interview-three acclaimed music journalists look at iconic songs and singers

“Anthems We Love: 29 Iconic Artists on the Hit Songs That Shaped Our Lives” by Steve Baltin (Harper Horizon, an imprint of HarperCollins Focus LLC)--Have you ever wondered about the circumstances behind the composing and recording of some of the best-loved pop songs of the last half-century? This book is loaded with interviews of the people who made these iconic records.

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“Anatomy of 55 More Songs: The Oral History of Top Hits That Changed Rock, Pop and Soul” by Marc Myers (Grove Press)--This author tried to determine which songs and artists he profiled in his Wall Street Journal  column. “First, hits that were iconic but weren’t worn out. Second, songs that played a significant role in influencing the direction of pop. Third, songs with aspects that long puzzled readers.”

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“God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys & the California Myth” by David Leaf (Omnibus Press)--The author came to California to meet these incredible musicians and over time became part of their world. This book is an updated version of one he wrote in 1978, and republished in 1985. He revised and updated it to include Brian Wilson’s return to composing and performing, and “the All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson” (which the author wrote and produced!), and includes interviews with superstar fans.