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geoffwood's review
4.0
An attempt to correct for the Nerdy White Guy bias in pop music criticism by, paradoxically, focusing more on Square White Guy acts like Paul Whiteman, Lawrence Welk, Mitch Mitchell, Perry Como, etc.
princessfabulous's review
challenging
informative
slow-paced
4.0
This is a very educational text. The Beatles actually don't come up all that much. It's more a history of popular music as the subtitle says
nancywif's review
3.0
I can't really rate this since I didn't finish it. I gave it three stars just because it was very detailed and informative, I just didn't find it so fascinating that I wanted to continue reading it. It felt too much like a text book.
old_tim's review
4.0
Relax boomers – this isn’t the 300 page takedown of the Beatles that you’re ready to hate. What it is then, is a unique history of American popular music in the 20th century. A sequel, of sorts, to Wald’s “Escaping the Delta”.
The argument in this case is that around 1965, music became more segregated, with black performers continuing the traditional interest in dance music, while white performers became more interested in art music designed for listening, not movement. His claim is that this was to the detriment of both strands of music.
Wald’s approach is somewhat unique. The usual approach is to construct a critical narrative. From a position of hindsight, various figures deemed important and/or influential are highlighted to provide some sense of progress. Wald views himself as a historian, rather than a critic. Using sales charts and radio playlists he constructs a vision of what people were actually listening to, rather than what they *should* have been listening to.
The advantage of this approach is that it provides a more accurate reflection of what the times were actually like. Yes, apparently Doris Day & Perry Como really were that popular!
And that leads to the downside of Wald’s approach. There are long passages devoted to performers such as Paul Whiteman who is of little to no interest to contemporary listeners. While Wald’s writing never falters, the fact that these performers are quite simply of lesser importance to modern ears makes these portions of the book drag.
The discussion of the 1950s was of particular interest to me in light of the current state of the music industry. The split between albums and singles, both among audiences and performers, seems to mirror the emerging state of the recording industry. Perhaps in a few years we’ll again find ourselves in that same situation.
The argument in this case is that around 1965, music became more segregated, with black performers continuing the traditional interest in dance music, while white performers became more interested in art music designed for listening, not movement. His claim is that this was to the detriment of both strands of music.
Wald’s approach is somewhat unique. The usual approach is to construct a critical narrative. From a position of hindsight, various figures deemed important and/or influential are highlighted to provide some sense of progress. Wald views himself as a historian, rather than a critic. Using sales charts and radio playlists he constructs a vision of what people were actually listening to, rather than what they *should* have been listening to.
The advantage of this approach is that it provides a more accurate reflection of what the times were actually like. Yes, apparently Doris Day & Perry Como really were that popular!
And that leads to the downside of Wald’s approach. There are long passages devoted to performers such as Paul Whiteman who is of little to no interest to contemporary listeners. While Wald’s writing never falters, the fact that these performers are quite simply of lesser importance to modern ears makes these portions of the book drag.
The discussion of the 1950s was of particular interest to me in light of the current state of the music industry. The split between albums and singles, both among audiences and performers, seems to mirror the emerging state of the recording industry. Perhaps in a few years we’ll again find ourselves in that same situation.
vanessammc's review
2.0
Read for History book club. Should know a bit about the history of popular music to get the gist of the book.
sethsam's review
5.0
What a trip! Essential for anyone who wants a history of pop from the perspective of a musician and music lover. While Bob
Stanley's Yeah Yeah Yeah covers more contemporary ground, this book sees music as something more pure and universal, and not simply the province of sex-starved young men close-listening to their idols on headphones in their bedroom alone as they seethe with rage at the women who won't love them.
Stanley's Yeah Yeah Yeah covers more contemporary ground, this book sees music as something more pure and universal, and not simply the province of sex-starved young men close-listening to their idols on headphones in their bedroom alone as they seethe with rage at the women who won't love them.
dwebster1031's review
2.0
This is the most blatant case of false advertising in a book title since To Kill a Mockingbird
sloreader's review
5.0
Though listening to music has been one of the central organizing foci of my life I've never gotten into digging into its history in any dedicated way. I believe reading this book has caught me up on 25 years of lost time. Once you can ignore the misleading hot-take of a title, you will find a staggeringly researched timeline of eight decades of American popular music. It's serious scholarship (the 250 pages is deceptively short) but regaled with wit, anecdotes and curiosities that keep it from feeling lecturing. I plan on finding other books about music history now but I also to buy this one to refer back to in the future.
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