BEST CONTACT HIGH: NAS & DAMIAN MARLEY

British rockers Muse will make a special appearance at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, this Friday, March 19, playing the most intimate venue on their current arena tour.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I learned about him from Paul Westerberg when I was 16. I imagine a lot of people did. That's what it's all about -- discovering your heroes' heroes, connecting those dots and following the trails ever backwards and sideways, falling in love with things you didn't even know existed. But rarely has a signpost been as direct as the Replacements' 1987 love letter.

Fans of seminal indie bands Broken Social Scene and Metric can vote now to elect the winner of the Pepsi Refresh SXSW Challenge. Both bands have developed charitable ideas -- and the one that receives the most votes will be awarded a $100,000 grant from Pepsi to bring their idea to life.

Iggy Pop joined rock's elite at a black-tie ceremony Wednesday night at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, and -- no surprise -- he did so without his shirt on.

Pop's Detroit-bred proto-punks the Stooges were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the Hollies, Abba, Genesis, and reggae star Jimmy Cliff.