A thick and informative guide to the world of classical music and its stunning recordings, complete with images from CD cases, concert halls, and of the musicians themselves.

In the style of the phenomenally successful 1001 series this is an essential guide and gift for anyone with a passion for music. 1001 CLASSICAL RECORDINGS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE is the key to understanding and appreciating the entire body of classical music. Beguiling sonatas, moving arias and operas, uplifting choral works and dramatic symphonies are all described in reviews that also explain why certain recordings of each one are the most inspiring, artistically successful and satisfying. You can browse in any number of ways through the 1001 reviews, discovering new types of music, new composers and individual works to explore. Unlike many classical music guides, 1001 CLASSICAL RECORDINGS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE features album cover illustrations, highlights recommended releases and includes quotations that shed light on the composers and their works. For the novice and seasoned concert-goer alike, the passionate reviews, indepth biographical information and unexpected insights make this a unique and indispensable companion to the best of classical music.

A guide to music provides recommendations on one thousand recordings that represent the best in such genres as classical, jazz, rock, pop, blues, country, folk, musicals, hip-hop, and opera, with listening notes, commentary, and anecdotes about performers.

“The ultimate literary bucket list.” —THE WASHINGTON POST Celebrate the pleasure of reading and the thrill of discovering new titles in an extraordinary book that’s as compulsively readable, entertaining, surprising, and enlightening as the 1,000-plus titles it recommends. Covering fiction, poetry, science and science fiction, memoir, travel writing, biography, children’s books, history, and more, 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die ranges across cultures and through time to offer an eclectic collection of works that each deserve to come with the recommendation, You have to read this. But it’s not a proscriptive list of the “great works”—rather, it’s a celebration of the glorious mosaic that is our literary heritage. Flip it open to any page and be transfixed by a fresh take on a very favorite book. Or come across a title you always meant to read and never got around to. Or, like browsing in the best kind of bookshop, stumble on a completely unknown author and work, and feel that tingle of discovery. There are classics, of course, and unexpected treasures, too. Lists to help pick and choose, like Offbeat Escapes, or A Long Climb, but What a View. And its alphabetical arrangement by author assures that surprises await on almost every turn of the page, with Cormac McCarthy and The Road next to Robert McCloskey and Make Way for Ducklings, Alice Walker next to Izaac Walton. There are nuts and bolts, too—best editions to read, other books by the author, “if you like this, you’ll like that” recommendations , and an interesting endnote of adaptations where appropriate. Add it all up, and in fact there are more than six thousand titles by nearly four thousand authors mentioned—a life-changing list for a lifetime of reading. “948 pages later, you still want more!” —THE WASHINGTON POST

A photographic look into the world of vinyl record collectors—including Questlove—in the most intimate of environments—their record rooms. Compelling photographic essays from photographer Eilon Paz are paired with in-depth and insightful interviews to illustrate what motivates these collectors to keep digging for more records. The reader gets an up close and personal look at a variety of well-known vinyl champions, including Gilles Peterson and King Britt, as well as a glimpse into the collections of known and unknown DJs, producers, record dealers, and everyday enthusiasts. Driven by his love for vinyl records, Paz takes us on a five-year journey unearthing the very soul of the vinyl community.

Thoroughly revised and expanded, this entertaining musical companion provides original reviews of more than seven hundred albums, along with deailed information on recording and production details, release dates, artists and musicians, cross references, and more. Original.

The Gramophone Classical Music Guide 2011 is the essential guide for music lovers collecting their music on CD, DVD or as a download, drawing on Gramophone magazine's 85-year experience of reviewing classical music on record.Whether you're just dipping a toe into the huge, but rewarding, world of classical music, or already have a substantial collection, The Gramophone Classical Music Guide 2011 is an invaluable companion.

Fully revised and updated, this text adds coverage of mashups and auto-tune, explores recent developments in file sharing, and includes an expanded conclusion and bibliography.

Cult Musicians handpicks 50 notable figures from the modern world of music and explores the creative genius that earned them the cult label, while celebrating the works that made their names. What makes a cult musician? Whether pioneering in their craft, fiercely and undeniably unique or critically divisive, cult musicians come in all shapes and guises. Some gain instant fame, others instant notoriety, and more still remain anonymous until a chance change in fashion sees their work propelled into the limelight. In Cult Musicians Robert Dimery introduces 50 musicians deserving of a cult status. The book will cover a plethora of genres and boundary-breakers, from afrobeat and art pop to glam rock and proto punk – Bjork and PJ Harvey to Aphex Twin and Wiley. Discover little knowns with small, devout followings and superstars gracing the covers of magazines: each musician is special in their individuality and their ability to inspire, antagonise and delight. Following Cult Artists, Cult Filmmakers and Cult Writers, Cult Musicians is an essential addition to any music lover's library, as well as an entertaining introduction to our weird and wonderful world of music. The Musicians: Alex Chilton, Alice Coltrane, Aphex Twin, Arthur Lee, Arthur Russell, Betty Davis, Bjork, Bobbie Gentry, Brian Eno, Brigitte Fontaine, Captain Beefheart, Delia Derbyshire, Edith Piaf, Fela Kuti, Frank Zappa, Gil Scott-Heron, Iggy Pop, J Dilla, John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Kat Bjelland, Kool Keith, Laurie Anderson, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Lili Boulanger, Lydia Lunch, Manu Chao, Marianne Faithfull, Mark E. Smith, Mark Hollis, Moondog, Nick Cave, Nick Drake, Nico, Patti Smith, Peaches, PJ Harvey, Robert Wyatt, Roky Erickson, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Sandy Denny, Scott Walker, Serge Gainsbourg, Sixto Rodriguez, Sun Ra, Syd Barrett, The Slits, Tom Waits, Wiley, Yoko Ono.