Singles: Six Decades of Hot Hits and Classic Cuts

by Johnny Black, Mark Brend (Contributor)

Every pop music fan has, at some point, made a list of favorite singles. They provide the sound track for memorable moments and define eras; they underpin our lives. Singles do not allow for overindulgence - more than any other recorded format, they combine great artistic and emotional impact in one short, sharp burst of music. At their best they are, in Phil Spector's immortal words. "little symphonies for the kids."
Singles is a richly illustrated and informative history of over 50 years of the popular music single, covering more than 750 records by more than 500 artists. It looks in detail at the musical genres that work best in the shorter format, including rock 'n' roll, Motown, punk, disco, rap, and more.
From complex technological feats like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" to primitive classics like "Louie Louie" by The Kingsmen; from the peerless disco of Abba's "Dancing Queen" to the precocious teen pop of "... Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears, Singles has it all.

Genres: Music

320 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 2006

Reviews

[Kirby Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read. Tis a bit dated now, in that the last year covered is more than 10 years ago, but those interested in reading about popular records at the start of the rock and roll era through 2000 will enjoy this - perhaps lamenting, as I did, the end of their era.

[Marcos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all: six decades of hits - from 1954 to 2004; the book is British, however, so there are songs/bands discussed here (Suzi Quatro, Slade, Cliff Richard) that have little to no name recognition in the US. It just maed me want to check out all of those songs all the more...