The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory - John Seabrook

The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory

By John Seabrook

  • Release Date: 2015-10-05
  • Genre: Music
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 63 Ratings

Description

"An utterly satisfying examination of the business of popular music." —Nathaniel Rich, The Atlantic

There’s a reason today’s ubiquitous pop hits are so hard to ignore—they’re designed that way. The Song Machine goes behind the scenes to offer an insider’s look at the global hit factories manufacturing the songs that have everyone hooked. Full of vivid, unexpected characters—alongside industry heavy-hitters like Katy Perry, Rihanna, Max Martin, and Ester Dean—this fascinating journey into the strange world of pop music reveals how a new approach to crafting smash hits is transforming marketing, technology, and even listeners’ brains. You’ll never think about music the same way again.

A Wall Street Journal Best Business Book

Reviews

  • Fairly up to date

    5
    By Dendi John
    This book is fairly up to date with current practices in the music industry, songwriting, music celebrities, industry tensions brought about by technology. After reading this I deceided I need to read books more often.
  • Pop music demystified

    5
    By CRiddersen
    Mr. Seabrook lifted the curtain and showed me the man pulling the levers behind the soundtrack to my childhood. As a 2000s era teen I was riveted by the boy band stories. Without divulging any spoilers, what made this book read like an enriching guilty pleasure was the common thread Mr. Seabrook wove through the history of hits. Seabrook is thorough, thought-provoking, and talented. Well done sir.
  • The Hit Maschine

    5
    By Def Hustle
    Basically this book is incredibly revealing in how he music industry operates in the present and continued to blow my mind the further I read as the truth was revealed to me