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A review by kellylizbeth
The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook
5.0
I'm a hopeless nerd when it comes to music, and I loved this book. It was fascinating to see the web of connections and commonalities under the surface of today's pop hits: the people who write them, the way they do it, and the effect on how society listens. The commercial focus of modern mainstream music is inescapable, and as with any product, a handful of people have figured out how to tap into the brain's natural impulses and deliver a dose of feel-good in the form of a song--some without ever touching an instrument, just using a computer.
If I didn't know there was so much out there to listen to besides what's on CHR (sorry, TSwift), this book would have depressed the hell out of me. But there is still a lot of talent in the world in the form of gifted, hardworking musicians who wouldn't touch the "Song Machine" with a ten-foot pole. And if you keep that in mind, you can appreciate this book as a well-written, compelling examination of the rapidly changing musical component of the entertainment industry - without buying in.
If I didn't know there was so much out there to listen to besides what's on CHR (sorry, TSwift), this book would have depressed the hell out of me. But there is still a lot of talent in the world in the form of gifted, hardworking musicians who wouldn't touch the "Song Machine" with a ten-foot pole. And if you keep that in mind, you can appreciate this book as a well-written, compelling examination of the rapidly changing musical component of the entertainment industry - without buying in.