Protests and tensions continue in Ferguson, Missouri after the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9, and numerous musicians are sharing their views on the situation—many expressing anger and sadness. Chuck D, Questlove, John Legend, Frank Ocean, Talib Kweli, Moby, and Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello have criticized the actions of local law enforcement, and Diddy has asked President Obama to visit the turbulent city. Nelly is working with Brown's family to establish a scholarship fund in Brown's honor, and J. Cole released a poignant song in Brown's memory. (Billboard) "Hard to sleep when you're waking up to the unknown and unjust," wrote Lizzo on Twitter yesterday.

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Chances are also that your favorite musician has recently dumped a bucket of ice water over his or her head as part of the "Ice Bucket Challenge," a campaign to raise awareness and funds to fight the disease ALS. Among the artists you've heard on the Current, some who have been publicly doused with ice water include Dave Grohl, Macklemore, Eddie Vedder, the Roots, Carole King, and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

Not yet purified in the icy waters are HAIM, but then, they've been busy making a new video for "My Song 5." The video, which has the sisters and guest rapper A$AP Ferg appearing on a fictional tell-all talk show, includes cameos from Grimes, Kesha, Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, and many others.

Musicians including Elvis Costello, Marcus Mumford, My Morning Jacket's Jim James, Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes, and Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops appear on "Nothing to It," the first track to be released from Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes—a compilation that has an all-star cast of collaborators setting Bob Dylan lyrics to music and recording the resulting songs, under the supervision of T-Bone Burnett. The full album will be released on November 11. (Rolling Stone)

Leonard Cohen released "Almost Like the Birds," a jazzy but typically dark song from his forthcoming album Popular Problems. The album is slated for release on Sept. 23.

Billboard released a list of the 25 most popular music clubs—measured by annual attendance—in America. 12 of them are House of Blues locations, and none are in Minnesota.

The now-infamous hat Pharrell Williams wore to this year’s Grammys is to go on display in a museum. (NME)