Popular Musicians (4 Volume Set)

Presents articles on the careers, successes, and critical reputations of musicians and musical groups popular in the U.S. since the late 1950s, and includes discographies, awards, and a chronology of first releases.

A student might associate the word popular with groups like The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Iron Maiden (included in this set), or The Back Street Boys and Spin Doctors (not found), but these volumes take a somewhat broader view. Here, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra rub shoulders with Public Enemy and Nine Inch Nails. Though focusing on performers "in fields such as pop and its subgenres, rock and roll and its subgenres, rap and hip-hop, country, soul, disco, blues, and folk music" since the late 1950s, they also cover influential jazz artists (e.g., John Coltrane, Miles Davis), as well as musicians from an earlier generation, such as Woody Guthrie and Jimmie Rodgers. There are 532 articles, signed and alphabetically arranged. Length ranges from 600 to 5,000 words, with most entries between 750 and 1,200 words. Longer, 2,500-word essays give in-depth treatment to Garth Brooks, James Brown, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, and Barbra Streisand, among others; The Beatles are afforded 5,000-word coverage. Except for a few select performers (e.g., Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross) who went on to have significant solo careers, the emphasis is on groups rather than individual group members--no separate entries for Kurt Cobain or Ringo Starr. However, some entries highlight the most dominant members--examples are Culture Club/Boy George and Sonny and Cher/Cher. Cross-references help the reader locate appropriate or related entries.

Each entry is headed by a summary listing the first album release, group members, and musical styles; and each ends with a select discography and list of awards. A "For the Record" sidebar offers additional facts. Most entries include a black-and-white photograph. Volume 4 contains a "Time Line of First Releases" that lists artists from 1923 through 1997. Works by Erykah Badu, Hanson, and Puff Daddy are the last entries. This is followed by a glossary and a bibliography, which is arranged by topic. There are three indexes: "List of Artists by Musical Style," "Index of Song and Album Titles," and a general index.

The organization of this set is superb. Though not as comprehensive as The Encyclopedia of Popular Music [RBB Ap 1 99], it is broader in scope (and also more suitable for an older audience) than UXL's Parents Aren't Supposed to Like It [RBB Jl 98]. Popular Musicians is excellent for retrospective research, and it may even satisfy a few of your customers' requests for information on the latest musical groups. Recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries.

Grade 7 Up-Well researched, accessible, and unburdened by jargon or hype, this set profiles performers who have left a lasting impression on the American music scene since the 1950s. The 532 alphabetically arranged, signed articles include individuals, bands, and vocal groups of rock, rap, hip-hop, country, soul, disco, blues, and folk music. In addition, there are 14 entries on well-known jazz and/or pop figures such as Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Kenny G, and Herbie Hancock. A selected discography and list of awards and see-also references conclude each article. The attractive layout features boxed tidbits of trivia throughout the set. The several indexes allow for multiple access points to the information and the final volume includes an extensive, up-to-date bibliography. Average-quality black-and-white photos illustrate many of the profiles. With approximately 1800 entries, The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll (Fireside, 1995) presents broader coverage but has no index or table of contents. Dafydd Rees and Luke Crampton's The DK Encyclopedia of Rock Stars (1996) provides year-by-year chronological data for musicians rather than interpretive essays. Hochman's set is a valuable resource for libraries fielding questions on contemporary performing artists.
Douglas Wooley, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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