The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music - Hardcover

4.5

14 ratings by Goodreads

9781852279233: The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1852279230 ISBN 13: 9781852279233

Publisher: Virgin Pub, 2002

With over 2 million words, this essential reference source will answer all your questions on any aspect of twentieth-century popular music. Now in its fourth edition, this concise edition of the groundbreaking Encyclopedia of Popular Music has been completely revised and updated. Artists such as Eminem and Limp Bizkit are among the 384 new entries. The inclusion of others whose work has failed to stand the test of time has been re-assessed and tributes have been made to the careers of those who have recently died. Completely revised and updated for the Fourth Edition One edition that is compact, portable and accessible.

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Review:

Clear a spot next to the stereo system for this book. Culled from an original edition of six volumes, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music boasts a million words devoted exclusively to pop music in all its glorious incarnations. With this book next to the CD collection, readers are virtually guaranteed to be able to answer all manner of niggling questions like the name of the Bangles' first album or Ira Gershwin's birth date. Album and video information along with suggested bibliographies accompany descriptions of music by the likes of Boy George, The Pet Shop Boys, Jimmy Boy, and Boy's Own, as well as thousands of other musical boys and girls. The force of the information in this hefty volume is twofold--the sheer amount of it and its evenhandedness. One hit wonders that have practically faded into oblivion are treated with the same depth of coverage as Goliaths like Elvis and the Rolling Stones. And with its objective tone, readers are free from the writers' opinions about a given band or performer and left to interpret the facts on their own.

From the Publisher:

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music was originally published in 1992, following three years of intensive research and preparation by a team led by the encyclopedia's founder, Colin Larkin. The original database, created with input from eighty contributors, has trebled in size and now includes over eight million words, the biggest of its kind in the world. The database is updated and expanded every day of the year.

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