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The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll
This comprehensive study of the rise of rock and roll from 1954 to 1971 has now been expanded with close to 100 illustrations as well as a new introduction, recommended listening section, and bibliography.
562 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
37 people are currently reading
1470 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Gillett
17 books4 followersCharles Thomas Gillett was a British author and radio presenter. He wrote the first scholarly history of rock'n'roll, and later was one of the group who coined and popularised the term "world music". He hosted 'Charlie Gillett's World of Music' on the BBC World Service from 1999 until his death in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 14, 2023
When I found this used book in a thrift shop, I grabbed it up quickly since I am a fan of "old time rock and roll". And it certainly filled the bill. It was written in 1970 but since it is a history of rock music it is not dated
The author gives us a look at the decisive change that overtook American popular music in the early 1950s with the rise of R&R. He covers not only the music with its lyrics, but also the commercial and institutional barriers that attempted to bar it which was basically a chronicle of racism. The major record companies released "cover" versions by white performers (which went to the top of the charts) of black classics . For example, try to imagine Pat Boone covering Little Richard's Tutti Frutti. It makes my stomach turn over!
The book traces the sources of R&R and the role of the small, independent record labels that supported it, as well as white disc jockeys like Alan Freed who pioneered playing records by black artists. But it is not focused just on the black influence of rock but also the rise of white stars like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly.
There are sections which are sometimes rather dry but overall, it is a very complete history of the music that those of us who love the roots of R&R/R&B will enjoy and appreciate.
The author gives us a look at the decisive change that overtook American popular music in the early 1950s with the rise of R&R. He covers not only the music with its lyrics, but also the commercial and institutional barriers that attempted to bar it which was basically a chronicle of racism. The major record companies released "cover" versions by white performers (which went to the top of the charts) of black classics . For example, try to imagine Pat Boone covering Little Richard's Tutti Frutti. It makes my stomach turn over!
The book traces the sources of R&R and the role of the small, independent record labels that supported it, as well as white disc jockeys like Alan Freed who pioneered playing records by black artists. But it is not focused just on the black influence of rock but also the rise of white stars like Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly.
There are sections which are sometimes rather dry but overall, it is a very complete history of the music that those of us who love the roots of R&R/R&B will enjoy and appreciate.
Want to read
June 1, 2016David Bowie’s Formative Reading List of 75 Favorite Books
#43
#43
May 30, 2012
There's an awful lot of information packed into this book. Gillett has basically given us a history of Rock and Roll that's about as concise as I can imagine. I don't always agree with him and I think he lingers too long in certain geographical locations that don't quite deserve the attention that he gives them, but his scope is vast and mostly right on target. Anyone willing to find a good, informed history of Rock and Roll would do well to pick up this dense, yet readable work.
April 26, 2021
"The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll" by Charlie Gillett helped me understand my own musical tastes and to appreciate the massive contributions of African-Americans to American music. While Rock 'n' Roll was first recognized in the 1950's, the style's origins dated back to the 1920's with upbeat and rhythmic songs by Black artists boasting decidedly sexual lyrics. These tunes may have been Jazz, Blues, Swing, Jump Blues, Rhythm and Blues, or other types of "race" records. They all left their indelible mark on that great Transatlantic art form called Rock 'n' Roll. This is the story of that process and how the likes of Robert Johnson or Muddy Waters would be echoed by Eric Clapton or The Rolling Stones.
July 10, 2025
The Sound of the City is an exhaustive and deeply researched chronicle of how gospel, blues, and early R&B evolved into rock and roll and eventually shaped modern pop music. Gillett leaves no corner unexplored—from the behind-the-scenes studio maneuverings to the seismic impact of artists like Bob Dylan and The Beatles, who ultimately reshaped what it meant to create and own sound.
At times, the sheer depth of detail can be challenging—but it also makes the book uniquely valuable. I was especially struck by how powerfully the author traces the transition from industry-controlled sounds to a freer, artist-driven era. It offers not just a history lesson but a cultural one: how music doesn’t just reflect the times—it pushes against them, reframes them, and sometimes defines how we move through the world.
As the final book in my Dance Magic Dance reading season, it hit the right note: a reminder that art (especially loud, pulsing, defiant art) carries the power to unite, provoke, and transform. A must-read for any lover of pop music or anyone curious about the cultural engine behind the soundtracks of social change.
At times, the sheer depth of detail can be challenging—but it also makes the book uniquely valuable. I was especially struck by how powerfully the author traces the transition from industry-controlled sounds to a freer, artist-driven era. It offers not just a history lesson but a cultural one: how music doesn’t just reflect the times—it pushes against them, reframes them, and sometimes defines how we move through the world.
As the final book in my Dance Magic Dance reading season, it hit the right note: a reminder that art (especially loud, pulsing, defiant art) carries the power to unite, provoke, and transform. A must-read for any lover of pop music or anyone curious about the cultural engine behind the soundtracks of social change.
October 30, 2009
Pretty comprehensive study of the hit makers, song by song, labels, producers, players, labels, promotion, practically the whole nine yards . . . plenty of factual material from the '40s through the early '70s.
November 19, 2008
The definitive book on 50s and 60s rock n roll.
August 3, 2025
A brilliant, essential history of the early years of rock 'n' roll--originally published in 1983 but it still holds up. Music fanatics will take longer to finish this book, since you will find yourself searching for the many great recordings he recommends throughout!
January 24, 2020
When I finally managed to buy a copy of this book, I did not realise that it was essentially a commercial publication of the late Charlie Gillett's masters thesis, written while he was at Columbia University for his post-graduate studies (he had previously earned a degree in economics at Cambridge); as far as that goes, I was totally unaware that he had any academic credentials at all. I was not surprised, though, when I discovered the story behind this work- during his long career as a music journalist, author and radio presenter he was widely respected for his encyclopedic knowledge of 20th century popular music.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Gillett was credited by many with playing a major role in the popularisation of what would eventually become known as "World Music". I am one of those who have always taken issue with both the basic conception of "world music" as a genre, due primarily to its imperialist, colonialist and indeed racist overtones, and also to the criteria (or more to the point, the lack thereof) used in the identification of music as belonging within that genre classification. Leaving that aside, however, much of the music so-described since the 1970s would not have been anywhere near as easily available to listeners throughout the English-speaking world without the efforts undertaken by Mr. Gillett and others to promote the work of so many talented musicians from myriad diverse backgrounds. In those days before the existence of the internet, it was immeasurably more difficult to find music that did not conform to the extremely limited categories normally played on commercial radio, particularly here in the U.S.; this was even more true if the lyrics were sung in any language other than English.
Although I had heard and read his name before, I only first became aware of Charlie Gillett's work through the weekly music radio show he hosted on the BBC World Service from 1999 until his death in 2010. From the very first time I happened to hear that show, I found it so interesting and enjoyed it so much that I made the effort to tune in as often as possible. That was not as easy as it might seem, due to the fact that here in Detroit that particular program was scheduled at 3:00 a.m. I don't remember what the show was actually called- "Around The World In Records with Charlie Gillett", or something like that, but essentially Mr. Gillett would pick ten of the most interesting records he had heard recently from anywhere in the world outside the U.S. & U.K. (Canada & Australia were also excluded as I recall), and give each selection a short review after he had played it. Charlie Gillett was renowned for possessing "golden ears" and having impeccable taste, a reputation I believe to have been well-deserved. I didn't like everything he played by any means; more often than not there would be only one or two tracks I liked, and sometimes there were none. However, nearly everything he played was interesting and worth a listen, and on occasion, he would come up with something truly extraordinary. Among the many artists to whose music I was first exposed by Charlie Gillett's radio show are Amadou & Mariam, Tinariwen and Los Amigos Invisibles. All three of those went on to much greater success after first being exposed to an international audience by Charlie Gillett; in addition to that, I still enjoy the music of all three roughly a decade later...
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Gillett was credited by many with playing a major role in the popularisation of what would eventually become known as "World Music". I am one of those who have always taken issue with both the basic conception of "world music" as a genre, due primarily to its imperialist, colonialist and indeed racist overtones, and also to the criteria (or more to the point, the lack thereof) used in the identification of music as belonging within that genre classification. Leaving that aside, however, much of the music so-described since the 1970s would not have been anywhere near as easily available to listeners throughout the English-speaking world without the efforts undertaken by Mr. Gillett and others to promote the work of so many talented musicians from myriad diverse backgrounds. In those days before the existence of the internet, it was immeasurably more difficult to find music that did not conform to the extremely limited categories normally played on commercial radio, particularly here in the U.S.; this was even more true if the lyrics were sung in any language other than English.
Although I had heard and read his name before, I only first became aware of Charlie Gillett's work through the weekly music radio show he hosted on the BBC World Service from 1999 until his death in 2010. From the very first time I happened to hear that show, I found it so interesting and enjoyed it so much that I made the effort to tune in as often as possible. That was not as easy as it might seem, due to the fact that here in Detroit that particular program was scheduled at 3:00 a.m. I don't remember what the show was actually called- "Around The World In Records with Charlie Gillett", or something like that, but essentially Mr. Gillett would pick ten of the most interesting records he had heard recently from anywhere in the world outside the U.S. & U.K. (Canada & Australia were also excluded as I recall), and give each selection a short review after he had played it. Charlie Gillett was renowned for possessing "golden ears" and having impeccable taste, a reputation I believe to have been well-deserved. I didn't like everything he played by any means; more often than not there would be only one or two tracks I liked, and sometimes there were none. However, nearly everything he played was interesting and worth a listen, and on occasion, he would come up with something truly extraordinary. Among the many artists to whose music I was first exposed by Charlie Gillett's radio show are Amadou & Mariam, Tinariwen and Los Amigos Invisibles. All three of those went on to much greater success after first being exposed to an international audience by Charlie Gillett; in addition to that, I still enjoy the music of all three roughly a decade later...
August 18, 2018
Basically a 3-star-book by today's standards, this has had to be quite a tour de force when Charlie Gillett's first version was published. It is easy to pick holes or point out facts he got wrong (even in the 1980 revised edition I've read), but back in those days you didn't have decades worth of music retrospective anthology publishing building on top of one another, reissues, legacy reassessments, documentaries, or, you know, the internet. This is basically the grandaddy of a lot of later music publishing and anthologizing, so nothing but respect to Gillett on my part.
Sure, sometimes the mistakes are quite strange (implying that Tony Joe White stopped recording after Brook Benton took Rainy Night in Georgia to the charts, while he kept a steady release schedule throughout), and sometimes there are some strange omissions that may have to do more with later, major reassessments of certain works and milestone moments that were hardly a 'thing' back when this was first published. For example, there's no mention of Brian Wilson's Smile sessions whatsoever (nor of its failure and subsequent mental breakdown), and The Zombies aren't even mentioned, nor their opus magnum Oddessy and Oracle. The most painful one in hindsight has to be this historic blunder though:
"...Love's first hit was a version of a song whose unlikely source was a movie soundtrack written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, "My Little Red Book". But the group's own writer, the black guitarist and singer Arthur lee, never managed to organize his ambitious concepts into coherent arrangements, and Elektra Records never recovered their investment."
Huh. I guess by 1970 Forever Changes did not have the same iconic and much revered status as it has nowadays. But boy, in retrospect that bolded statement is just... wow. I'm pretty sure Elektra must have recouped their investment many times over by now though for what has to be one of the most powerful and, yes, most beautifully arranged records ever made.
Nit-picking aside, Gillett's anthology is still very informative. Perhaps a bit on the dry side (basically a long string of label histories and band biographies), and while the post-1965-stuff has been covered elsewhere a lot more extensively in the 50-odd years since his first version, anything before that - especially the very extensive breakdown of different strains of blues - I particularly enjoyed in a join-the-dots manner. Putting the many label names into their respective contexts also provided some kicks for me as a modest 45-collector, and the suggested playlists at the back of the book - starting in 1946 - are the kind of bonus that earns The Sound of the City an extra star for me on a personal level. No contest though that this would have easily been a five star book in 1970.
Sure, sometimes the mistakes are quite strange (implying that Tony Joe White stopped recording after Brook Benton took Rainy Night in Georgia to the charts, while he kept a steady release schedule throughout), and sometimes there are some strange omissions that may have to do more with later, major reassessments of certain works and milestone moments that were hardly a 'thing' back when this was first published. For example, there's no mention of Brian Wilson's Smile sessions whatsoever (nor of its failure and subsequent mental breakdown), and The Zombies aren't even mentioned, nor their opus magnum Oddessy and Oracle. The most painful one in hindsight has to be this historic blunder though:
"...Love's first hit was a version of a song whose unlikely source was a movie soundtrack written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, "My Little Red Book". But the group's own writer, the black guitarist and singer Arthur lee, never managed to organize his ambitious concepts into coherent arrangements, and Elektra Records never recovered their investment."
Huh. I guess by 1970 Forever Changes did not have the same iconic and much revered status as it has nowadays. But boy, in retrospect that bolded statement is just... wow. I'm pretty sure Elektra must have recouped their investment many times over by now though for what has to be one of the most powerful and, yes, most beautifully arranged records ever made.
Nit-picking aside, Gillett's anthology is still very informative. Perhaps a bit on the dry side (basically a long string of label histories and band biographies), and while the post-1965-stuff has been covered elsewhere a lot more extensively in the 50-odd years since his first version, anything before that - especially the very extensive breakdown of different strains of blues - I particularly enjoyed in a join-the-dots manner. Putting the many label names into their respective contexts also provided some kicks for me as a modest 45-collector, and the suggested playlists at the back of the book - starting in 1946 - are the kind of bonus that earns The Sound of the City an extra star for me on a personal level. No contest though that this would have easily been a five star book in 1970.
April 29, 2020
It's 1971 - 3 TV channels, barely more radio stations, no video recorders, and the internet as we know it is over 40 years away... even cassette recorders (then quite new) cost the equivalent of over £400 in today's money... all of which is to say that being a music fan in 1971 was a lot different to how it is today - music was hard to find out about and even harder to find, so books like this, one of the first and foundational serious books about rock & pop, must have been a godsend at the time. Mostly history, but also part-review and part-catalogue, it's a fantastic primer on blues, rock & roll and soul, written when the form was still relatively new, and only just showing signs that maybe "pop music" was more than a passing fad.
It's also a time capsule of contemporary critical thinking - The Beatles get rather short-shrift, as do the Stones, and the Kinks barely rate a mention, though the Animals, The Lovin' Spoonful, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Sir Douglas Quintet (!) are all given glowing commentaries - easy to play hindsight with, but interesting nonetheless. It's an essential read for music fans, though you definitely need to bear in mind when it was written. Those just starting out in appreciating music might want to read some newer histories of rock for a wider context first, but definitely put this on your list!
It's also a time capsule of contemporary critical thinking - The Beatles get rather short-shrift, as do the Stones, and the Kinks barely rate a mention, though the Animals, The Lovin' Spoonful, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Sir Douglas Quintet (!) are all given glowing commentaries - easy to play hindsight with, but interesting nonetheless. It's an essential read for music fans, though you definitely need to bear in mind when it was written. Those just starting out in appreciating music might want to read some newer histories of rock for a wider context first, but definitely put this on your list!
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June 12, 2023Just one of the best books about "rock 'n' roll" out there. This is essential reading for anyone interested in the rhythm & blues/ rock & roll/pop development. Mr. Gillett uses information about the best-selling records and how decisions by major/minor labels, production and/or writing teams shaped what became the three main branches of popular music.
Just read it. I do not have enough superlatives for this book.
Just read it. I do not have enough superlatives for this book.
Read
April 30, 2019Charlie Gillett has here a veritable bible for the serious pop music nerd if there ever was one. Not my taste, per se, but it was our pick this month for the BowieBookClub podcast. It was generous of Bowie to have picked it for his list of 100 books since Gillett doesn't seem to have been much of a fan.
Check out our episode at BowieBookClub.com
Check out our episode at BowieBookClub.com
April 2, 2022
The premise that rock 'n roll came to prominence via independent labels as opposed to majors is well-supported and local music scenes are explored. However, the writing is mostly dry and the multitude of factual errors (e.g. naming The Monkees' Davy Jones as the lead vocalist on their hit "I'm a Believer" or repeatedly calling the group who hit with "Dirty Water" as The Stondells or misspelling the last name of Bobby in Janis Joplin's biggest hit every time it's mentioned) detract from the writer's perceived credibility.
October 24, 2022
Okay, so I am sure that this is an excellent look at the pre-history of rock and roll, but that is not what I was really sold. I feel like The Sound of the City, is a great title, but a more apt title for this would be Race and Record Company Control because that is what most of the content addressed. We get into rock and roll around page 300 and by then I had reverted to a lot of skimming of content.
November 6, 2017
Charlie Gillett was one of my favourites with his radio stuff and his book doesn't disappoint. He is at heart just a music fan. This is one of the best books on the history of rock. Gillett details the rise of the musicians, the DJs and the record labels that transformed popular music from the fifties onwards. A great read.
June 14, 2019
Terrific read if you grew up loving rock and roll and rhythm and blues. It gives a great framework for understanding how “black music” - soul, gospel, blues, rhythm and blues, was able to cross over to the white audience. Sometimes gives tmi about the names and histories of record companies and producers, but fascinating backgrounds of some of our favorite musicians.
May 4, 2017
Lots more info than I needed or will ever remember but glad I read it. Held my attention all the way thru. Remembered most of the music and the artist but learned a great deal about thos behind the scenes.
November 5, 2018
great book
July 2, 2018
Great book, it gives a complete insight into the five styles that were termed Rock n'Roll, to the early uses of Surf Rock, Garage/Punk Rock and little glance at Prog Rock. Highly recommended.
August 25, 2021
This is the only good book I've read on popular music. It is academic and readable.
July 10, 2019
Wow! More later....
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July 19, 2020Best history of rock and roll...essential.
April 25, 2021
Was recommended - read it MANY years ago & loved it!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews