For Black Music Appreciation month in June, Penguin Random House Education is celebrating influential Black musicians and artists. We have provided a selection of books that include a range of music topics, from blues to hip-hop to jazz to pop, and musicians and artists who have brought entertainment to their communities and beyond, and inspired others to make their own art. Within this collection of titles are books about music history, Black women in music, music fundamentals, popular culture, and stories that center on music icons from Billie Holiday to Michael Jackson to Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and more.
A quietly influential force in African American literature and art, Clarence Major makes his Penguin Classics debut with the twenty-fifth-anniversary edition of Dirty Bird Blues
American pop music is arguably this country’s greatest cultural contribution to the world, and its singular voice and virtuosity were created by a shining thread of Black women geniuses stretching back to the country’s founding. This is their surprising, heartbreaking, soaring story—from “one of the generation’s greatest, most insightful, most nuanced writers in pop culture” (Shea Serrano)
The essential biography of America's godmother of rock 'n' roll whose exuberant singning and guitar playing captivated audiences and inspired generations of musicians from the 40s to today.
Peter Guralnick's extended essay about the life of the man and the myth, and of the place and time that produced both, illuminates much of the obscurity around Johnson without forfeiting any of the mystery.
“A powerful celebration of poets...Lit lovers will be dazzled.” —Publishers WeeklyExamines firsthand the lives of legendary Black writers who made a way out of no way to illuminate a road map for budding creators desiring to follow in their footsteps
A stirring meditation on Black performance in America from the New York Times bestselling author of Go Ahead in the Rain “Whether heralding unsung entertainers or reexamining legends, Hanif Abdurraqib weaves together gorgeous essays that reveal the resilience, heartbreak, and joy within Black performance. I read this book breathlessly.”—Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half
For half a century, Michael Jackson’s music has been an indelible part of our cultural consciousness. Landmark albums such as Off the Wall and Thriller shattered records, broke racial barriers, amassed awards, and set a new standard for popular music. While his songs continue to be played in nearly every corner of the world, however, they have rarely been given serious critical attention.
Writing to his brother, G’Ra Asim reflects on building his own identity while navigating Blackness, masculinity, and young adulthood—all through wry social commentary and music/pop culture critique
An intimate story of Miles Davis, the man, the musician, and his friendship with the young journalist and poet Quincy Troupe--soon to be a major motion picture.
In June, we celebrate Black Music Appreciation month and the influential Black musicians and artists who have brought entertainment to their communities and beyond, and inspired others to make their own art. Collection of titles for Black Music Appreciation Month
You can search for books across this discipline through our course lists, which cover applied music, music appreciation, music fundamentals, music history, and music theory. Applied Music Music Appreciation Music Fundamentals Music History Music Theory
