Love for Sale: Pop Music in America is a 2016 book by The Nation music critic David Hajdu, in which he chronicles the 100-plus year history of pop music in the United States.[1] The book features previously published material as well as interviews, including an interview with legendary folk singer Dave Van Ronk.[2] Chronologically, Love for Sale takes the reader from the origins of ragtime in the 19th century through to the present era of streaming music. The author also sequential discusses the rise of tapes, CDs, and MP3s.[3] The title of the book is derived from the 1930 Cole Porter song of the same name.[4]
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| Author | David Hajdu |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Music, pop music, music history |
| Genre | Non-fiction criticism, interpretation |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Publication date | October 18, 2016 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover), print (paperback), ebook |
| Pages | 320 |
| ISBN | 978-0-374-17053-0 |
| OCLC | 947041885 |
| Preceded by | Heroes and Villains: Essays on Music, Movies, Comics, and Culture |
| Website | Love for Sale at DavidHajdu.com |
Love for Sale constitutes Hajdu's attempt to answer the question: “What is the history and meaning of pop music?”[5]
Reception
editThe New York Times gave the book a generally favorable review, calling it, "very educational and entertaining". Still, the review cautioned that, "If [the book] were an album, it would be a collection of singles and B-sides meant to hold the fans at bay until the next major release."[6] The Boston Globe described Love for Sale as, "idiosyncratic romp through the history of the American popular music industry."[7] The book was favorably reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Associated Press and Vanity Fair, among others.[8][9][10][11]
References
edit- ^ Scott Simon (October 15, 2016). "'Love For Sale': A History Of Pop Music That's As Personal As It Gets". NPR. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Jeff Simon (October 22, 2016). "Editor's Choice: Love for Sale: Pop Music in America by David Hajdu". Buffalo News. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Eric Liebetrau. "'Love for Sale: Pop Music in America'". Columbia Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Dylan Hicks (October 16, 2016). "How Strange the Change: On David Hajdu's History of American Pop Music". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ James Mcfetridge Wilson (October 19, 2016). "'Love for Sale: Pop Music in America'". Commonwealth Magazine. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Jim Windolf (December 2, 2016). "Name Those Tunes: David Hajdu's Pop Music Memories". New York Times. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ James Sullivan (October 31, 2016). "An idiosyncratic, personal history of pop music". Boston Globe. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Eddie Dean (November 7, 2016). "From Victrolas to the iPod". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ "Review: Critic writes personal history of pop music". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. October 19, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ Sloane Crosley (October 19, 2016). "The Must-Read Books of the Fall, from Wayne Gretzky's Memoir to Brit Bennett's Debut". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 31, 2017.
- ^ "LOVE FOR SALE, Pop Music in America by David Hajdu". Kirkus Reviews. October 18, 2016. Retrieved January 31, 2017.