel Barenboim and his famous Vienna Philharmonic. Listen or stream YourClassical MPR!
Jan. 1, 3 p.m. — Vienna New Year’s Day Special
Thank you to everyone who voted in the Top 89 countdown!
The Current will play the countdown of your favorite songs of 2021 on Dec. 31 from 5 p.m. to midnight and again on Jan. 1 from noon to 7 p.m.
Find other 2021 lists like Best Albums | Best New Artists | Purple Current's Top 10 | Best Covers | Best Local Songs | The Current Staff Picks and MORE all at thecurrent.org/top89!
The Current counts down the Top 89 songs of 2021 starting at 5 p.m. CT tonight, giving you plenty of time to check out...
Best Albums | Best New Artists | Purple Current's Top 10 | Best Covers | Best Local Songs | The Current Staff Picks
and MORE all at thecurrent.org/top89!
Conductor Kirill Petrenko and the world-class orchestra say goodbye to 2021 with music by Erich Korngold, Richard Strauss, Maurice Ravel and Max Bruch, featuring violinist Janine Jansen.
Listen on YourClassical MPR Friday, Dec. 31, at 10:30 a.m. CT
The state faced COVID-19, racial reckoning and record-setting weather in 2021. Photojournalists working with MPR News captured a lot of hardship, happiness and hope. Here’s a look at what they saw.
- Internationally AP photographers captured a world ablaze in 2021
As we look forward to the New Year, we’re asking you to support the news and music you rely on.
Help keep MPR accessible to listeners throughout Minnesota and around the world. Give before midnight on Friday!
U.S. health officials are cutting isolation restrictions for Americans who test positive for the coronavirus and shortening the time that close contacts have to quarantine.
- Fauci U.S. should consider vaccine mandate for U.S. air travel
- FAQ How do you define mild, moderate and severe COVID?
- MDH's Ehresmann Omicron variant, holiday travel in Minnesota
All winter long, The Current will help you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation. Each Monday throughout the season, you’ll find one or more new posts all about enjoying the best that Minneapolis, St. Paul, and the surrounding communities have to offer.
Get ready to make the most of Minnesota’s quintessential season!
This Kwanzaa, which runs Dec. 26-Jan. 1, YourClassical celebrates African-American culture with composers that have imbued the essence of the Seven Principles in their timeless and joyous music. Jeffrey Yelverton hosts.
Listen on YourClassical MPR
Dec. 26, 3 p.m., and Dec. 30, 7 p.m.
