Music Is History

A New York Times bestseller, Music Is History combines multi-Grammy Award winner Questlove’s deep musical expertise with his curiosity about history, examining America over the past fifty years.
 
Questlove finds the hidden connections in the American tapestry, whether investigating how the blaxploitation era reshaped Black identity or considering the way disco took an assembly line approach to Black genius. And these critical inquiries are complemented by his own memories as a music fan, and the way his appetite for pop culture taught him about America.
 
A history of the last half-century and an intimate conversation with one of music’s most influential and original voices, Music Is History is a singular look at contemporary America.
 
“An entertaining, informative and far-reaching work, meticulously excavating American culture and history with the eye of a seasoned cratedigger.” —The Washington Post

Questlove collects the 500 songs that have changed not just popular music, but also the worldQuestlove's Music Is History is an in-depth look into the 500 most influential songs in the history of music. Most famously known as a the drummer and joint frontman for the Grammy Award-winning band The Roots, Questlove is also an astute musicologist and voracious historian. In this book, Questlove dives into musical history from every decade of twentieth century, choosing one essential track from each year. The author thoughtfully and insightfully unpacks each song's cultural significance by placing it in its historical context, discussing real world events that shaped both the song's creation and its lasting impact. Analyses of iconic classics like "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder include tangents into the histories of science, politics, and pop culture. Questlove moves fluidly from the personal to the political, from Curtis Mayfield to the history of Black representation in cinema to musings on the Nixon presidency. Complete with comprehensive playlists organized around personal, playful themes like "Songs That Got Shafted" or "Songs With a Part I Really Like Even Though I Don't Like the Whole Song," this book is so full of Questlove's essential recommendations that it feels like a conversation with the industry's coolest music obsessive. Music Is History is a masterclass in music by a contemporary icon—a new American musical canon from one of music's most influential and unique voices.