Musicquake: The Most Disruptive Moments in Music

Discover music that dared to be different, risked reputations and put careers in jeopardy -- causing fascination and intrigue in some and rejection and scorn in others.This is what happens when people take tradition and rip it up.

MusicQuake tells the stories of 50 pivotal albumsand performances that shook the world of modern music -- chronicling the fascinating tales of their creation, reception, and legacy. Tracing enigmatic composers, risqué performers, and radical songwriters -- this books introduces the history of 20th century music in a new light.

From George Gershwin and John Cage to Os Mutantes and Fela Kuti; from Patti Smith and The Slits to Public Enemy and Missy Elliott -- by discussing each entry within the context of its creation, the book will give readers true insight into why each moment was so pivotal and tell the stories surrounding the most exciting music ever produced. Some were shocking, others confusing, beautiful, and surreal; some were scorned on release, others were chart toppers; and yet more inspired entire movements and generations of new musicians.

These cutting-edge works, which celebrate novelty, technology, and innovation, help define what music is today -- acting as prime examples of how powerful songs can be.

This book is from the Culture Quake series, which looks into iconic moments of culture which truly created paradigm shifts in their respective fields. Also available areArtQuake, FilmQuakeand FashionQuake.

Robert Dimery is a writer, editor and music expert who has worked on Tony Wilson’s 24 Hour Party People and Breaking Into Heaven: The Rise and Fall of the Stone Roses, plus countless other popular music publications. He was general editor of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die and has worked for a variety of magazines, including Time Out London and Vogue.