Books - Music

A raucous yet detailed look back at the evolution of the music press and the passionate rock and pop journalists who documented the sounds that change

Critically-acclaimed and bestselling author Paul Morley's long-awaited biography of Factory Records co-founder and Manchester icon Tony Wilson. 'Wh

'It wasn't me. I didn't do it. And I'll never do it again!' says Brian Johnson of The Lives of Brian. That AC/DC's legendary front man got to do it

Born the son of Scotland's last telescope-maker, Stuart Braithwaite was perhaps always destined for a life of psychedelic adventuring on the furthest

Among the noise and clamour of the Britpop era, Blur co-founder Graham Coxon managed to carve out a niche to become one of the most innovative and res

Featuring forewords from bandmates Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, this is the official and fully authorised biography of the world’s most revered a

Debbie Harry is a musician, actor, activist and the iconic face of New York City cool. As the front-woman of Blondie, she and the band forged a new so

Formed in 1988, Lush were part of the London gig scene during one of the most vibrant and creative periods in UK music. Now, Miki Berenyi tells all.

Faith, Hope and Carnage is a book about Nick Cave's inner life. Created from over forty hours of intimate conversations with Seán O'Hagan, it is a

As the founder of Island Records, fabled music producer Chris Blackwell has discovered and worked with some of the most important musicians of the sec

From his allegiance to punk rock in his adolescence to becoming an essential voice on music and culture, Kelefa Sanneh makes a deep study of how popul

Now including an afterword and new poems by the author and an introduction by Gary Younge. Pioneering poet Linton Kwesi Johnson has revolutionized

From the acclaimed author of Art Sex Music comes a vital meditation on womanhood, creativity and self-expression, and a revelatory exploration into th

Industry of Magic & Light is a love letter to the counterculture of the 1960s and a requiem for its passing. The much-anticipated prequel to Ke

A new, definitive biography of the iconic and mysterious singer, Warhol superstar, Velvet Underground collaborator: influential solo artist Nico. Y

In 1986, the NME released a cassette that would shape music for years to come. A collection of twenty-two independently signed guitar-based bands, C86

A radical new book by journalist, critic and BBC Radio 3 broadcaster Kate Molleson, which fundamentally changes the way we think about classical music

Chaos and debauchery defined Baxter Dury's turbulent childhood. Abandoned by his punk rock star dad Ian Dury in the late 80s, Baxter was left in the h

Money, freedom, adoring fans: professional musicians seem to have it all. But beneath the surface lies a frightening truth: for years the music indust

The Sound of Being Human explores, in detail, why music plays such a deep-rooted role in so many lives, from before we are born to our last days. At i

Paper Cuts is the inside story of the slow death of the British music press. But it's also a love letter to it, the tale of how music magazines saved

When someone says, 'You have to know your history...' this is it. This classic book is the whole unruly story of dance music in one volume. It recreat

In this critical history, DeForrest Brown, Jr "makes techno Black again" by tracing the music's origins in Detroit and beyond In Assembling a Black

Born into a working-class Glaswegian family in the summer of 1961, Tenement Kid begins in the district of Springburn, soon to be evacuated in Edward H

Wisdom and musings on creativity and life from one of the world’s most beloved musicians, producers, and mentors, Quincy Jones 12 Notes is a self-d

From a talented young journalist on the rise, a deeply reported, timely new biography of the Notorious B.I.G., publishing for what would have been his

The long-awaited, candid memoir from Peter Doherty, whose talent as a musician has more often been eclipsed by a Herculean appetite for self-destructi

An intensely beautiful, profound and poetic biography of the formative years of the dark prince of rock 'n' roll, Boy on Fire is Nick Cave's creation

First as a journalist and then a publicist at Warner Brothers Records for nearly twenty years, Barbara Charone has experienced, first-hand, the change

So, I’ve written a book. Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities (‘It’s a piece of cake! Jus

Hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest rock memoirs of all time, Be My Baby is the true story of how Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ro

What if the things we keep hidden say more about us than those we put on display? We all have a random collection of the things that made us - phot

Patti Smith arrived in New York City at the end of the Age of Aquarius in search of work and purpose. Through her poetry, her songs, her unapologetic

As lead singer of Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun Ryder was the Keith Richards and Mick Jagger of his generation. A true rebel, who formed and le

The prequel to Bob Stanley’s universally acclaimed Yeah Yeah Yeah, Let’s Do It is the only book that brings together all genres to tell the defini

"This book is a must for everyone interested in illuminating the idea of unexplainable genius.” ―QUESTLOVE Equal parts biography, musicology, a

Sinéad O'Connor's voice and trademark shaved head made her famous by the age of twenty-one. Her recording of Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U made her a

For fans of music books from David Hepworth, Pete Paphides, Bob Stanley and Craig Brown, as well as thought-provoking human interest stories like Moon

This Woman's Work: Essays on Music is edited by Kim Gordon and Sinéad Gleeson and features contributors Anne Enright, Fatima Bhutto, Jenn Pelly, Rach

From warm up DJ at the birth of Acid House to global main stage headline artist today, Carl Cox continues to inspire and influence audiences and artis

This is Martha Wainwright's heartfelt memoir about growing up in a bohemian musical family and her experiences with love, loss, motherhood, divorce, t

An essential exploration of Nordic composers and musicians, and the distinctive culture that continues to shape them. Once considered a musical bac

'Lots of great stories... A fascinating insight.' -JOHN MAHER, Buzzcocks 'Perfectly executed, highly detailed, incredibly interesting.' -HENRY ROLL

'We are the biggest band in Britain of all time, ever. The funny thing is, all that fucking mouthing off three years ago about how we were going to be

There are few creative acts more mysterious and magical than writing a song. But what if the goal wasn't so mysterious and was actually achievable for

The official illustrated history of Blue Note, the most influential and important brand in jazz. Blue Note is not only known as the purveyor of ext

Den första boken om ett av världens äldsta rockband. Träd, Gräs och Stenar har existerat i olika skepnader sedan 1967. Det är idag

Growing up in Liverpool in the 1960s and '70s, when skinheads, football violence and fear of just about everything was the natural order of things, a

An LP is like an intersection where music, design, image, art and text radiate together - and it's always the square shaped cover that invites you to

An inspiring collection of quotes from The Talks, a much-loved online magazine featuring candid interviews with visionaries. Over the last decade,

Bestselling author and Sundance award-winning director Questlove offers a thrilling, music-driven ride through the last fifty years of American histor

His name was Prince, and he was funky. He was also inspiring, infuriating, visionary, secretive, seductive, contradictory. Especially contradictory. H

BeyoncŽ is not simply a pop sensation. She is a cultural phenomenon empowering the oppressed and dispossessed, challenging white privilege and misogy

Two long-time friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music and their enduring love of America, with all its challenges and cont

America's greatest folk singer and songwriter, philosopher, political analyst, and man-of-the-people, Woody Guthrie and his passionate social politics

The birth of hip hop in New York: rare images of the bands, the MCs and DJs, the artists and the fans, from Afrika Bambaataa and Run-DMC to Keith Hari

From award-winning musician and composer Warren Ellis comes the unexpected and inspiring story of a piece of chewing gum. Featuring an introduction fr

A PITCHFORK MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR. A radical, literary and intimate insight into one of the twentieth century's most vital vocalists. 'Tongson

Dire Straits filled giant stadiums around the world and sold hundreds of millions of records. Throughout the eighties they were one of the biggest ban