Showing titles in History & Criticism

Discover how rhythmic resistance and joyful survival birthed the ultimate musical evolution from trauma to global triumph. Whether you are seeking an empowering soundtrack for your daily commute or a deep, reflective dive into cultural history, this sonic journey reveals the heartbeat of human...

Master music appreciation and transform classical symphonies from a confusing blur into a deeply emotional experience. Whether seeking a calm soundtrack for your morning commute or a focused escape to unwind, this audio journey demystifies the concert hall. Leave behind intimidating jargon and...

Escape algorithmic playlists and uncover the gritty DIY hustle fueling authentic underground hip-hop. Whether you are powering through a long commute or settling in for a focused deep listening session, this high-energy journey takes you far beyond major label machinery. Step into the dive...

Discover the defiant pulse of African music history, where cultural resilience transforms oppression into global triumph. Perfect for an educational daily commute or an immersive weekend listening session, this uplifting narrative sweeps from rural villages and crowded townships to the pulsing...

Explore how sounds born from cultural resistance and struggle evolved into the definitive music history of a nation. Perfect for an educational commute, this energetic journey traces the sonic heartbeat of America from Indigenous ceremonies to modern global markets. Discover the profound...

Trace centuries of music history to hear how ancient ritual chants evolved into today's cinematic film scores. Perfect for an inspiring morning commute or a deep-focus study session, this immersive auditory journey explores the cultural shifts that shaped our global soundscape. Experience the...

Experience the cultural revolution of music history as outsider noise transforms into the ultimate global soundtrack. Perfect for your daily commute, this energetic journey tracks the restless rebellion of youth culture colliding with groundbreaking technology. Feel the raw, passionate drive of...

From the award-winning filmmaker and graphic novelist comes the untold origin story of the multimillion-dollar AFROPUNK Festival—beginning not with big stages or brand sponsorship, but with one Black kid’s search for belonging in the nineties New York City punk scene “A memoir that belongs...

Bloomsbury presents Torment Saint by William Todd Schultz, read by Christopher Ragland Elliott Smith was one of the most gifted songwriters of the '90s, adored by fans for his subtly melancholic words and melodies. He died violently in LA in 2003, under what some believe to be questionable...

A 2026 Audie Awards finalist for Best Nonfiction Narrator! Moving and powerful, this is a vivid portrait of the women who came together to form an orchestra in order to survive the horrors of Auschwitz. New York Times bestselling author of Les Parisiennes and That Woman: A Life of Wallis Simpson...

Recorded at the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York City, the audiobook features narration and storytelling by Questlove, who expertly weaves together a rich sonic tapestry of hip-hop tales large and small, well-known and obscure. From hearing “Rapper’s Delight” for the first time...

One of Esquire's best books of spring 2022 An extended meditation on late style and last works from "one of our greatest living critics" (Kathryn Schulz, New York). When artists and athletes age, what happens to their work? Does it ripen or rot? Achieve a new serenity or succumb to an escalating...

This program is read by the author, and includes excerpts from Richard Wagner's musical compositions throughout. A New York Times Notable Books of 2020 Alex Ross, renowned New Yorker music critic and author of the international bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist The Rest Is Noise, reveals...

This program is read by the author. "Indispensable [reading] about the feminine journey through a man's world" —USA Today An intimate look at the lives of our most celebrated female musicians—and their challenges with fame—from a legendary music journalist Over four decades, Lisa Robinson...

A unique, moving and dazzlingly researched exploration of the places, people, musicians, writers and filmmakers that inspired David Jones to become David Bowie, what we can learn from his life’s work and journey, and why he will always matter. When David Bowie died on 10th January 2016, it...

"Nolan Gasser is brilliant at explaining the beautiful machinery behind your favorite songs without taking away any of the magic." —Conan O'Brien This program is read by the author. From the chief architect of the Pandora Radio’s Music Genome Project comes a definitive and groundbreaking...

A one-of-a kind survey of rap and hip hop history from 1973 to today by Chuck D, arguably the most influential rapper in the world. In the more than 40 years since the days of DJ Kool Herc and "Rapper's Delight," hip hop and rap have become a billion-dollar worldwide phenomenon. Yet there is no...

One of The Telegraph's Best Music Books 2011 Alex Ross's award-winning international bestseller, The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century, has become a contemporary classic, establishing Ross as one of our most popular and acclaimed cultural historians. Listen to This, which takes...

Bloomsbury presents The Musical Human by Michael Spitzer, read by Daniel Levitin. "Michael Spitzer has pulled off the impossible: a Guns, Germs and Steel for music." —Daniel Levitin A colossal history spanning cultures, time, and space to explore the vibrant relationship between music and the...

The irresistible story of a one-man cultural phenomenon. Minister for the Counterculture, Mancunian mainstay and alternative national treasure John Robb has lived a life in music. In this book he charts his adventures on the cultural frontline, chronicling the making of a DIY icon.