Music Is My Life: Soundtrack Your Mood with 80 Artists for Every Occasion

by Myles Tanzer, Myles Tanzer

Learn about music and emotion in this anthology for the whole family

With 80 artists, bands, and composers from all genres (including classical) there's something for every family member to love and recommend to the next generation (or, disagree with!)  While away the hours, listening to artists and discovering new songs together. 

Do you remember the first time you discovered an artist you really loved? Did they get you through a difficult time in your life? This book harnesses that feeling, by collecting together 80 of music's finest artists  to guide young people through the good, bad and sad times. Whatever the feeling, these artists have been there and sung about it. Organised by mood, dip into the library to discover new artists from decades past to present day. Shout about it with Nirvana, love yourself with Lizzo, or cry it out with Adele.

Each entry contains biographical information on each artist, lists must-hear songs, and has accessible musical analysis from author and journalist Myles Tanzer. Every artist is captured in full-colour, rocking art by Ali Mac. With information at the front on how to soundtrack your mood, and information at the back on how to listen to and make your own music. 

A pitch-perfect introduction to music appreciation for children

Genres: Music, Reference, Middle Grade

112 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2020

Reviews

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonfiction books about music for kids are few and far between so this book is a welcome addition to my school library collection. It is absolutely brilliant! Such a cool way to introduce kids (and adults) to all sorts of music and artists. Some interesting snippets about each artist/group with recommended songs and albums to listen to. Not only is the information good, the illustrations are fabulous and really portray the different personalities.

A must-but book for primary, intermediate and high school libraries.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This book is a recommendation guide of music to listen to when your going through different emotional stages in your life and gives basic information on songs to listen to by numerous artists.
I would say that this book is aimed at ages between 9-15 as a guide.
This book was good but could have been made more interesting.

[Miss Zr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was really useful and resourceful, the quick facts on each artist, band ,etc makes it a quick read. Loved the pictures and was so colourful. Thanks for letting me review

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hmmm… This wasn't exactly the book I wanted, nor was it the book I thought to expect. It looked to be a kind of recommendation service, and in splitting musical acts up into what they do – inspire us to be innovative, make us dance, give us solace when we're feeling up against it – it does try its best and attach suggested artists to a specific purpose. The first entry, Lana del Rey, in the 'glumness' section, seemed to forecast a really good, accessible book of musicology for the young, showing how her records work, and what she does with her musical choices to get us to feel certain things. But that was a rare highlight, for elsewhere the writing is just cheese. It might be partly because the 'glumness' has to be got through first, but this was silly hand-holding. "You know, it's alright to feel like you'll never find love, listen to what Adele says about it. Oh, and grow out of it, you're only 9 years old." I paraphrase. "It's always important for you to feel comfortable in your own skin." And I don't paraphrase – that's how the page on Christine and the Queens ends.

So while this book might just win some people over to music they have never heard of before – how many people in the target audience had ever clicked through to Ryuichi Sakamoto on Spotify before now? - the writing didn't really serve to give me what I sought. It's certainly too full of platitudes and stereotypes for me, like the old Smash Hits magazines had been rewritten after some mindfulness and self-activation classes. One and a half stars.

[Ben Truong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Music Is My Life: Soundtrack Your Mood with 80 Artists for Every Occasion is a middle grade picture book anthology of musicians and bands written by Myles Tanzer and illustrated by Ali Mac. Based on the idea that songs provide the ideal soundtrack to specific emotions, Tanzer has organized the works of popular musicians and bands into twelve feelings-oriented themes.

For the most part, this collection of musicians and bands is written and constructed moderately well. Arranged in a group of moods with a group of six or seven musicians or bands in each group, each entrant receives a single page (with the occasional two-page spread), illustrated by Mac in stylized portraits, that includes key facts, direct quotes, and text touching on works in Tanzer's conversational, occasionally gushy prose. It is less of a biography of each entrant and more of a musical guide, which I wasn't expecting.

Tanzer offers an eclectic mix of artists range from past to present, different genres, and around the world, which may prove a useful jumping-off point for children readying to explore an eclectic musical world.

All in all, Music Is My Life: Soundtrack Your Mood with 80 Artists for Every Occasion is a near pitch-perfect introduction to music appreciation for children.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a clever idea for an anthology!  The author organizes this book into sections that reflect moods such as "cry it out with, fall in love with, celebrate life with, focus with, dance around with" and more.  Each section features artists as, for example, cry it out with Lana Del Rey, Amy Winehouse, Adele, Joni Mitchell and others.  There is then information about each artist including biographical facts and suggestions of songs. This book with illustrations of the musicians would make a great gift for an eight year old or above child in your.  The suggestions are good for adults too.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.

[Nii · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read. Being a music maker and student I was quite excited to read this book. I didn't really expect too much of it nor was I surprised. I enjoyed the layout of the book quite a lot and found the artists featured quite diversified. However it wasn't as detailed or interesting as I had expected and it didn't really add anything to my playlist. It was a book with a lot of potential but not as good as it could have been.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - Wide Eyed Editions for gifting me an ARC of this book.

[Beth Younge · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting collection but i wish that the art was more consist throughout as some of the artist were done beautifully whilst others looked horrible. The facts and info were interesting but it did feel a little thin when compared to similar collections. This is a fun and quick little read that is a great gift for music fans.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Leah Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love every aspect of this book. The colorful illustrations, musicians and artists to pair with emotions, the write ups. Everything in here is creative and beautiful.

Music can touch you and speak to you and drive you.

I want to binge this whole playlist.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic anthology of music! Great gift for my grandchildren and now my go to gift for my friend's grandchildren. We all have emotions, and now Myles has song recommendations to go with those emotions. How clever!

[Shant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad book for kids and too short to truly dislike, but it could have been better. Some of the entries felt repetitive/did not match their mood, and other entries did not really connect the artist to the mood. Also, I think the best artists have music for several moods, but that's too picky.

[Petty Lisbon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this was an interesting way to group artists to different moods but some of the artwork did not resemble the artists enough.

Nonetheless, I learned about the song Beth/Rest by Bon Iver from this book so it was worth it.

[Maddie L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I absolutely loved this book!! The illustrations are off the charts and I loved seeing the connection btwn the art and the biographical blurb on each page😃

[Isa Rive · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was genius to use emotion to categorise artists in this book. The bright graffiti portraits and song suggestions are music to my ears. While I’d like to sing more of this books praises, it mostly finishes here. Music is universal right? But selections of talent were not. All but one of the artists are from the northern hemisphere. Most from the US (surprise surprise), with England being the second most represented. Not a single musician from India, Middle East, South America, Africa, Aotearoa/New Zealand… Big gaps. However, kudos for giving a 2 page spread to BTS- they are hugely popular worldwide currently. My humble suggestion- expand your horizons for the next edition.