Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Story of Pop Music from Bill Haley to Beyoncé

Stanley (Match Day), a member of indie pop band Saint Etienne, traces the development of popular music in Great Britain and the United States from 1952 through 2012, with extended riffs on major solo artists and groups such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, ABBA, and Michael Jackson, and shorter discussions about everyone from one-hit wonders in obscure English mining towns to long-popular singers such as Elton John and Aretha Franklin. He casts a wide net, encompassing pop, rock, folk, soul, R & B, country, punk, metal, grunge, and rap, examining the cultural context surrounding the music and delving into the lyrics, the harmonies/chord structures of songs, and use of instruments. All of this helps distinguish his work from others that explore these genres and gives the whole more depth. Some may quibble with Stanley's opinions or emphases, but his chatty style will engage the reader and his extensive research is displayed to excellent effect.