Top 10 Best Music Books
Warren Ellis, ‘Nina Simone’s Gum: A Memoir of Things Lost and Found: At a 1999 festival gig, Warren Ellis — the Dirty Three violinist and Nick Cave’s red-right-hand man.
Hanif Abdurraqib, ‘A Little Devil in America: Poet, critic, author (and Rolling Stone contributor) Hanif Abdurraqib weaves together music criticism.
Joshua Clover, ‘Roadrunner: Jonathan Richman’s proto-punk classic “Roadrunner” is one of the greatest songs ever about the freeing power of rock & roll and the open road.
Betto Arcos, ‘Music Stories From the Cosmic Barrio: The journalist and radio producer Betto Arcos has crisscrossed the world a few times over.
Daphne Brooks, ‘Liner Notes for the Revolution: The Intellectual Life of Black Feminist Sound: Yale professor Daphne Brooks takes on a wide-ranging study of Black female artists.
Stephen Deusner, ‘Where the Devil Don’t Stay: Traveling the South With the Drive-By Truckers: The most brilliant decision veteran music journalist Stephen Deusner made for this book.
Regina N. Bradley, ‘Chronicling Stankonia: The Rise of the Hip-Hop South: This treatise from leading Southern hip-hop scholar Regina N. Bradley is a revelatory collection of essays.
Dave Grohl, ‘The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music: Stuck during Covid lockdown with nothing to do, the ever-restless Grohl started writing.
Mary Gauthier, ‘Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting: In her debut memoir, Americana songwriter Mary Gauthier leaves nothing hiding in the shadows.
Tom Beaujour and Richard Bienstock, ‘Nöthin’ But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the ’80s Hard Rock Explosion: From stories about how Gene Simmons asked Van.