Once upon a time books about rock music were a rarity, these days they just might be a dime a dozen. Quite a few of those are fresh out of print recounting the rise (and possibly the fall) of most current stars, written by fans for fans.
Others cover a specific genre, a set of albums, and whatnot, and the variety can often be overpowering. Yet those key ones that take a deep and/or critical look at certain rock phenomena that have appeared through decades seem to be less and less published.
It seems that these days, rock music criticism seems to have largely lost that criticism element somewhere. Real music analysis has been replaced by either glorification of certain genres or artists or their complete disqualification.
12 great books about rock music
Maybe one of the reasons lies lie in the fact that a number of great critics like Lester Bangs or Ian McDonald are not around anymore. The other part on the fact that quite a number of people have given up on reading detailed print books that go beyond everyday music reviews or artist biographies.
So, where are those analytical, detailed, or critical books about rock music? Actually, there are quite a few of them around, most of them by writers and critics who weren’t (or still aren’t) afraid to be both objective, critical, and full of praise, and you can find them in that ‘old’ printed form, in digital formats, and quite a few are available as audiobooks. Here are some essential ones that you
Greil Marcus - The History of Rock In Ten Songs
Greil Marcus is considered one of the best and most profound rock critics around and possibly has written some of the best books about Bob Dylan around. Marcus has that analytical and flamboyant writing style and hits the right remarks (and notes) every time. This one is actually great in the audiobook form as it is read by Henry Rollins, a known punk rock singer, songwriter, and poet.
Rollins himself describes Marcus as a poet, probably because of his excellent writing style. Using Marcus’ words, Rollins describes how songs such as “Crying, Waiting, Hoping” by Buddy Holly, “Sweet Home Chicago” by Robert Johnson, and “Money Changes Everything” sung by Cyndi Lauper changed music and changed lives. Essentially, Marcus and Rollins turn rock music into magic.
Ian McDonald - Revolution In The Head
Late writer Ian McDonald is considered one of the bards of British rock criticisms who was the leading figure of the British weekly New Musical Express magazine in its heyday. Here, McDonald talks about the Beatles, but instead of recounting the band’s history, he goes into deep analysis of each and every song The Beatles recorded with style, flair, and imagination.
Lester Bangs - Psychotic Reaction and Carburetor Dung
While he was around another late great, Lester Bangs wrote a series of books about rock, each and everyone worth the effort. He is deeply embedded in the history of rock criticism, with a writing style and imagination that many other writers attempted to copy but rarely were able to.
This book is a selection of essays here was prepared by Greil Marcus (Bangs’s first editor at Rolling Stone, in 1969), presenting him as one of the most distinctive voices in rock music criticism.
Charles Shaar Murray - Shots From The Hip
Murray is another of rock criticism stalwarts from the New Musical Express heyday in the seventies. Murray is another author with a series of rock books under his belt, and this one stands out. Many consider him as one of those rock music writers whose accent was always on criticism rather than praise and a man "who helped invent the history of rock."
Jessica Hopper - The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic: Revised and Expanded Edition
The title is a content giveaway from this fiercely feminist and revered contemporary rock critic. Throughout her career, spanning more than two decades, Jessica Hopper, as pioneering music critic, has examined women recording and producing music, in all genres, through an intersectional feminist lens.
The collection also includes profiles and reviews of some of the most-loved and most-loathed women artists making music today, from Fiona Apple and Kacey Musgraves to Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey.
Barney Hoskins - Waiting For The Sun
Hoskins is possibly one of the most meticulous rock historians who doesn’t shy from expressing his opinions and making personal footnotes to rock history. He has a clear, no-fuss writing style any reader (listener?) could latch to.
Here, he details the Los Angeles music scene and some of its key actors, from Jim Morrison and Gram Parsons to Frank Zappa and a multitude of others.
Legs McNeil & Gillian McCain - Please Kill Me
Where was punk rock invented? This dual writing effort tries to solve that debate. The duo tipped the scales towards the U.S., documenting the punk’s progenitors such as Lou Reed and Iggy Pop, but also the key initial acts of the punk boom such as Ramones, Patti Smith, and others.
Michael Azzerad - Our Band Can Be Your Life
Azzerad also discusses some of the key punk bands, but his scope is much wider and goes more deeply about the development of the US rock underground scene and its influence on what is now known as indie rock. In that respect, Azzerad covers the key 1980s acts like Black Flag, Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, Mudhoney, and Fugazi among others.
David Hepworth - 1971: Never A Dull Moment
If you haven’t, or even if you had a chance to see the excellent Apple TV+ docu series 1971: The Year Music Changed Everything, this book is essential, as it served as the basis for the series itself.
The key Hepworth’s idea here is that 1971 was rock’s greatest year, supporting that not only by presenting the key artists, music, or events but also by giving broader cultural and political aspects that support his thesis.
Mick Farren - Give The Anarchist A Cigarette
There was always an element of excess and debauchery connected with rock music, and Mick Farren was both a rock critic (another NME heyday stalwart) and a musician in his own right who knew that aspect of rock music far too well. Yet along with that part, Farren is able do go in more detail about the 60s/70s UK counterculture as such.
Bob Stanley - Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Another musician (of the great electro-poppers St. Etienne), gone writer, and a musical archivist with some sublime music compilations behind his name.
Sal Maida, Michel Cohen & Friends - The White Label Promo Preservation Society Vols. 1 & 2
Hozac Records, a hip Chicago record label and book publisher is behind this project of recording and pointing out as many as possible underrated but great albums out there. As a series of authors behind this project, the writing style and taste vary, but this is exactly one of the reasons why both of these volumes work.