How to Write About Music: Excerpts from the 33 1/3 Series, Magazines, Books and Blogs with Advice from Industry-leading Writers Paperback – Illustrated, February 26, 2015

I am a 'music journalist' for two websites and have been looking for something like this for years. I don't think there is anything else out there that is not only dedicated to writing about music, but looks at it specifically with web copy in mind. The authors they have collected here are people in the field that I respect. Furthermore, because it is populated mostly by music writers, the book avoid coming off like a textbook. It is really a fun read. I believe everyone involved took the approach that this wasn't a definitive text, so much as a grouping of ideas about how one CAN approach music writing. As such, it is really a unique book that I highly recommend.

This book provides samples, advice, and readings from critics who write for a living. It is a better guide to writing well about music than any of the classical music writing guides I have used previously in teaching a Writing about Music course to Bachelor of Arts in Music students at Westminster Choir College. In their future careers, almost all of my students will be writing about music for an audience of non- musician music lovers, not music professors. This book helps me prepare them for the specific challenges of that task.

This was a gift for a friend who is just starting out as a music reviewer. During our following three conversations, she spoke about the book with great enthusiasm, and repeated (more than once) "I'm learning so much!"

As a fan of the 33 1/3 series I came to this book hoping for some decent behind the scenes detail, and on the whole I wasn’t disappointed.Probably a few too many examples, slightly labouring the point, but then that’s kind of what it’s all about, I guess. The chapters on pitching for a book in the series are a great read, and are a must read for anyone wanting to do just this!

I needed this for my class. Good book. Thank you.

Interesting book with great insight from professional critics. However, it takes a lot of space in showing you different examples of reviews, which is useful to some extent, but some of them are extremely long and you tend to feel you are reading a compilation of old reviews. Again, buy it for the professional advice, but be aware that you may get lost in a sea of reviews that you may not feel so excited about.

While so much writing about music is self-indulgent piffle, this book takes you on an intellectually stimulating and demanding exploration of what it really means to write about music. Do not be put off by the list of artists discussed, thinking: I don't like them so this book's not for me. There is so much about writing in general, and specifically about music, that it is hard to put down. Not everything appealed to me, but I was struck by the seriousness and the depth of so much of what you find in this book. These are not air-headed lightweights posting frothy opinion pieces for their friends on social media; these are dedicated writers who commit to their work and to the music that they love in a refreshing and uplifting way. I was continually surprised by the breadth and the originality of writing here.If, like me, you love good writing, no matter what genre, you will enjoy this book. If you like music as well, then you will be most satisfied.

A new bible for how to think about music, how music makes us think and how to put it all on paper. Brilliant. I could read it several times and get some new perspective each time. Long overdue and so well done!