A Guide to Popular Music Reference Books: An Annotated Bibliography

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

A guide to locating information on popular music and the people who create it, this volume is designed as a desk reference, to locate answers to specific questions and to direct library users to key resources. More than 400 comprehensive titles are annotated, describing content, scope and special features. The focus is on the musical styles that have developed measurable commercial success through recordings and live performance. Along with academic titles, many important titles from the popular press are included, as well as selected electronic resources. The book should be a useful reference tool for any library, scholar, student and popular music buff.

Reviews

Haggerty defines popular music broadly, encompassing such styles as big band, pop, rock, metal, rap, country, jazz, and blues...(but) excludes world music and reggae. His book is arranged by format, including dictionaries and encyclopedias, biographies, indexes, discographies, and guidebooks. This will be a useful book for collection development. In large popular-music collections, it might help narrow in on possible sources for answering questions. Recommended for large and developing popular-music collections.-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
Haggerty's guide, styled after the classic Guide to Reference Books, annotates 427 reference books on popular music....it should prove especially valuable to librarians who select music books or refer users to possible sources. General reader.-Choice
Librarians should seize [this] stud[y] with glee. [It] constitute[s] [a] goldmine of reference information and present[s] varying perspectives on the kaleidoscopic world of popular music print....[O]ffers succinct yet valuable annotations for each of the 427 titles cited. This comprehensive reference highlights a plethora of contrasting musical styles-jazz, swing, Tin Pan Alley, country, blues, gospel, soul, rhythm and blues, rock, musical theatre, heavy metal, rockabilly, and film music. This slim volume is essential for librarians, music scholars, students, and collectors.-Popular Music and Society
Well-rearched, annotated bibliographies on popular music have been few and far between, only a few titles come to mind. ... However, all of these works have sparse annotations and are not as inclusive as the volume under review. The work is recommended for personal libraries and large public and academic libraries where in-depth reference collections on popluar music are maintained.-Music
"Librarians should seize this study with glee. It constitutes a goldmine of reference information and presents varying perspectives on the kaleidoscopic world of popular music print....Offers succinct yet valuable annotations for each of the 427 titles cited. This comprehensive reference highlights a plethora of contrasting musical styles-jazz, swing, Tin Pan Alley, country, blues, gospel, soul, rhythm and blues, rock, musical theatre, heavy metal, rockabilly, and film music. This slim volume is essential for librarians, music scholars, students, and collectors."-Popular Music and Society
"Haggerty defines popular music broadly, encompassing such styles as big band, pop, rock, metal, rap, country, jazz, and blues...(but) excludes world music and reggae. His book is arranged by format, including dictionaries and encyclopedias, biographies, indexes, discographies, and guidebooks. This will be a useful book for collection development. In large popular-music collections, it might help narrow in on possible sources for answering questions. Recommended for large and developing popular-music collections."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"Haggerty's guide, styled after the classic Guide to Reference Books, annotates 427 reference books on popular music....it should prove especially valuable to librarians who select music books or refer users to possible sources. General reader."-Choice
"Well-rearched, annotated bibliographies on popular music have been few and far between, only a few titles come to mind. ... However, all of these works have sparse annotations and are not as inclusive as the volume under review. The work is recommended for personal libraries and large public and academic libraries where in-depth reference collections on popluar music are maintained."-Music
"Librarians should seize [this] stud[y] with glee. [It] constitute[s] [a] goldmine of reference information and present[s] varying perspectives on the kaleidoscopic world of popular music print....[O]ffers succinct yet valuable annotations for each of the 427 titles cited. This comprehensive reference highlights a plethora of contrasting musical styles-jazz, swing, Tin Pan Alley, country, blues, gospel, soul, rhythm and blues, rock, musical theatre, heavy metal, rockabilly, and film music. This slim volume is essential for librarians, music scholars, students, and collectors."-Popular Music and Society

Author Bio

GARY HAGGERTY is Assistant Library Director at Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is a specialist in contemporary popular music and is a professional performing musician. He holds degrees in music and library science.