"A New York Times bestseller, Music Is History combines multi–Grammy Award winner Questlove’s deep musical expertise with his curiosity about history, examining America over the past fifty years.
Focusing on the years 1971 to the present, Questlove finds the hidden connections in the American tapestry, whether investigating how the blaxploitation era reshaped Black identity or considering the way disco took an assembly line approach to Black genius.
And these critical inquiries are complemented by his own memories as a music fan, and the way his appetite for pop culture taught him about America.
A history of the last half-century and an intimate conversation with one of music’s most influential and original voices, Music Is History is a singular look at contemporary America.
“An entertaining, informative and far-reaching work, meticulously excavating American culture and history with the eye of a seasoned cratedigger.”—Washington Post"
"Brian Wilson ist genialer Musiker, der uns unzählige Welthits wie 'Surfin USA' oder 'Good Vibrations' und das Jahrhundertalbum 'Pet Sounds' geschenkt hat. Der amerikanische Rolling Stone hat ihn unter die 20 wichtigsten Künstler aller Zeiten gewählt. Brian Wilson ist auch ein labiler Mensch, der sich mit Tabletten, Drogen und Alkohol immer wieder in Zonen bewegt hat, aus der man ohne fremde Hilfe nicht heil herauskommt. Viele Jahre verschwand Brian Wilson entmündigt in Kliniken, bis seine zweite Frau ihn sprichwörtlich rettete: Für die Bühne, für neue Musik, für das Vermächtnis des einzigen Überlebenden der Beach Boys. In diesem Buch erzählt er von seinen dunkelsten Stunden, vom Glück einer großen Liebe und warum er noch lange nicht genug hat."
"What songs have made up your life’s soundtrack? Which have captured your every mood and deepest sentiments? Pop music, like no other form of entertainment or art, is capable of articulating our feelings, desires, joy, and pain. In a few soul-grabbing minutes, artists from every genre—from Little Richard to Lou Reed, Willie Nelson to Wu-Tang Clan, Sly and the Family Stone to the Rolling Stones—can help us understand our place in our own lives.
This collection of short, sharp essays by New York Times bestselling author Ben Greenman (Mo’ Meta Blues), organized around a thematic playlist of songs, serves as a reminder of the lyrical power of songwriting and the sonic ability of pop to capture the human experience. Greenman’s wit, insight, and honesty are as sweet and satisfying as the hits (and the deep cuts) at the center of each essay."
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