Finally A hip, fun and culturally relevant series of music appreciation books, perfect for modern music-loving families who want to take advantage of this era of exploding musical access Get a personal guided tour through an amazing historical back-catalog of music that was previously unavailable. "Music Lab: We Rock "" A Fun Family Guide for Exploring Rock Music History" is a guided tour through thrilling corners of the musical universe that should not be missed This book highlights great songs in rock history, shares insights and stories on the artists, details the social and historical influences at play, and offers fun activities for families to do together. Detailed listening guides help music fans understand song structure, lyrics, and instrumentation. Related listening lists introduce readers to other exciting artists in similar genres. Set into 52 "music labs," these stories can be explored at will by individuals and families or used as a curriculum for community groups and educators. There really are no other books out there like thisa that are music appreciation books for a general audience that focus on popular musica so pick up yours today and soon have your whole family singing "We Rock." Upcoming volumes on Blues & Jazz and DJs, Dance, and Electronica are forthcoming."

Billy Joel has sold over 150 million records, produced thirty-three Top-40 hits, received six Grammy Awards, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fans celebrate him, critics deride him, and scholars have all but ignored him. This first-of-its-kind collection of essays on the music of Billy Joel offers close analysis and careful insight into the ways his work has impacted popular music during the last fifty years. Using a diversity of approaches, including those not traditionally found within popular musicological studies, this volume serves as a model for how any scholar can approach the study of popular music, regardless of their methodological leanings. These chapters interrogate how popular music frames personal and collective experiences, participates in the construction of history and culture, and invites us to reflect on its importance in our daily lives.

Billy Joel has sold over 150 million records, produced thirty-three Top-40 hits, received six Grammy Awards, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Fans celebrate him, critics deride him, and scholars have all but ignored him. This first-of-its-kind collection of essays offers close analysis and careful insight into the ways his work has impacted popular music during the last fifty years. Using diverse approaches, this volume serves as a model for how any scholar can approach the study of popular music. Ultimately, these chapters interrogate how popular music frames our experiences, constitutes our history and culture, and gains importance in our daily lives.