1001 Songs

These songs have changed the world. Find out why, and then: let the music play! Robert Dimery

1001 Songs takes us on a musical highway and introduces you to some of the greatest songs ever recorded. This fascinating, richly illustrated guide, written by an experienced team of music journalists and critics, provides an overview of nearly a hundred years of pop music history, timeless songwriting, and legendary performers, from Bessie Smith to Gnarls Barkley, from Metallica to Missy Elliott. Discover what made these songs so great – and then: back to the music!

The colorful history of pop music is built on a foundation of song classics. From Robert Johnson to Radiohead, from Bob Dylan to Kurt Cobain, and from Joni Mitchell to Amy Winehouse, talented songwriters have created music that has become an integral part of our lives. What would the fifties be without the wild excitement of "Tutti Frutti" and "Hound Dog," the seventies without anthems like "Le Freak" and "Anarchy in the UK," or the first decade of the new millennium without the leftfield pop of "Toxic" or "Crazy"?

This music is a reflection of its time; it mirrors society ("A Change Is Gonna Come," "The Message"), marks our personal highs ("God Only Knows") and lows ("Hurt") on the emotional map – and has helped us forget our problems and dance the night away from "Saturday Night Fish Fry" to Saturday Night Fever.

Do you love music? Is music your life? Then you need 1001 Songs before your life is over! "Buy, beg, steal, or borrow the 1001 songs featured in this book! I don't know if I'll ever manage to listen to them all, but I'm working on it." - Tony Visconti.