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Music

Deeper perspectives on Madison-area music: shows, new releases, and big-picture issues facing the music community.

A composite banner of the cover art from each of the 20 selected releases is displayed on a pale violet background.

Tone Madison’s favorite records of 2025

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January 20, 2026

A celebration of 20 local releases that defined the year.

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The Spine Stealers' Kate Ruland (left) and Emma O'Shea (right) are shown in their Madison studio, standing next to a carefully-curated postcard collection that's housed in a wood stand.
Madison’s musical odds and ends of 2025
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January 16, 2026

A meditation on the past year's musical margins.

A composite banner of the cover art from each of the 20 selected releases is displayed on a baby-blue background.
Tone Madison’s favorite songs of 2025
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January 14, 2026

A sampling of the local music that helped us get through the year.

An American Robin with nesting material in its beak rests on a power line in the lower lefthand corner of the "Resolution" album art. Typewriter font with a strikethrough is centered near the top of the image and reads "tm." The image is primarily gray/blue with a strong grain effect, and a subtle vignette.
“Resolution” is out today!
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December 5, 2025

Proceeds from our new Bandcamp compilation will help fund Tone Madison.

Cynthia Burnson takes a passionate guest vocal turn during Christy Costello's set at the High Noon Saloon. Burnson wears a white tank-top and appears to the right of the image, tilting her head up with her eyes firmly closed as she belts outs, with one hand wrapped around the microphone and the other on the mic stand arm. A stage light coming in from the right sharply illuminates the side of her face.
Look out for our next compilation album, “Resolution”
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December 1, 2025

Our fourth Bandcamp collection features unreleased material from Madison artists.

The exterior of Harmony Bar & Grill on the corner of Dunning Street and Atwood Avenue in Madison, WI. The building has gray siding, a yellow marquee sign with a central yellow sign. Muted green accents and a classic brick facade surrounds the gray paneling. A street sign is visible, and the road around the venue is empty.
Tone Madison Presents: MAMA New Artist Listening Room
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November 21, 2025

Join us on Saturday, November 29, at Harmony Bar & Grill for a night of live music from emerging Madison artists.

An illustration shows a nondescript man actively drumming in the center of a stage with a blue backdrop and red curtains above. Five women stand on both sides of the stage to the drummer's left and right, surrounding him. The women convey negative, upset emotions through their arm gestures and body language.
As a musician stages his comeback, his accusers ask where the accountability is
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November 5, 2025

Four years after allegations of grooming and sexual misconduct, David Henzie-Skogen is back on the road with Youngblood Brass Band.

Tyler Fassnacht performs live at GBUFO Museum Gift Shop and Records in 2025 as part of Heather The Jerk. His face is scrunched as he plays guitar and screams into the microphone. He's somewhat out of focus, while the microphone stand's arm lock is in focus in front of him. He's wearing a white band shirt with a red illustration and red collar. Behind him is nearly all black. A ghostly blue cascades over Fassnacht's person (and red Fender Telecaster) as he sings.
Madison musicians bare their teeth
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October 29, 2025

New releases from September and October seize a cathartic aggression.

Kate Ruland (Left) and Emma O'Shea (Right) of The Spine Stealers are shown in their Madison studio. Both are wearing cream-colored sweaters with wintry designs. O'Shea has one arm around Ruland's shoulders and another on her hip, and is smiling at the camera. Ruland wears a stoic expression, and has her arms crossed around her chest. Both are wearing pendant necklaces. The sun shines through the window behind them, casting a subtle light on their hair and shoulders.
The Spine Stealers aim to author a bold new chapter
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October 6, 2025

Songwriters Emma O'Shea and Kate Ruland open up about their burgeoning career.

Jane Hobson performs live at the Crystal Corner Bar in 2023. The photograph is faded. In it, Hobson is centerstage, playing guitar. To her left is a bassist, to her right a guitarist. The band's drummer is not clearly visible, hidden in part by a large stage monitor on the image's bottom left corner.
Jane Hobson’s new single exudes an empathetic warmth
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September 24, 2025

"Walking In Circles" is an understated indie-rock gem.