Best music books of 2023Like this list

16 items

• Quartet

  How Four Women Changed the Musical World

  Broad, Leah, 1991-

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  The book weaves amongst the life and times of four composers - their lives and music, the milieus in which they moved. It's not only meticulously researched, it's a storytelling feat. Brava.

• Everybody Hertz

  the Amazing World of Frequency, From Bad Vibes to Good Vibrations

  Mainwaring, Richard

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  This worked well as an audiobook - with samples of sounds and music to illustrate the frequencies. Lots of brilliant stories to illustrate the science and the sound - including the spooky story of a lab where low freqency possibly causes eye…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Thought I Heard You Speak

  Women at Factory Records

  Golden, Audrey

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  This book really met its stated purpose of bringing to light the women who worked for Factory Records, the Hacienda, and other branches of the Factory family. They showed much respect for the other women in the group, and their voices have uncovered…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Soul Survivor

  the Autobiography

  Arnold, P. P., 1946-

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  P.P. Arnold has had an astonishing life and career. She was a 17 year old mum of 2 in an abusive relationship when she became an Ikette in the Ike and Tina Turner revue. If you like memoirs with famous guest stars - this is gold: Mick Jagger, Tina…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Tegan and Sara. [1], Junior High

  Quin, Tegan, 1980-

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  A graphic novel on the young Tegan and Sara and their first moves into music. Absolutely charming and great - part two coming soon!

• Stop Making Sense

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  5 stars. One of the best concert films ever ever.

• Untouchable Girls

  the Topp Twins's Story

  Topp, Jools, 1958-

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  If you loved Jools and Lynda before reading this, you'll love them lots more after. It's a bouncy read, with lots of fun and family. They are very much part of protest and change in this country, and the book is a real social as well as personal…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Moonage Daydream

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  Gorgeous doco with visuals to sweep you away, narrated by Bowie himself.

• The Woman in Me

  Spears, Britney, 1981-

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  Along with Prince Harry's Spare , this is one of the year's big books. Britney's life and times - from her family origins to fame to conservatorship and beyond. It's a rough ride, she has been hard done by her family, by Justin Timberlake, by the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Endurance

  Montgomery, R. L. (Roy Lance), 1959-

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  Black is the colour and the theme - absence, essence, death, and endurance. Roy Montgomery's poetry is darkly beautiful in both theme and in the book itself. "In absence lies essence." His poetry collection Endurance is an ode to his late partner,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Rocketman

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  I loved Elton's autobiography, this is a good companion piece. It is really quite charming and clever in the way it uses his songs.

• Weird

  the Al Yankovic Story

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  Suitable silly biopic starring Daniel Radcliffe who shows his acting chops in a whole new way.

• Karma

  My Autobiography

  Boy George, 1961-

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  Boy George tells his story as a music legend, but also lots about his family history and life.

• CRUSH

  Photos From Post-punk Auckland

  Ganley, Jonathan

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  The format of this book works a treat - great images, then a bit of info and context. Take a trip back into NZ music history - plus some overseas visitors like The Fall.

• Rihanna and the Clothes She Wears

  Newman, Terry (Fashion journalist)

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  The perfect fashion book - lots of great outfit pics, plus interesting, not-too-long explanations. And Wow so much fabulous fashion from the streets to haute couture, and often the two together. Love it!

• Pull Down the Shades

  Garage Fanzine 1984-86 : Tales From the New Zealand Music Underground

  Langston, Richard, 1959-

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  "The incredible sound of New Zealand from Flying Nun Records and Xpressway in the 1980s-90s is the stuff of legend. Hozac Books proudly presents Richard Langston's ultra-obscure fanzine GARAGE, capturing the original six issues from 1984-86 at long…Read moreRead more of this annotation