Free American Hit Radio: A History Of Popular Singles From 1955 To The Present Ebooks To Download
Starting in 1955, America began tracking its favorite songs on the Top 40 Charts. More than a record of our collective music tastes, the charts became snapshots that reveal who we are. Now Thomas Ryan takes us through all forty years, providing a wealth of insight based on exhaustive research.Arranged chronologically, American Hit Radio puts 1,250 of the Top 40 songs in perspective, spotlighting 500 with carefully crafted essays describing the artists? backgrounds and inspirations, the cultural context of the songs, and how the song styles and statements relate to the music scene before and since. From Fats Domino to Nirvana, popular music reflects the radical changes we have experienced as a country and a culture. American Hit Radio explores where our music has taken us in the last half-century—what we have left behind, what persists, and why.Whether the song is ?Maybelline? or ?Billie Jean,? popular music is something we all share. American Hit Radio is more than an enjoyable popular music survey, it?s a vivid cultural history of the American psyche.About the Author Thomas Ryan, a music reviewer and obsessive vintage vinyl collector, has been an active drummer for the past twenty years. He has spent the past decade actively studying the Top 40 lists, accumulating in the process a massive collection of music and videos.
Paperback: 672 pages
Publisher: Prima Lifestyles (November 1, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0761502300
ISBN-13: 978-0761502302
Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 7.2 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #65,682 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Ethnic & International > World Beat #63 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Reference #89 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Musical Genres > Popular
Tom Ryan gets right to the point in his facinating review of pop culture musical history. The 45 single was the most influential medium for a generation of listeners and for the artists themselves. As you read, you will see how "one hit wonders" made careers and helped these sometimes unknown artists earn their place in history.Another interesting point of the book is how the author relates what was happening socially in America during the time of each hits release. Read how the anti-war movement changed the music scene. Follow the musical trends from folk rock to grunge, and picture how you have grown and evolved with the times. See how some #1 hits have faded over the years and lost their relevence (Disco Duck) while others have become part of the American music fabric, although never reaching the famed #1 status.A great book for all who love music and the culture of the 50's through the mid 90"s. Tom Ryan's insightful and slightly saracastic wit! ! is a wonderful thread to this reading experience.
Thomas Ryan sure knows what he likes about popular music. His knowledge of the songs he tackles is comparable to that of a veteran DJ who's been collecting records (or CDs, nowadays) of his faves since he was old enough to collect his first allowance. But a close examination of the book reveals Ryan's biases towards certain types of music and artists (he makes no secret about this in the text). Furthermore, Ryan doesn't hold back when it comes to music and artists that he does NOT like, and he peppers his book with lists of songs he hates ("Top Misses") that made the pop charts. The only problem with reading this book, aside from getting past Ryan's predictability in his choices, is the fact that, unlike a more informational book like Fred Bronson's "Billboard Book of #1 Hits," which looks at hit songs more objectively, reading Ryan's book is a bit like being on a week-long cross-country journey with a friend who comments on every song that comes! ! on the radio. Despite his enthusiasm, Ryan ultimately comes off sounding too self-serving and cynical to be taken as seriously as a Fred Bronson or a Joel Whitburn. Still, the book is at times very funny, and occasionally revealing tidbits about certain songs appear throughout, but if you want a more objective and factual book about pop singles, check out Bronson's book, mentioned above.
Tom ryans'collection of essays captivated me from the moment I picked it up. the wit and style of the essays kept me captivated and while I usually skip around these types of books, reading about my favorites first and going back to read the rest later I stuck with this one pretty much page to page . But, as I got into the middle to late 80s'and early 90s' sections I began to get the feeling that Mr Ryan was busy doing other things in those years and stopped listening to the radio. he claims that this is because singles were going out of fashion at this point but I owned a record store at this time and I sold a lot of 45rpms. (not enough as things turned out, but a lot) Acts like Vanhalen, Tom Petty, and to a lesser extent ZZ Top and J Geils had huge singles that still get airplay today,but Tom treats them as if they didn't exist. the same can be said of Bachman turner overdrive, the Guess who,and Chicago from an earlier time, big hits,still getting air play but not apparently at Mr Ryans house. I can't stomach Chicago but I cant deny they sold a lot of vinyl. All in all I can recommend this book because what Tom does cover he covers with style. and what he didn't cover maybe someone else will.
AMERICAN HIT RADIO, a survey of classic pop music from the mid 1950's to the 1990's, is a compusively good read. Written in a refreshing conversational tone, this is a deeply personal book that also allows the author to give an exhaustive historical background on each of his opinionated song selections. Ryan clearly loves his subject and within a few short hours, a novice will have a keen insignt into what made a particular artist and recording into three plus minutes of magic (at the risk of sounding off like an infomercial, this book does make a nifty I-Pod companion). For the officiando, you'll feel as if you discovered a new found friend- one you can laugh and argue with over the "merits" of the Eagles' "Hotel California." The one sore point is Ryan's rather perculiar "disco is bad" stance in light of the fact that we live in an era when many happily sing the Village People's "YMCA." Thankfully through correspondance, I've found that the author has recently changed tune (no pun intented) and will add renewed insights in subsequent editions of the book. Until that day arrives I'll give this one spin like those ol'45rpm records- time and time again!
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