Book description
Who's better? Billie Holiday or P. J. Harvey? Blur or Oasis? Dylan or Keats? And how many friendships have ridden on the answer? Such questions aren't merely the stuff of fanzines and idle talk; they inform our most passionate arguments, distill our most deeply held values, make meaning of our…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
1 author picked Performing Rites as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This is the book that changed my view of music and made me realise that I could write about popular music from a sociological perspective and not bore people to death!
Simon combines the punchy directness of a music critic with a thorough understanding of music as a social force that shapes our lives, loves, and identities. The book demonstrates an encyclopedic knowledge of 20th-century popular music.
I often start any research project by using the index to look up related terms and ask: “What does Simon say?” I particularly like the sections on how star persona works, and the…
From Nick's list on popular music, technology, and society.
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