Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs: The Top Singles That Changed Rock, R&B and Soul

The book "Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs" by Marc Myers explores the stories behind 55 iconic rock, pop, R&B, country, and reggae hits, featuring intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them. It combines oral history, musical analysis, and insights into the creative process of these famous songs.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 416 pages
Publication date: 02 November 2023
Publisher: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press

Songs that sell the most copies often become hits, but some of those hits become something more – iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also alter the direction of music. In this follow-up to his classic Anatomy of a Song, writer and music historian Marc Myers tells the stories behind fifty-five more rock, pop, R&B, country, and reggae hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them. Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising to Dionne Warwick's Walk On By, The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations, and Black Sabbath's Paranoid. Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John's Rocket Man; Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated into Bad Reputation, and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works.

Songs that sell the most copies often become hits, but some of those hits become something more – iconic recordings that not only inspire a generation but also alter the direction of music. In this follow-up to his classic Anatomy of a Song, writer and music historian Marc Myers tells the stories behind fifty-five more rock, pop, R&B, country, and reggae hits through intimate interviews with the artists who wrote and recorded them. Part oral history, part musical analysis, Anatomy of 55 Hit Songs ranges from Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising to Dionne Warwick's Walk On By, The Beach Boys' Good Vibrations, and Black Sabbath's Paranoid. Bernie Taupin recalls how he wrote the lyrics to Elton John's Rocket Man; Joan Jett remembers channeling her rage against how she had been unfairly labeled and treated into Bad Reputation, and Ozzy Osbourne, Elvis Costello, Bob Weir, Sheryl Crow, Alice Cooper, Roberta Flack, John Mellencamp, Keith Richards, Carly Simon, and many others reveal the emotions and technique behind their major works.

Weight: 362g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781611854251
Edition number: Main