A review by lyrareadsbooks
The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook

4.0

This is the sort of book that makes me miss liner notes. I used to pour over those things and in turn the links between various producers and songwriters and studio musicians let to the discovery of new music. Unlike those golden days, this shows how the writing of songs and production has become divorced from performance and now functions like a fast food assembly line. Interesting, depressing and insightful all at the same time.

After reading how hit songs are assembled, I understand why so many songs sound similar enough that you can swap lyrics from to another. Chances are high they were swapped around a few times in the studio.