How Music Works

by David Byrne

*Updated with a new chapter on digital curation*

How Music Works is David Byrne’s incisive and enthusiastic look at the musical art form, from its very inceptions to the influences that shape it, whether acoustical, economic, social or technological. Utilizing his incomparable career and inspired collaborations with Talking Heads, Brian Eno, and many others, Byrne taps deeply into his lifetime of knowledge to explore the panoptic elements of music, how it shapes the human experience, and reveals the impetus behind how we create, consume, distribute, and enjoy the songs, symphonies, and rhythms that provide the backbeat of life. Byrne’s magnum opus uncovers ever-new and thrilling realizations about the redemptive liberation that music brings us all.

• ISBN10: 0804188939
• ISBN13: 9780804188937
• Publish Date: 2 May 2017 (first published 12 September 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780804188937

Reviews

[lovelybookshelf]

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall, this is a review of the audiobook:

How Music Works is a non-fiction loving, eclectic reader's dream. It covers history, culture, science, psychology, technology, politics, business, entertainment, and so much more, all with a hefty dose of memoir thrown in. Information and ideas are presented in a logical order, each point setting the foundation for ruminations yet to come.

The subject matter is what kept me listening; the narration was completely uninspiring. I wish the author had read the book, because I enjoyed listening to his prologue. Many times I wondered if narrator Andrew Garman either didn't understand what he was reading, or wasn't interested in it much at all.

The business aspects of the recording industry and how music scenes are created started to lose my interest. I also felt there were times when Byrne was overly and unfairly judgmental of the classical music world. But for the most point, Byrne had my brain whirling with thoughts and ideas. This book offers so much to think about and discuss. I was especially fascinated by the way our brains process sound, and how recordings have changed the way we listen to and judge the music we hear.

There was a beautiful explanation of the communal aspects of music: why people still attend live concerts when they can simply listen on their own devices at home, alone. And I loved when Byrne talked about the mixtape as an expressive form, communicating what we can't or are too shy to put into words. Eleanor & Park, anyone? :)

How Music Works is a thought-provoking journey through all the disciplines and details that guide our musical experiences.