The history of rock is chronicled through forty world-famous artists and groups in this stylishly designed and illustrated book. It begins with Elvis Presley, whirls through the psychedelic 60s and the protest songs of the 70s, then via glam rock and reggae takes us into the punk era, new wave and hip hop, leaving us with Beyoncé and Arcade Fire. It’s clearly a personal choice (Blur but not Oasis? And where are the queens of soul and disco?) but covers a huge range of styles and movements, and gives a real sense of the evolution of popular music. Each artist has a double page and they are represented via stylish, graphic illustrations accompanied by useful captions – dotted lines lead from Bob Dylan’s head to the words ‘Politically engaged’, while Elvis’s hips are labelled ‘provocative’. Fun, stylish and informative.
Each Top 40 Famous title introduces readers to a fascinating non-fiction subject through its 40 most famous people or groups. An illustration, short biography and pull-out boxes with statistics brings each alive in a fun, accessible way. In this inspiring title, learn about Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Madonna, Beyonce, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and many other rock and pop legends. Key aspects are pulled out for young readers, such as genre, look and famous performances.
Herve Guilleminot has been passionate about music since the age when he tapped on the family piano. He grew up to become a musical journalist and author of books devoted to pop and rock music. He has written books on the Beatles, Bjork, AC / DC, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and U2. Herve lives in France.
